Ford’s commitment to engineering top performance vehicles has its roots way back in 1901, when Henry Ford and a small team of engineers created a race car called “Sweepstakes.” With this race car, which featured groundbreaking technology at the time such as mechanical fuel injection and insulated spark plugs, Henry Ford managed to win the only race he ever competed in. And with the money that he won in this race, Ford actually founded the Ford Motor Company.
Since then, Ford’s innovative race-car technology has influenced the design of its cars on the road, leading to top-performance vehicles like the Mustang GT350, Ford GT, Focus RS, and Fiesta ST. If you’re wondering what these cars have to offer, here’s some information.
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Mustang GT350
The Mustang’s superior performance credentials were originally inaugurated with the 1965 Shelby GT350. Today, the Shelby GT350 still boasts state-of-the-art performance technology, such as race-inspired brakes and a fierce flat-plane crankshaft 5.2-liter V-8 engine that kicks out 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. This engine is not only the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going engine Ford has ever produced, but also the highest-revving.
Other performance enhancements that the new Shelby features include improved aerodynamics that reduce drag, a brand-new spoiler with an available Gurney flap to keep the Shelby grounded, and new custom Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The standard MagneRide damping system compliments these enhancements with calibrated springs and revised damping.
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Ford GT
The all-new Ford GT sports performance features that are at the forefront of technological innovation. Its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine is Ford’s most powerful EcoBoost production to date, and generates an amazing 647 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. The Supercar boasts a body constructed from carbon fiber and aluminum structures that reduces the weight of the sub-frame; Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes; and long suspension arms and inboard damper packaging, to afford you a true race-car feel.
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Focus RS
Ford will be releasing 12 new performance vehicles globally through 2020, and one of them will be the Focus RS. This fiery hatchback will be powered by a specially-engineered iteration of Ford’s new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that boasts an acceleration speed of 0-62 mph in just 4.7 seconds, making it the fastest accelerating Ford RS to date. The all-new RS will also be equipped with Ford’s performance all-wheel drive system with dynamic torque vectoring, which features an industry-first Drift mode that allows for controlled oversteer drifts, as well as a Launch Control feature.
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Fiesta ST
The Fiesta ST is a sporty subcompact that boasts exciting performance technology, such as three mode AdvanceTrac electronic stability control, precision sport-tuned suspension and braking systems, and electronic torque vectoring control. The Fiesta ST is powered by a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine that’s good for 197 horsepower and 202 pound-feet of torque. Sporting 17-inch Rado-Gray aluminum wheels and a high-mounted rear spoiler, the Fiesta ST is also something to look at.
If you demand more than everyday usability from a car, Ford’s performance-inspired models will most certainly get your blood pumping. If you want to take one for a test drive, drop by Pat Milliken Ford.
Image via Ford.com
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