Ford V8 Supercars future "in discussions"

Changing definitions of what defines a performance car in Australia is a key reason Ford has yet to re-commit to a factory involvement V8 Supercars beyond 2014.

Ford’s general manager marketing David Katic told motoring.com.au at this week’s Falcon FG X media launch negotiations were continuing with Ford Performance Racing (FPR) for a renewal.

“We are still in discussions about all that at the moment,” he confirmed.

“I think our goal is to have an announcement soon about how that is going to shape going forward. It will certainly be this side of Christmas,” Katic stated.

Ford’s investment in V8 Supercars racing has been an ongoing saga. A one-year extension with FPR into 2014 was only completed at Bathurst in October 2013 and this year’s negotiations have been even more drawn out.

Ford has committed to aiding the homologation of the final FG X Falcon for 2015 and both FPR and the new DJR Team Penske operation will race the car.

American motor racing mogul Roger Penske has already confirmed his team will get no backing from Ford. Penske says he believes Ford is definitely pulling out of V8s. However, FPR is equally insistent it is in continued talks to retain a deal with the Blue Oval.

It is unlikely the unexpectedly high interest in the reborn XR8 will help get a new V8 Supercars racing deal over the line.

“The consumers who have said ‘I am really interested in XR8’ have not said ‘because I saw it on V8 Supercars’ or anything like that,” Katic said.

“They want to be part of that large car sedan category and what the XR8 delivers.”

If both FPR and DJR Team Penske race the FG X as privateers in 2015, it is unlikely either would continue on with the Falcon into 2016. No doubt the reports Lexus is interested in V8s and Hyundai Genesis could be a starter will have been noted by both organisations.

Katic explained that Ford’s issue with the category was a reflection of the Australian buying public’s move away from defining a performance car as simply a V8 Falcon, or similar Holden.

“There is a place for V8 Supercars, but it’s about consumers broadening their definition of sports performance and we’ve got to make sure we are part of the broader performance discussion,” Katic explained.

“There are lots of arguments, but our role as marketers is to make sure we have a broad definition of performance. That’s what our job is; performance isn’t just V8 Supercars, it is a 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine in a Fiesta, it’s a 1.6-litre Ecoboost in our Fiesta ST.

“That’s our goal, to broaden that definition, because that is what consumers are saying to us.”

Katic said communicating with consumers also required new strategies. He contends that combined with the diversifying nature of the performance message Ford is trying to sell, this places challenges on the marketing budget that didn’t once exist. This means it is harder to find the multi-million dollars required to be the naming rights backer of a factory V8 Supercars team.

“Fiesta ST customers don’t necessarily look at V8 supercars. They might look at Formula One for example,” Katic explained.

“No-one has infinite marketing budgets or business budgets,” he added.

“You have got to reflect what the consumer wants in the products, in the advertising, in the way you communicate to them. Some consumers don’t watch television these days.

“So as a business, not just a marketer, we have to reflect what consumers want. They have high expectations of their experience in a dealership and their interaction with the manufacturers and we have to provide that. So we have to invest in making sure the consumer experience is what it needs to be and we are doing that going forward.

"We are doing more of that. We are investing very heavily in those things,” Katic told motoring.com.au.

Katic acknowledged V8 Supercars’ Gen2 Supercar plan, which will open the category to engines other than V8s and body shapes other than sedans from 2017, He would not, however, be drawn on whether that would encourage Ford to stay involved.

“We are still building our knowledge of that with V8 Supercars. But again, what I have just explained in terms of consumers changing their preference — if that is the discussion V8s are having then it makes sense.

"It is simply reflecting the consumers broad base. It is pretty simple. That’s something that is part of our machinations. We will consider once we understand it more.”

Gen2 would offer Ford the chance to replace the Falcon, which goes out of production no later than October 2016, with the Mustang two-door. The Mustang goes on-sale in Australia at the end of 2015.

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