Ford Performance Racing Opens Australia's Largest Motor Racing Engineering Facility
1/3/2004 16:33 (Press Release) -
Prodrive owned Australian V8 Supercar team, Ford
Performance Racing (FPR), has raised the curtain on the team's outstanding
new engineering headquarters.
Without a doubt the country's largest motor racing engineering facility, the
FPR Race Centre was opened to the public as the highlight of today's Ford
Performance Vehicles (FPV) and FPR Open Day.
Prodrive Chairman David Richards was joined by Managing Director Nick Fry,
Ford Australia Managing Director Geoff Polites, FPV / FPR Managing Director
David Flint and FPR Champion drivers Craig Lowndes and Glenn Seton in unveiling
the 3,600 square metre FPR engineering and administrative headquarters. Prior
to the official opening, the entire building had been completely concealed by a
massive blue curtain that was spectacularly raised in front of several thousand
Ford fans, members of the media and FPR commercial partner VIP guests.
Located within a one kilometre radius of the main Ford Australia design and
manufacturing plants, the FPR Race Centre shares the same site as Australia'
s only V8 engine production line and the Prodrive Asia Pacific technology
centre. The new FPR headquarters houses some of the most advanced precision
engineering equipment available, along with the management and marketing
teams of both Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and FPR, promoting the total
performance link that exists between these two powerful blue oval marques.
Major emphasis has been placed on making the FPR Race Centre easily accessible
for race fans.The attractive building layout features an FPR, FPV and Ford
Racing retail outlet, comfortable café area and spacious conference / meeting
facilities for the use of FPV, FPR, the team's commercial partners, Ford / FPV
car clubs and charity events.
According to Prodrive Chairman David Richards, today marks a very important
milestone for the global company's Australian motor racing operations. "Today
we are involved in the world's top motorsport formulae: Formula One with B.A.R,
the World Rally Championship with Subaru and International Sports Car racing
with privately run Ferraris and the forthcoming Aston Martin Racing programme.
This superb facility shows our commitment to our partnership with Ford in what
is truly one of the most exciting and most avidly followed series in the world."
FPV/ FPR Managing Director David Flint is delighted to welcome the public to
this innovative motor racing facility for the first time. "Our new FPR Race
Centre forms the solid engineering foundation that this young V8 Supercar team
needs to take it to the top of the V8 Supercar Championship, while placing
special importance on public access and versatile corporate partner use. We
extend an open invitation to blue oval enthusiasts nationwide to visit us when
next in Melbourne."
The FPR Race Centre is located at 4 - 40 Glenbarry Road, Campbellfield. The
retail outlet and race café is open to the public from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday
to Friday and from 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturdays. Organised tours of the FPR
Race Centre and the FPV manufacturing facilities are scheduled twice per week
and can only be arranged by contacting the FPV Customer Relationship Centre on
133 FPV (378).
Release Date: 29/02/2004
Ford Performance Racing
|
|
