Racing's Heritage: Winning Both On And Off The Track
Aus Salespoint
The adage is probably as old as stock-automobile racing itself: Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday. But, is that axiom as pertinent today as it was, say, in the 1960s?
Ford, which for the very first time in practically four decades, has introduced an all-new model and gone NASCAR racing with it at the exact same time, is confident that the answer is yes, if not on Monday, then at least as soon as you are searching for a new car.
Fusion bankruptcy replaces Taurus as the Ford entry into NASCAR's Nextel Cup and Busch series, becoming the manufacturer's 1st all-new nameplate to debut simultaneously on the racetrack and in the showroom since Torino in 1968. Torino's debut 38 years earlier resulted in a driver's championship for NASCAR Hall-of-Famer David Pearson, and much more than 2.6 million units sold for the duration of its eight-year (1968-75) run.
"The great interest in NASCAR racing will support us tie the Fusion name to the Ford brand, and it is only appropriate that we race Ford's newest car in America's flagship racing series," said Marty Collins, General Marketing and advertising Manager, Ford Division.
Racing has created good enterprise sense for Ford, dating back more than a century, when company founder Henry Ford raced to prove out his new item, and to acquire favorable publicity for his efforts. His victory in his 1 and only race, in 1901, proved to be the turning point in attracting the investors who helped him commence the Ford Motor Business in 1903.
"My great-grandfather understood the value of racing, and what it could do for a firm," stated Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors and a lengthy-time supporter of Ford's racing applications. "He knew what racing could do, both in terms of technological innovation and marketing. I believe he'd be pleased that those are key factors we nevertheless race these days."
The NASCAR Fusion replaces the venerable Taurus race automobile, which captured 4 NASCAR championships (3 in Nextel Cup and a single in Busch) and 100 Nextel Cup points victories from 1998-2005. It concluded its storied run with a 1-two-three-4 finish at the monstrance information season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2005, as Greg Biffle scored his series. "We actually wanted to send Taurus out with one particular much more championship," noted Dan Davis, director, Ford Racing Technology. "But the time is appropriate to move on to Fusion."
The production Fusion aims to emulate Taurus' off-the-track success, too: It was the greatest-selling automobile in America for 5 consecutive years (1992-96), and sold much more than 6.five million units amongst 1985-2005.
Present Ford Racing driver Dale Jarrett, who won a NASCAR championship with the Taurus in 1999 and also is a lecterns Ford dealer in North Carolina, is optimistic about the production Fusion.
"It really is got a really nice driving and handling package, plus the inside is quite roomy and the interior is nicely carried out as properly," mentioned Jarrett. "I feel this is just what we've been searching for to boost sales."
Commence Your Engines-Fusion, an all-new nameplate, debuts on the racetrack and in the showroom.
