Steven Armstrong (below), Ford’s Group Vice President and President, Europe, Middle East and Africa, is one of the most senior executive in this global company’s global team, so when you get the opportunity to talk to him about the industry, and about motorsport’s part in that it’s a good idea to take it!
That opportunity came for the DSC Editor at the end of the 2017 WEC season, with the #67 Ford GT at that point still in the hunt for a Championship win.
So how do you see the Ford GT race programme? Has it delivered what you wanted, and what you hoped it would?
“We’ve been very pleased with how it has worked for us from a public facing point of view. Both the race car and the road car have proved to be wonderful successes for us on that front.
“That demonstrated that it was the right decision to come back in 2016.
“That means that we can say now that depending on how things work out through and beyond the ‘Super Season’ we can take a decision based on how things look with the brand, our products and from a business point of view.”
And has there been any decision yet about the future of the GT race programme?
“No decision beyond what we have already said which was to commit to the end of 2019. The ‘Super Season’ makes that a bit strange at present so we’ll see how that plays out and what the organisers plans for the future are and we’ll see how that fits with the car programme we’ve got and anything else we might have going on.”
From Ford’s point of view what is the priority going forward with global platforms for motorsport? Is it brand building, technology based?
“Using motorsport to promote EcoBoost has been a success, and indeed what we can learn and demonstrate in weight reduction too with using materials differently – it all finds its way into production vehicles, and it has advantages too in terms of testing opportunities and pushing the boundaries a little.
Using motorsport to promote EcoBoost has been a success
“We’ve always been able not only to come out with product that people can aspire to, but also one that’s attainable – not a Lamborghini on the wall, but cars that they can realistically hope to buy.
“That’s why we will continue to manage our sporting presence to support that halo impact for the whole brand. Most people won’t be able to buy a Ford GT, but they can see elements of that trickling down into a number of our other products.
“With Mustang for instance, at present because despite the publicity we still sell more V8s than EcoBoost powered cars, even in Europe. Our whole brand in Europe is built on its sporting heritage whether that is, or was, Lotus Cortinas, Escort Mexicos, or XR3is and Sierra and Escort Cosworths, it defines the brand for many of our customers.
“That connection between what people can buy, and what we race is vital for us. If the racing gets too far removed from the road cars then it becomes a little bit too much of a stretch for us because our brand is all about democratising the technology.”
Most people won’t be able to buy a Ford GT, but they can see elements of that trickling down into a number of our other products
“So as the regulations develop, as the industry changes and as we move into different propulsion systems we’ll make sure that our competition presence matches what we can do with the technology in our vehicles.”
Raj Nair started a discussion with me at CoTA about the potential for involvement in a future prototype programme, but predicated on the relevance of the technology, and, in particular, that it would have to be a global solution, that a WEC programme would have to sit alongside a race programme with the same platform, in North America.
“It’s a fair comment, and still very much at the discussion stage. Programmes like that are a big commitment for any manufacturer and that’s why the global relevance and applicability is so important. Gone are the days when you can have a country-specific formula. We are part of a global team with economies of scale a very important part of the debate.
“Of course, aside from some very specific exceptions to the rule (such as NASCAR) we’s actively encourage organisers to adopt as wide ranging a relevance as possible.”
How would you define Ford’s market presence as we approach the end of the second decade of this century, you’re leagues away now from the ‘white goods’ image of just a few decades ago?
“More than 60% of the vehicles we sell are what we would term the higher end of the range – either ST Line (with sporting styling and handling elements, ST, RS or Vignale.
“That tells you that the work we have done to move the brand up is working, that the association with the sporting heritage is working, that we have got some subtle market positioning pretty right too. The ST Line sees a lot of people wanting the styling and chassis mods without the complications of increased insurance that comes with a higher performance car.
“There’s been some great work from the whole Ford team to develop the product away from our old ground and onto a completely different demographic, aspirational products rather than, as you described it a little earlier, the white goods of the old company car market.
There’s been some great work from the whole Ford team to develop the product away from our old ground and onto a completely different demographic
“That’s part of the challenge – to provide the halo, and the aspiration, to build on a fantastic heritage and to encourage people not only to buy a Ford, but to invest a little more in their Ford than perhaps they used to.”
So how about a touch of futurology – where would you like Ford to be, in motorsport terms, in 10 years?
“I want us to have a strong presence in motorsport with real relevance to the technology of our road cars.
“Look at who we went head to head with in this World Championship, companies with the resource and the heritage to develop and sell supercars, and then there’s us with the millions of Ford owners around the world cheering our efforts on and backing our brand.
“It’s that spirit and energy that you can track all the way back to the original Le Mans win with the GT40 that we must not lose as we move forward with technology, new propulsion systems and the like.
“I want Ford to still to be the one that can be the affordable car that people can see winning on the track and taking significant scalps whatever the formula.”
Ford Focus ST image courtesy of Ford
