FORD'S NEW RALLY CHALLENGER LAUNCHES AT 2005 BOLOGNA MOTOR SHOW

Ford of Europe today officially unveiled the all-new Ford Focus RS World Rally Car 06 at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. The car will be Ford's challenger in the FIA World Rally Championship from 2006 onwards and was unveiled in the eye-catching livery in which it will make its full competitive debut in January's Monte Carlo Rally. It is based on the high-performance Ford Focus ST road car, which is being launched across Europe this autumn. The new Focus RS WRC 06 has been designed and built in less than 11 months by an experienced and innovative engineering team led by Christian Loriaux, technical director at British-based company M-Sport which operates the Blue Oval's WRC programme. His team has worked closely in the development with Ford TeamRS, Ford of Europe's performance road car and motorsport arm. Four-year commitment Just over 12 months ago in Brussels, Ford of Europe announced a four-year commitment to the World Rally Championship, confirming the sport as the company's primary motorsport activity. A key aspect of that agreement was the introduction of an all-new Focus RS WRC based on the new-generation road car. It continues a family tradition that has seen the model provide the backbone of Ford's motorsport activity since 1999.