Highlights:
* Ford Performance set to expand global motorsports effort by competing in the legendary Dakar Rally, one of the toughest off-road competitions on Earth
* Purpose-built, race-ready Ford Ranger T1+ will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in Rally Raid T1+ class on a 'finish and learn' basis
* Ford Performance is collaborating in a comprehensive test and development program with M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsports to prepare for what is expected to be an extremely tough challenge come January
DEARBORN, Mich- An extreme racing version of the Ford Ranger will lead the expansion of Ford Performance global off-road racing to include the famed Dakar Rally in 2024 and beyond.
Ford Performance has raced and won from Le Mans to Monaco, Daytona to Bathurst and Finke to Ensenada. But it has yet to take on one of the toughest races on the planet - the iconic Dakar Rally.
The first step in the multi-year plan to compete in the Dakar Rally is to finish and learn in collaboration with longtime partners M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) for vehicle development, servicing and event management.
'To lead the charge at one of the ultimate global off-road events - the Dakar Rally - has been a goal of ours,' said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. 'We cannot underestimate the enormity of the challenge ahead of us. We need to finish and learn first with Ranger T1+ and partners like M-Sport and NWM, who bring their expertise to bear. Together, we can do amazing things in the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula.'
Leading the charge into the 2024 Dakar Rally, taking place January 5-19 in Saudi Arabia, will be a purpose-built, high performance Ford Ranger racing in the Rally Raid T1+ category.
The joint Ford Performance, M-Sport and NWM team has implemented a series of development phases through 2023 and continues testing with the Ranger T1+, based on the previous generation global Ranger, with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. Test races are expected to include Spain's Baja Espana Aragon and Morocco's Rally du Maroc rallies in July and October, respectively, before tackling the Dakar Rally next year.
'Our first time in Dakar will be a learning adventure that will help inform how we compete in the future,' said Rushbrook. 'But as with all racing, we're not just racing to win, we're also racing to help build better products for our customers.'
For the 2025 Dakar Rally, Ford Performance and M-Sport are developing an all-new, custom-built Ranger Raptor T1+ designed and built to Dakar's T1+ class regulations.
'The Dakar Rally is truly among the pinnacle of global off-road racing events,' said Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport managing director. 'We've achieved great success over the years with Ford in FIA WRC rally racing and can't wait to apply this same level of focus, energy and effort to competing with Ranger in Dakar.'
M-Sport is well regarded as a leading developer and campaigner of the M-Sport Ford Puma HybridRally1 in the FIA World Rally Championship, as well as engine builders for the Mustang GT3 program. NWM has played a pivotal role since the infancy of the Rally-Raid Ranger, as the team developed and built units at its facility in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, specified to compete in full Dakar T1+ regulations in the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) and around the world.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company's Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 174,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
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