Two renowned brands in the world of high performance motoring, Ford Performance Parts and Roush Performance, have arrived in South Africa and will be serviced initially by a dedicated facility in Centurion as well as through certain accredited Ford dealers nationwide going forward.
Ford has a heritage with racing and high performance motoring that goes right back to its founder, Henry Ford, winning an historic 10 lap sprint race on the Grosse Point horse racing track in Detroit on October 10, 1901. Winning that race in a car he designed and built himself and which carried prize money of $1 000 besides enormous prestige set Henry Ford on the path to heading up one of the world’s leading car makers.
The company has continued to use motorsport very effectively as a marketing tool over the years The Ford GT’s debut category victory in the 2016 Le Mans 24 hour race reinforced the success of this strategy.
Over the years Ford has spawned a host of iconic sports cars and high performance sedans such as the Mustang GT and Focus RS which were launched in South Africa this year.
The development of these high performance cars has also resulted in the company being able to offer a wide range of specialised parts to enhance performance and the cosmetic appeal of its cars.
A number of names have been used in the marketing of these parts over the years, but the company has now settled on a self-explanatory brand, namely Ford Performance. Further good news for Ford enthusiasts is that Ford Performance in South Africa has also been granted the Roush Performance franchise which extends the range and appeal of the offerings from this new initiative between the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa and its dealers.
Ford in the United States has supplied the specialist aftermarket with Ford Performance Parts for more than 50 years, but the brand was never represented officially in South Africa until now.
The arrival of the Ford Mustang sports car in right hand drive for the first time has been the catalyst for developing this exciting range of products with factory backing.
Roush Performance may not be well known in South African performance circles but it is a hugely successful business in the United States under the slogan “Between a race car and a road car is a Roush car!”
Roush Performance is a major American automotive company which is involved primarily with engineering, development and manufacturing high performance parts for street and competitive racing applications. It was founded by Jack Roush in 1995 and he continues to operate the company. It has close ties with the Ford Motor Company and is one of the biggest players in its field. Roush Performance’s range of modifications and upgrades includes engines, transmissions, suspension, interiors and exteriors.