FPV appoints Allan Moffat as official Ambassador

By Matt Brogan | February 01st, 2010

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has today announced the appointment of racing legend Allan Moffat as its official Ambassador.

Mr Moffat will represent FPV at major events and in some exciting new programs throughout 2010, as Ford’s performance arm steps up its activities in the new decade.

The four-time Bathurst winner has a long history with the Ford brand, which started in the late ’60s as a factory team driver and culminated with the famous 1-2 Falcon hardtop team victory with Colin Bond at Mt Panorama in 1977.

“I am delighted to welcome Allan Moffat to our team,” FPV General Manager Rod Barrett says.

“Allan brings with him an unrivalled Ford heritage and enormous credibility with the history of performance Fords in Australia, and that has an obvious connect with our brand and our customers.”

“But more than that, Allan has a real feel for ‘performance cars’ and what performance enthusiasts value, and that adds further to his role as FPV’s roving Ambassador.”

Allan Moffat’s record has made him a motor racing icon in Australia. Along with four Bathurst victories, he won the Sandown endurance race six times, was Australian Touring Car Champion four times, and won both the Australian Sports Sedan and Sports Car Championship titles.

Overseas Mr Moffat won the Sebring 12 Hours in Florida, was Sports Car Club of America Central Division Champion, and was victorious in 500 kilometre races at Fuji (Japan), Monza (Italy) and Wellington (New Zealand).

He also took class honours in each of the international 24 hour races at Le Mans (France), Daytona (America) and Spa (Belgium).

Allan’s son James also has a strong Ford connection, racing a Falcon in the 2010 V8 Supercar Development Series.

“Ford is such a big part of my history, it is fantastic to be joining FPV in 2010,” Mr Moffat says.

“FPV’s products are fabulous … our racing cars didn’t perform or handle as well as these cars do … so I am proud to represent FPV in Australia, and look forward to working with Rod and his team.”

BrisVegas

Moffat is a legend. Ford is on a roll at the moment. The new 5.0 Coyote V8 that Ford are bringing out this year is what has been lacking in the domestic lineup. Smaller, higher tec, cleaner and better fuel economy. Meanwhile, Holden just brings out bigger and bigger pushrod anchors.

Bent 8 Brigade

Yes, here’s hoping that Ford can finally bring out a halfway decent V8 that in any way matches the far superior V8 offering from GM

Watto

Coyote is is almost here.
V8 Mate

Yeah right….GM = Pushrods and 2 valves…lol

Joker

Not only that….wider rear wheels to get all that power to the ground will also be very welcome!!

ha ha

so what is FPV gunna do in 5 years time?? will there be a fpv taurus?? or something??

BrisVegas

Taurus will not replace the Falcon in Australia. In 5 years time Ford & FPV will have the new (slightly smaller) Falcon and Mustang on the same underpinnings.

Will

Interesting marketing: Nostalgia appealing to cashed up baby boomers. I suspect most boomers will only give measured attendance to this ploy, viewing it with caution in the context of already being targets of nostalgia campaigns in any number of arenas.

Interesting.
David

AM will only appeal to Ford devotees, so they’re preaching to the converted. Still, he’s the right man to unveil the new GTHO…

Nankano

Not really, anybody under 30YO would have NFI who he is.

Then again people under 30 dont really buy FPV’s either.

So its the right choice

Joker

I’m 25, know who Alan Moffat is and my mate whose cashed up and 24 has an FG F6 310. I guess we buck the trend of both counts.
itsme

Well in our street there are 3 fpvs and guss what there all owned buy 20 somethings.Sounds like nankano is the old one here.Better stick to your magnas man

Motorhead

It’s about time Ford better used Moffat, Holden milked the Brock name for years while Ford seemed happy to forget former drivers like Moffat & Johnson.
I have thought since Howard Marsden’s passing that he would have been perfect to head up Ford’s racing department.
rick

quick questions guys…

nothing to do with this article but i know ford fans will be reading.

Q: what is quicker?? the F6 Ute or Sedan?? and why?? and in a straight line of course

cheers.

Andrew M

At a guess I would say the sedan.

The ute isnt actually that much lighter, and I reckon the different gearing in the ute would lessen its acceleration VS the sedan.

Also less weight over the rears would make it harder to get grip

I dont know thw definative answer, but my guess would be the sedan as the quicker one, and Im betting you were thinking perhaps the ute based on weight???

rick

thanks andrew…

i did think the ute would be quicker because of the weight… but had no idea about the gear ratio being different. thank you.

Baddass

Ford and FPV’s cars deserve much better than the rubbish advertising they are currently being served. I mean, I cringe every time I see a new Holden ad, the combination of smiling children, youthful adventurous couples with a Commodore and the ‘inspiring’ music and photo combo does that to me. Not to mention the garbage about the SIDI’s amazing efficiency. But you can’t deny it gets both attention and customers in droves. Ford needs something less cringeworthy but just as catchy, to give it’s cars a real chance. I hope this is a step in the right direction.
Callous Aussie

I’m not sure of their choice and no this isn’t an anti-ford rant. Why not use one of their modern drivers?

Andrew M

I see your point but it would be a tough decision.

Using a current driver could be a little dicey as with the way silly season has been going of late, in 12 months they could be driving a Holden.

I also think they want an image of heritage.

What they really need is better advertising before a new ambassador

Andrew M

So Moffatt has an unrivaled Ford Heritage???

Like Hell……
Johnson has a much better heritage then Moffat, and I would think more people would relate better to Johnson. Even DJ’s son “like AM’s” is in the motoring scene carrying on the name since ’92 I think it was when Stevie J debuted……

Moffat isnt even Australian……….
Now I dont hold anything against Moffat, Just FPV’s statement about his apparent “unrivaled heritage”.

I do however think Moffat would be a better the better representative as he is pretty well polished when it comes to the media side of things.

John bowe was the original FPV ambassador, be he now has plenty of duties with other brands such as rare spares etc

Gazza

Alan is a legend of Australian motorsport and he’ll be a major asset for FPV marketing.
However, I too would question the statement “unrivaled Ford heritage”.
In Australia he spent a number of years racing against Fords in an Mazda RX7 and most of his overseas success was in cars other than Ford.
In fact, his wins at Spa and Monza were in Commodores!
All due respect to Allan Moffat but Dick Johnson has better Ford Heritage.

AA Ford Man

Allan drove cars that were not controlled by 6 people with computers, all at incredible speeds around tracks that today would be condemned by safety concerns; he always put his sponsors first and foremost (I still remember him not doing interviews without a sponsors cap on). The cars were not great, just brutally fast, but it was the great drivers like Moff that we all need to now thank for making those cars into the legends they are today. OK, he did go to other makes at times, but it is his association with Ford that he is remembered for. If anyone can bring some of the aura of the great sixties and seventies racing to the sanitised and deoderised modern world of the V8 supercar on both the road and track, it will be him.
A perfect choice Ford – now just put more money into the race teams!
Going Ford is STILL the going thing!
Andrew M

Also Gazza, above and beyond Dick Johnsons greater heritage, he was affectionatly a battler.
Moffatt had dollars behind him which helped his success.

Once again not trying to take anything away from Moffat, just rubbishing FPV’s claims.
Moffat is still a legend with Ford heritage, but Johnson is that and more

Tinman

Bill Bourke at Ford Australia in the sixties was responsible for the Falcon GT program.
Allan Moffat made the Falcon GT a Legend.
Falcon GTHO, bring it on.
Now that’s a MUSCLE CAR!
The Realist

Does anyone living outside of Dandenong and Penrith even really care?

Does FPV still sell rep mobiles for $80K?

Tinman

If you look at the sale numbers, Penrith is predominantly Commodore territory.
Andrew M

You obviously cared, other wise you surely wouldnt have been silly enough to click on this article

Michelle

At long last, I am so happy Allan has been taken on by FPV – this man has had such a huge impact on Australian Motorsport and nowhere else more than when he drove for the Ble Oval.

He will carry out his role for FPV with professionalism and enthusiasm, they are to be congratulated on their appointment.

Now FORD need their dealers put a lot more professionalism and enthusiam into the way they market the range.

The guy is a LEGEND