Ford has announced that it plans to unite its regional performance engineering and racing teams into a single global division that will reside under an umbrella known as Ford Performance. The new Ford Performance organization unifies Ford SVT, Team RS, and Ford Racing globally, serving as an innovation laboratory and test bed. This includes developing innovations and technologies in aerodynamics, light-weighting, electronics, powertrain performance and fuel efficiency that can be applied more broadly to Ford’s product portfolio.

An example of this technology transfer can be found in the recently revealed Shelby GT350 Mustang, which goes on sale next year in the United States and Canada. Aerodynamic innovations developed through Ford’s investment in racing were applied to the front end of the new Shelby GT350 Mustang, helping improve downforce in the car as well as cooling.

This new strategy promises to deliver more new performance vehicles, more than 12, by the year 2020. One of the 12 vehicles includes an all-new Focus RS that will be available to customers in major markets around the world, including North America for the first time. Finally! Ford plans to deliver more performance vehicles over the coming years, but also increase the availability and delivery speed of parts and accessories for customers around the world. The development of this new Ford Performance team contributes to the company’s One Ford plan for profitable growth and product innovation.

“Ford remains committed to innovation through performance,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “Our new global Ford Performance team ties together racing, performance vehicles and parts. It will allow us to more quickly introduce products and accessories that meet the needs of customers around the world on-road and on the track.”

The first Ford RS was unveiled back in 1968, while the most recent model was introduced in 2009. This all-new Focus RS will join Ford’s existing performance lineup which includes the Fiesta ST, Focus ST, Shelby GT350 Mustang and F-150 Raptor.

Ford believes that performance vehicle sales are growing around the world, citing a 70 percent sales increase in the United States and 14 percent gain in Europe since 2009 with a huge opportunity for conquest and repeat customers. In the United States, for example, more than 65 percent of ST customers are new to the Ford brand, and more than 50 percent of Ford performance vehicle owners’ next vehicle purchase is a Ford. Millennials are purchasing ST vehicles at a rate twice that of other Ford-branded vehicles.