"Our fans are customers," explains Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. "And just like in racing, they expect both fuel economy and performance from their daily drivers, and that's what Ford is delivering."
Ford's commitment to NASCAR is understandable; the company's own data shows that 35% of new car shoppers or "intenders" are motorsports fans and in the States that means NASCAR. The company also says that people who root for Ford NASCAR teams are 67% more likely to consider Ford products than other consumers.
The Focus Electric move is part of an on going strategy to utilise NASCAR for exposure that saw Ford becoming the first manufacturer to use a four-door saloon to compete in the series when it entered the Taurus 'sedan' in the 1998 season. The company also used the Homestead-Miami Speedway 400 to good effect when its Fusion hybrid model ran as pace car, the first hybrid car to do so.
Ford has confirmed that the Focus Electric will go on sale in Ireland in 2013.
If there is anything about this story we have not covered, you can avail of our expert advice service via the Ask Us Anything page.