Drive Your Way to the Summer X Games with Ford Focus ST Challenge

CHICAGO, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ford is giving consumers a shot at winning a trip to the ESPN summer X Games through its Focus ST Challenge, which will pit auto show visitors' lap times on the Focus ST simulator against others
• The challenge will take times from multiple auto show stops throughout the U.S. to determine the driver with the fastest lap time. Consumers can follow the challenge on the Focus Facebook page, where all of the leaderboards will be posted
• All-new Ford Focus ST brings the Sport Technologies badge to customers worldwide for the first time – offering that blend of refinement, performance and daily practicality for which ST is renowned

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is giving fans of the new Focus ST a chance to put the upcoming high-performance hatchback to the test virtually and before it goes on sale in a competition that will send the winning driver to the ESPN summer X Games.

The competition puts drivers into the seat of a Focus ST driving simulator at auto shows across the country. The participant with the fastest lap time will win a host of awards, including an invite to the ESPN summer X Games for a meet-and-greet with drivers of Ford's Octane Academy. Additional prizes also will be awarded to top times on a regional basis.

"This is the perfect way to generate awareness for our ST brand since we know our enthusiast customers love gaming," said Lisa Schoder, ST Marketing manager. "The Focus ST simulator is tuned with the specs from the actual car, so people can get a true feel for the dynamics of ST performance."

The challenge will live on the Focus Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/fordfocus, where a leaderboard will be posted from each show the challenge visits. When the challenge wraps in May, the best times from each show will be entered into an overall sweepstakes to determine the grand prize winner.

The Focus ST simulator is part of Ford's interactive auto show display, and is designed to emulate driving the all-new Focus ST. Complete with seats, screens, a steering wheel and pedals, the hydraulic system moves up and down and tilts front to back for a virtual driving experience.

New level of global performance

The Focus ST is Ford's first truly global performance car, building on the heritage of previous Ford ST models in Europe and giving drivers around the world the opportunity to share the exhilarating performance, excellent handling, addictive sound and sporty design Ford's ST badge represents.

The five-door Focus ST delivers the same driving attributes that make all Ford ST models stand out. The chassis, engine, sound and comfort of the car are tuned to deliver a truly sporty experience combined with a high level of refinement. These same attributes will form the genetic code for future models bearing the Sport Technologies badge.

Focus ST is powered by a performance version of the 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost® engine, which offers an uncompromising mix of sportiness and efficiency. Ford's lightweight, all-aluminum EcoBoost engines provide the power of a larger engine in a fuel-efficient smaller displacement.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company