Ford Has Something Wild for NASCAR, Pikes Peak and a Return to Le Mans

Ford this week made three separate announcements that should have racing and performance enthusiasts excited or at least intrigued, starting with a return to the top tier of prototype sports car racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027.

Through Ford Performance, the automaker is aiming to once again win the world’s most demanding endurance race—the 24 Hours of Le Mans—following its four consecutive overall victories from 1966 to 1969 when it famously beat Ferrari. The latter is the two-time defending champion, in case you forgot.

Ford will strive to build on the GTLM success of the Ford GT in 2016 and the Mustang GT3 more recently.

Photo: Ford

“We are entering a new era for performance and racing at Ford. You can see it from what we’re doing on-road and off-road. When we race, we race to win. And there is no track or race that means more to our history than Le Mans,” Ford Motor Company Executive Chair Bill Ford said on Tuesday. “It is where we took on Ferrari and won in the 1960s. It is where we returned 50 years later and shocked the world and beat Ferrari again. I am thrilled that we’re going back to Le Mans and competing at the highest level of endurance racing. We are ready to once again challenge the world, and ‘go like hell!’”

Ford has yet to show or reveal any details about its future Le Mans racer, or the team and drivers that will be behind it for that matter. More will be announced next year.

Ford is Serious About All-Electric Racing, Too

Following the SuperTruck, SuperVan 4.2, Super Cobra Jet 1800 and others, Ford Performance’s latest electric demonstrator is a mighty Mustang Mach-E prototype for NASCAR. It features components from the current Cup Series car including suspension, brakes, steering and wheels.

Photo: Ford

A full carbon fibre tub is used to reduce weight, while the three motors draw energy from a 78kWh battery. Output and acceleration times are not specified, but we bet this vehicle is even more potent and more explosive than NASCAR’s own electric prototype, which generates over 1,300 horsepower.

Speaking of the Mustang Mach-E, a highly modified unit will take on the gruelling Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado this June, as previewed by the teaser below.

Photo: Ford

Look for an official introduction sometime in the spring. Romain Dumas will aim to repeat the previous success of SuperVan 4.2 and F-150 Lightning SuperTruck in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

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