Ford Racing emerges amid brand refresh

Ford Performance has announced it is rebranding as Ford Racing as it readies its next-gen family of high-performance road cars that will narrow the gap between its current road cars and racing activity.

Ford Performance, the racing and high-performance road car division, has been renamed Ford Racing on the eve of the US car giant's return to F1 and its declaration it wants a class win at the Le Mans 24 Hour.

Releasing a pic of the new name that uses the same Blue Oval's hue for its RACING typeface, Ford says the name change signals "more than a simple rebranding exercise”.

Behind the scenes, the road and race car operations will work closer than ever before as Ford expands its high-performance road car range.

There's no word what car will launch first under its new Ford Racing banner but it's thought a wild ute based on the Ford Ranger Raptor could lead the charge, with Ford CEO Jim Farley already announcing it would have 1000bhp (746kW) and be a "supercar for gravel, high-speed sand [and] dirt."

The wildest Ranger Raptor will provide a direct connection to its Dakar racing, mirroring how the latest Mustang GTD has been heavily inspired by the Mustang GT3 racer.

Announcing it would rebrand with immediate effect, the new name will be used in motorsport at the Dakar Rally and Daytona 24 Hours next January.

In a statement, Ford Racing general manager Will Ford said the new name was a "wholesale reintroduction of our racing brand."

Ford went on to say that the new branding would also "bring our road and race operations closer than ever before," adding that all this "is being done to bring the best products, technologies, and experiences to our customers."

With the demise of both the feisty Fiesta ST and Focus ST Down Under, leaving just the Ranger Raptor and Mustang, it's difficult not to get excited at the news that there are more hot Fords on the way.

It's also a breath of fresh air to hear all have a real connection with its motorsport efforts, rather than a simple power up and body kit exercise. It feels like a real win for fast car enthusiasts.

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