Monday 29th January 2018

Ford Performance shoot out!

One lap of Aragon, the Ford Performance range from Fiesta to Raptor and eight pro drivers - what could go wrong?

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Credit where it's due to Ford - and Edge ST notwithstanding - it offers a fairly enviable range of quick cars at the moment. The new Fiesta ST and Mustang are on the way, you can have a Focus RS now with a front limited-slip diff (and a new head gasket), plus a few very lucky GT customers will get their cars soon. Well soon-ish.

Fully subscribed to the 'if you've got it, flaunt it' school of PR, Ford has brought together its entire Performance range - as well as eight of its factory race drivers - for a one-lap showdown par excellence. So there's a Raptor, four-cylinder Fiesta ST, three-cylinder ST, 2018MY Mustang, GT350R, Focus RS, GT road car and GT race car. It's a single circulation of Aragon with a staggered start and, well, it makes for rather a good watch.

Of course there was the potential for it to be a horribly staged and terribly boring video, but Ford has done a great job here: either that coming together of Mustangs at the end was very well choreographed, or they really were racing quite hard. And the Raptor leaves the start with all four wheels smoking, which is a good a reason as any to feature a video.

 

[Paddy78]

Is this sponsored content or an article?

[Krikkit]

Paddy78 said:

Is this sponsored content or an article?

Don't be so bloody miserable. What's wrong with watching a manufacturer's range of fun cars being spanked around a circuit?

[ChilliWhizz]

Loving the truck. Wonder what Jeff will make of it though

[GroundEffect]

ChilliWhizz said:

Loving the truck. Wonder what Jeff will make of it though

I've driven one on track and it was as hilarious as it was terrifying. A proper machine.

[Paddy78]

Krikkit said:

Paddy78 said:

Is this sponsored content or an article?

Don't be so bloody miserable. What's wrong with watching a manufacturer's range of fun cars being spanked around a circuit?

Absolutely nothing and I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't call it General News or an objective review of said manufacturer's range of cars.

[Yipper]

Credit where it's due, Ford do make a great range of hooligan cars that few, if any, other brands can match.

[Dave Hedgehog]

i thought the race car was limited to 500bhp ?

[jon-]

Paddy78 said:

Krikkit said:

Paddy78 said:

Is this sponsored content or an article?

Don't be so bloody miserable. What's wrong with watching a manufacturer's range of fun cars being spanked around a circuit?

Absolutely nothing and I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't call it General News or an objective review of said manufacturer's range of cars.

So you're shocked a video made by Ford, and run from Fords youtube channel isn't objective...

[BabyStig]

As a Jeff, I liked it.

[anonymous-user]

jon- said:

So you're shocked a video made by Ford, and run from Fords youtube channel isn't objective...

Exactly, bloody misery guts.

I love the GT, it’s just gorgeous. Quite a range of drivers cars they have and difficult to not be impressed.

[Regiment]

Hate to have been the guy who pulled the short straw and ended up in the Fiesta ST lol when there were so much nicer and more fun cars.

[832ark]

Not really relevant to UK owners though, they’re more interested in how fast it can lap the local council estate.

[RushDom]

First time I've seen the new Fiesta ST in motion...shame we can't hear how it sounds though!

[ducnick]

Offer the gt350 in Europe and you will have my interest Ford. Until then don’t give us any more damn adverts for it!

[timrud]

What could go wrong? A head gasket?

[ducnick]

timrud said:

What could go wrong? A head gasket?

or an oil cooler if the mustang was RHD

[RacerMike]

Wish they sold the GT350 in the UK! Fun video, although rigged of course....not sure the bit where the GT lofted it up the inside of the GT350 whilst the RS was on the outside though was entirely intentional....

[Hafod]

Fair play Ford, you have something fun For most wallets. Looking at the time differential I think the GTE racer must have its restrict removed and the wick turned up a little. Surely the cage would overcome a good slice of the weight saving made by binning the active suspension and creature comforts, the slicks are worth maybe 3 seconds. Do you think the rest of the time is all just better aero and motorsport ABS, or do you reckon they said, "Hey there's no rules today boys Iets have an extra half Bar of boost?

[Hafod]

Fair play Ford, you have something fun For most wallets. Looking at the time differential I think the GTE racer must have its restrict removed and the wick turned up a little. Surely the cage would overcome a good slice of the weight saving made by binning the active suspension and creature comforts, the slicks are worth maybe 3 seconds. Do you think the rest of the time is all just better aero and motorsport ABS, or do you reckon they said, "Hey there's no rules today boys Iets have an extra half Bar of boost?

[Hafod]

https://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/2016-ford-gt-le...

Looks like there is quite a bit of difference between a "race car for the road" and a pure race car. I withdraw my suggestion the GTE was running crazy horsepower.