Ford Planning Detroit Reveal For Focus RS, F-150 Raptor, Shelby GT350R & New GT Supercar?
Put Your Hands Up For Detroit! Well, that’s what we’ll all be singing if rumors of a Ford performance onslaught in Motor City prove true. There’s word on the street that the Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] is looking to launch a new global performance sub-brand (apparently SVT doesn’t have much cachet overseas) and will kick off the launch with multiple model reveals at next month’s 2015 Detroit Auto Show, with the highlight being an all-new GT supercar.
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The guys at Road & Track have compiled a list of possibilities from their various sources and this is what they’ve come up with. It should be noted that none of the debuts have been confirmed so take all of this with a grain of salt.
Fiesta ST: A facelifted version of the sporty subcompact that’s been on sale in local showrooms since the 2014 model year.
Focus ST: Ford’s facelifted Focus ST has already been shown in Europe but in Detroit it will be making its local debut.
Focus RS: It’s been years since a Focus RS has been in Ford’s lineup so a new generation of the tarmac terror is long overdue. The good news is that the new model will be available in local showrooms for the first time.
F-150 Raptor: Ford hasn’t announced a new Raptor based on its aluminum-bodied F-150 but given the popularity of the previous generation Ford will be crazy not to launch a new one. Note the drop of “SVT” from the vehicle’s name. That’s because any new model will likely feature the name of Ford’s new performance sub-brand in its title. Apparently the name 999 (originally the name of a race car built by Henry Ford) has been making the rounds during Blue Oval market research events.
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Mustang Shelby GT350R: It turns out the new GT350 we saw last month in Los Angeles isn’t the baddest Mustang Ford is planning. An even more hardcore GT350R is expected to drop in Detroit.
GT: This could just be an announcement or a concept previewing a new Ford GT supercar, because based on the rumors the car isn’t due until 2016. The choice of year is no coincidence, of course, as that would put the new GT’s introduction on par with the 50th anniversary of the automaker’s inaugural Le Mans victory using the original GT40.
That’s all the information we have for now but thankfully the wait isn’t too long as the 2015 Detroit Auto Show will be getting underway January 12. You can stay up to date on our show coverage by regularly visiting our dedicated hub.
Source: Motor Authority
