Ford reveals fresh new face for its 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer
Filed under: Ford, Design/Style, Racing
Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. It's a marketing motto nearly as old as racing itself, but while today's NASCAR stock cars may have about as much in common with the cars they represent as a Halloween superhero costume from Walmart will actually give your kid superpowers, NASCAR remains the biggest spectator sport in America. So you can imagine that participating automakers would think themselves foolish to pass up the opportunity to make the connection in fans' eyes to cars they can actually buy at their local dealership.
That's why the "stock cars" packing Chevrolet engines carry the name and tacked-on fascia of the Impala SS, Dodge racers that of the Charger, while Toyota models are made to look like the Camry and Ford makes its racers resemble the Fusion. The Blue Oval has gone with the Fusion since 2006, but before that it was the Taurus, and for the better part of two decades prior, the Thunderbird. Now that Ford has released a radically redone Fusion, however, it has updated its NASCAR racer to reflect its new look.
Unveiled today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car is the product of a year's worth of design and aerodynamics work, and it's intended to bridge the widening gap between production and race car. It will undergo what you can bet will be rigorous testing throughout this year in preparation for its race debut at the Daytona 500 in February 2013, but you can check it out now in our high-res image gallery and the pair of press releases after the jump.
Continue reading Ford reveals fresh new face for its 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer
Ford reveals fresh new face for its 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Police Interceptor vehicles pacing NASCAR races in Miami
Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, SUV, Ford, Police/Emergency
Oh, how far things have come. NASCAR, as you may have heard, traces its roots back to moonshiners trying to outrun police cars. Now it'll be the stock cars chasing after the police when NASCAR rounds out the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The vehicles in question are Ford's latest "purpose-built" Police Interceptors - the Taurus-based sedan and Explorer-based utility - which Dearborn rolled out last year to replace the old-school Crown Victoria-based squad cars patrolling America's highways and city streets. The pair have been selected, much to the anticipated delight of race-loving cops, to serve as the pace cars for the upcoming Ford Championship Weekend, where all three of NASCAR's major series - Camping World trucks, Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup - wrap up their seasons.
It's not the first time, of course, that Fords have been used as pace cars in NASCAR - far from it - but while the Focus, Explorer, Fusion Hybrid and Mustang GT have all taken their turn recently as what they'd call "safety cars" overseas, this is the first time in the many years of leading the field in law enforcement vehicles that Ford will use its cop cars for the task.
Continue reading Ford Police Interceptor vehicles pacing NASCAR races in Miami
Ford Police Interceptor vehicles pacing NASCAR races in Miami originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsDetroit, F-150 and interstates among Fortune’s "100 great things about America"
Filed under: Truck, Etc., Ford
2011 Ford F-150 4x4 SuperCrew - Click above for high-res image gallery
Fortune joined this weekend's parade of all things USA with its list of "100 great things about America." Be forewarned: the list itself is exceedingly dopey. After all, Clif bars, 60 Minutes, GEICO commercials, and LeBron James are among the things that Fortune somehow manages to rank ahead of the men and women collectively serving in our armed forces. (They're number 64, for whatever that's worth. Fortune separates out the SEALs, ranking them #5.)
Thanks to our nation's obsession with them, cars and car-related items dot the list as well. A few even crack Fortune's top 25: Detroit (#14), the Ford F-150 (#11) and interstate highways (#2). NASCAR sits at #51, drive-in movie theaters (the remaining few) occupy the 87th spot, Kevin Spacey's Honda commercial voice-overs rank 41st (not making any of this up) and Exxon Mobil comes in at #88.
To read the whole facepalm-inducing list, head over to Fortune, where you'll also learn that duct tape (#16) ranks ahead of the Bill of Rights (#17).
Detroit, F-150 and interstates among Fortune's "100 great things about America" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Focus sets the pace for NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway
Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Racing
2012 Ford Focus NASCAR pace car - Click above for high-res image gallery
Most pace cars (commonly known as safety cars overseas) are pretty fast road cars. F1 uses a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The American Le Mans Series, a Porsche Panamera. DTM alternates between an Audi R8 and a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. MotoGP uses BMW M vehicles. Indy has used a Chevy Camaro SS the last couple of years. Noticing a pattern here?
Of course, as is true in many other areas, NASCAR does things differently. While other racing disciplines pit the latest technologies against each other on challenging road courses, NASCAR still uses old-school pushrod V8s on big ol' speedways. So it should come as little surprise that the American stock-car racing series goes a different route with its pace cars, too.
This weekend's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 (we don't name the races) at the Michigan International Speedway saw the Ford Focus make its debut appearance as the official pace car, complete with race livery and light bar but little in the way of other modifications over stock. Which means, as Ford is quick to point out, that while the stock cars behind it would have to pit a number of times over the 400-mile race distance, the Focus could go the whole way if it needed to... and if the driver - Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas - were milking the throttle, undaunted by the grid of rip-roarin' race cars filling his mirrors.
For what it's worth, the Focus is hardly the slowest vehicle to pace a NASCAR race. Ford alone has provided Fusion Hybrids and Explorer SUVs to set the pace at previous races as well. Follow the jump for the full press release, including information on Ford's latest online sweepstakes that will hand out 40 Foci to contest participants if it wins the NASCAR, NHRA or World Rally Championship titles this year.
Continue reading Ford Focus sets the pace for NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway
Ford Focus sets the pace for NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Racing Mustang sets half-mile speed record at Bristol [w/video]
Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Ford
David Ragan sets new record in 2011 Ford Mustang GT - Click above to watch video after the jump
NASCAR Driver David Ragan hopped out of his Ford Fusion and into a Ford Racing-modified 2011 Mustang GT and set out on the Bristol Motor Speedway to take a shot at the half-mile speed trials. The result? A new production car lap record of 98.497 miles per hour in 19.481 seconds.
Seeing a sub-100-mph speed for a track race may seem slow, but trust us, it's not. By comparison, a Yamaha superbike hit the course and managed a time of 19.582 seconds at a speed of 97.990 mph.
Ford Racing's modified Mustang uses a supercharger to add an extra 200 horsepower, bringing the total up to 624 hp. To manage that power, Ford Racing also fitted upgraded brakes and suspension parts. Click past the jump to see the Mustang, its new parts and David Ragan in action.
[Source: YouTube via MustangsDaily.com]
Continue reading Ford Racing Mustang sets half-mile speed record at Bristol [w/video]
Ford Racing Mustang sets half-mile speed record at Bristol [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsESPN: Ford submits Mustang for 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup approval
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Ford, Racing
Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Race Car - Click above for high-res image gallery
Forget the Fusion, Ford is making a move to bring the Mustang to Nascar's Sprint Cup Series. Ford has informed NASCAR decisionmakers that it wishes to begin racing the Mustang in the highest level of left-turning motorsports.
Replacing the Fusion is a process that could take all year, and Ford is required to show that the Mustang is a competitive equal to the cars it will race against. The reason behind the move is that Ford wants to show fans they can buy a car right off the showroom floor that mimics the one they watch every weekend on TV.
As fans of the roundy round are already aware, the Blue Oval already races a Mustang stock car in NASCAR - in the Nationwide Series. The pony car shown above made its competition debut last July during the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
We understand you can't purchase the same exact Mustang that will be hunting down rival racers around the county. In fact, we already know that you won't be able to purchase anything like a Sprint Cup Mustang for street use. But Ford knows that millions of people tune-in and show up to support their favorite drivers and brands. At least on some level, adding the Mustang to the mix makes more sense since the production car provides real driving thrills for its owners. Besides, unlike the Fusion, it's actually available in a coupe bodystyle like those used in NASCAR.
Now... if we can get Chevrolet to bring in the Camaro and Dodge to show up with the Challenger, we could be on the cusp of something special. Thanks for the tip, JR!
[Source: ESPN]
ESPN: Ford submits Mustang for 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup approval originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments43 Fiestas sweepstakes kicks off with excellent NASCAR vs. Rally footage
Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Racing
Ken Block takes on AJ Allmendinger - Click above to watch video after the jump
Ford has officially lit a fire under its 43 Fiestas campaign. As you may recall, the promotion aims to hand out a raft of prizes, from 43 LCD flat-screen TVs to airfare, lodging and tickets to the Ford NASCAR 400 Sprint Cup race for 43 lucky grand-prize winners. Of those souls, one will be awarded a special Ford Fiesta, but should AJ Allmendinger happen to walk away with the checkers, everyone in the grand-prize lot will receive a new Fiesta to call their very own. That's impressive and all, but not nearly so interesting as the videos after the jump.
You see, to sell the sweepstakes, Ford enlisted the help of NASCAR legend Richard Petty, rally heathen Ken Block and AJ Allmendinger, the current pilot of the #43 NASCAR racer. What happens when the three meet on a track? Let's just say that while we weren't entirely surprised by the outcome, we're wholeheartedly in favor of this type of motorsports crossbreeding in the future.
Now let's see that 3,000-pound NASCAR bruiser fling itself down a rally stage.
[Source: 43 Fiestas]
Continue reading 43 Fiestas sweepstakes kicks off with excellent NASCAR vs. Rally footage
43 Fiestas sweepstakes kicks off with excellent NASCAR vs. Rally footage originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta?
Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities
Brace yourself, race fans. Things are about to get a little weird. Ford has decided to meld the seemingly unmeldable worlds of NASCAR and rally to help promote the 2011 Fiesta. Ken Block, Richard Petty and AJ Allmendinger have joined forces as an unholy trifecta of motorsports action, unified by their common love of the number 43. We don't need to tell you that Petty famously campaigned old four-three in the heyday of NASCAR, netting 200 Sprint Cup wins and a total of seven championships in the process. Meanwhile, Block has established himself as one of America's flashiest rally drivers, while Allmendinger has inherited Petty's 43 throne in the current NASCAR series.
The three unlikely amigos will be campaigning for the Blue Oval's new '43 Fiestas' sweepstakes, where entrants will have the opportunity to lay their hands on a bevy of prizes. A total of 43 first-place prize winners will walk away with a 40-inch LED-LCD HD flat-screen television, while another 43 grand-prize winners will receive airfare, lodging and tickets for two to the Ford 300 Nationwide series and the Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If that wasn't swank enough, one of the 43 grand-prize winners will drive home in a 2011 Fiesta.
But wait, there's more. Should Allmendinger happen to take the checkered at the end of the race, all 43 grand-prize winners will win their very own Fiesta. Head over to the 43 Fiestas site to enter for you chance to win. You can also hop the jump for the full press release.
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Ford via 43Fiestas.com]
Offspeed Pitch: Richard Petty joins Ken Block, AJ Allmendinger in marketing Ford Fiesta? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsNew Nationwide cars don’t look like Mustang, Challenger; NASCAR still irrelevant
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Dodge, Ford
Last fall, NASCAR, Ford and Dodge all made a lot of noise about the introduction of the Mustang and Challenger bodies into the Nationwide race series. This all came after the latest Sprint Cup "Car of Tomorrow" drew criticism because all four participating brands had identical body shells, none of which looked like the stock road cars that lend them their names. The initial renderings focused on the front ends of the new racers, which featured more upright noses like the real pony cars you'll find in dealer showrooms.
Unfortunately, with this weekend's race debut of the Mustang and Challenger at Daytona, NASCAR proves yet again that nothing has really changed. Despite the the upright front ends, these cars don't look markedly different from each other, or even the Sprint Cup cars, for that matter. With the headlight and grille stickers blurred out, neither of the new Nationwide stockers looks like a pony car. Can you tell which is which? Check out the originals after the jump.
Continue reading New Nationwide cars don't look like Mustang, Challenger; NASCAR still irrelevant
New Nationwide cars don't look like Mustang, Challenger; NASCAR still irrelevant originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsPSA: Ford Mustang to make NASCAR Nationwide debut Friday night
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Ford, Racing
2010 Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Race Car - Click above for high-res image gallery
All of you who have been anxiously awaiting the debut of the Ford Mustang in what we loosely refer to as modern-day stock car racing, take note: The original Pony Car will see its first action this Friday night at the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
To help build excitement for the Mustang's entrance into the Nationwide Series, Ford has just announced that it will offer a brand-new 2011 Mustang GT - powered by the excellent 5.0-liter V8, no less - to anyone that wins the race... provided they do so in a Ford-branded race car, of course.
For what it's worth, Friday's event will be the second straight race where a new 2011 Ford Mustang GT will serve as the pace car. In other words, those in attendance for the festivities would be witnesses to an All Mustang, All The Time Show if it weren't for the fact that Dodge will also be showing up with its new Challenger-based entry. 'Stang vs. Challenger? Sounds like fun.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading PSA: Ford Mustang to make NASCAR Nationwide debut Friday night
PSA: Ford Mustang to make NASCAR Nationwide debut Friday night originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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