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Ford Showcases Performance Line-up with Ford GT, Focus RS and Focus ST at Auto Shanghai 2015

 
  • Ford unveils new Ford Performance vehicle line-up for first time in Asia Pacific, featuring the Ford GT, Focus RS and Focus ST
  • Performance line-up complements debuts of new Ford Taurus – a large sedan built for the Chinese market
  • New Focus, Explorer and Edge round out full range of Ford vehicles for China on display

Roaring into the spotlight at Auto Shanghai 2015, Ford unveiled three members of its new Ford Performance line-up for the first time in Asia Pacific. The Ford GT, Ford Focus RS and Focus ST join the new Taurus, Focus, Explorer and Edge in an exciting showcase of Ford’s latest vehicles and innovations.

“Performance and racing are so central to who we are as a company, going back to Henry Ford’s victory in the Sweepstakes Race 114 years ago,” said John Lawler, chairman and CEO, Ford China. “This spectacular performance line-up demonstrates that we are equally passionate about innovation through performance – with vehicles that make people’s hearts pound.”

Leading the Ford Performance line-up is the Ford GT, an ultra-high-performance supercar that represents the ultimate exhibition of Ford’s design and engineering capabilities.

Every aspect of the GT reflects an element of Ford’s product design and development expertise. A sleek, aerodynamic shape helps to reduce drag and optimize downforce for improved performance and fuel efficiency. Ford’s use of advanced lightweight materials, highlighted in last year’s Ford Lightweight Concept, similarly helps to improve both performance and efficiency. The mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 shows what is possible when the technologies behind Ford’s EcoBoost engines are pushed to their limit.

“The GT makes no compromises in delivering the ultimate in design and performance, but what’s even more exciting is how it does this using the same technologies and engineering approaches we apply to all our vehicles,” said Trevor Worthington, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific.

Sharing the stage with the Ford GT is the Focus RS, the third generation of Ford’s high-performance road car and the 30th vehicle to bear the legendary RS badge. Pioneering innovative Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive, the Focus RS delivers class-leading cornering speed, optimized aerodynamics and unbridled driving enjoyment. Advanced aerodynamics and a high-efficiency 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine help the RS to set new benchmarks for driving exhilaration on the road and track.

Rounding out the Ford Performance trio at Auto Shanghai is the Focus ST, the most advanced ST yet. With a sleek, aggressive new look, a lower, wider stance, and new chassis control technologies, the Focus ST delivers a thrilling fun-to-drive experience. Tuned suspension and steering provide enhanced performance, while inside, drivers will find a more refined cockpit with a clearer and more intuitive dashboard layout.

“These three vehicles approach performance in very different ways, but together they show how we continue to look to performance for inspiration and innovation,” said Worthington. “We’re excited to bring them to Shanghai.”

The performance lineup at Auto Shanghai 2015 complements the debut of the new Ford Taurus, created using Ford’s global design and development expertise specifically for Chinese consumers. The Taurus, a new premium business sedan for Ford in China, will be produced at Ford’s new US$760 million Hangzhou manufacturing facility.

“The new Taurus shows off the very best of Ford’s global design and development expertise in a large sedan uniquely suited to sophisticated customers in China,” said Marin Burela, president, Changan Ford Automobile Co. “We’re proud to call it our flagship sedan.”

The new Ford Explorer and the latest version of Ford’s best-selling nameplate in China, the Focus, also debuted in Shanghai. The class-defining Explorer features a fresh, bold design, a more elegant interior, smart driver assist technologies and new engine choices that combine power and fuel efficiency.

The new Focus builds on the nameplate’s strength with an emotive new exterior design, a sophisticated updated interior, advanced technologies and enhanced handling that make it even more fun to drive.

Ford’s display of its full line-up of vehicles for China also featured the new Ford Edge. With a third row of seating, a more rewarding driving experience and new technologies like Auto Start-Stop, which helps to save fuel by shutting off the engine while idling, the Edge is designed to meet the needs of the Chinese market.

Auto Shanghai 2015 runs from April 22 to April 29 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com

 

Ford's wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and investment in China include Ford Motor (China) Limited, Ford Motor Research & Engineering (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., Ford Automotive Finance (China) Ltd., Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd., Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Ltd. and Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.

For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit http://corporate.ford.com and www.ford.com.cn.

 

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Claire Li

 

Jonathan Mao

 

 

+86 21 3858 1666

 

+86 21 2032 2202

 

 

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