The blue oval has notified media that it plans to make a “major Ford Performance news announcement” in Europe on Friday, headed by the company’s top-hitting executives including Executive Chairman, Bill Ford, President and CEO Mark Fields and global vice president of product development, Raj Nair.
While the statement does not provide any more details, Drive understands Ford will confirm it is heading back to the iconic Le Mans 24-hour race, which is being held this weekend.
It is yet to be known whether the blue oval will go head-to-head with the likes of Porsche, Audi, Toyota and Nissan in the top-flight LMP1 prototype class for hybrid-powered vehicles or compete in the lower-level, production-based GTE class with its new-age GT – the spiritual successor of the iconic GT40 that dominated the event with four consecutive outright victories between 1966 and 1969.
With such dignitaries making the announcement – and Ford making a determined push in the development of hybrid-powered vehicles and lightweight technologies – it is expected to be the former, with a prototype vehicle leaning heavily on the significance of the GT’s heritage at Le Mans with links to the latest road-going supercar, most likely utilising its twin-turbo V6 petrol engine as well as its dramatic styling.
Ford’s expected return to Le Mans in 2016 coincides with the 50th anniversary of its first victory.
It has not competed at the famous twice-around-the-clock endurance race in an official capacity since the 1970s. The GT Le Mans program will also be its first global motorsport effort since pulling its official funding from the World Rally Championship two years ago.