2022 Ford Puma Rally1 presented with hybrid technology!

For an electrifying manufacturer video, the Ford assembly plant in Craiova, Romania, where the millionth locally produced vehicle rolls off the assembly line, was transformed into a spectacular rally track. The action-packed video shows for the first time the competition version of the new M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1, which is steered by WRT driver Adrien Fourmaux through chicanes specially developed by Ford engineers. In addition, many Ford employees got involved in bringing assembly robots to life for the film, many of whom also starred.

2022 Ford Puma Rally1

The M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1, which was previously only seen in prototype form at last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​in Great Britain, is a milestone for Ford on the way to electrified motorsport. As the manufacturer's first hybrid racing car, the Ford Puma Rally1 will make its international competitive debut in January 2022 at the season opening of the FIA ​​World Rally Championship (WRC) in Monte Carlo.

"I am thrilled that the M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 - the World Rally Car 2022 - is drawing the public's attention to our site at the same time as the celebrations for our millionth vehicle produced," said Jo Payne, President of Ford Romania and Craiova Plant Manager . "It was a great pleasure for me to be part of this project and to welcome the M-Sport team and Adrien Fourmaux to Craiova while we turned our factory into a real film set for a few days."

“The nice thing about this video is, among other things, the collaboration between the factory workers in Craiova and the film crew. It is worth highlighting the great work of a team that worked tirelessly to bring a vision to life and to do an incredibly ambitious shoot in just three days, ”said Stephen Parker, Creative Director, Chrome Productions.

New, electrified era in rallying

The new M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 follows in the footsteps of the successful Ford Fiesta WRC racing car, which won three WRC titles after its launch in 2017. As the manufacturer's first electrified competition car, the M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 has a next-generation hybrid drive that recovers braking energy and stores it in a 3,9 kWh battery to provide the power of the turbocharged 1,6-liter EcoBoost petrol engine to be supplemented with additional thrusts from a 100 kW electric motor.

“What better way to recognize the work of M-Sport and Ford in developing the Puma Hybrid Rally1 than to show the vehicle in the home of Puma production? The moment we heard about such an exciting project, we knew we had to make it happen, ”said Richard Millener, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal. "It was difficult to fit a three-day shoot into our schedule, but with the help of the Craiova workforce, we were able to create a video that was well worth seeing that ushered in a new, electrified era for Ford in the WRC."

The M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 masters selected routes such as parks or inner-city areas thanks to its hybrid drive train, also purely electrically if required. The battery can be charged via an external power source at the service points provided for this purpose, whereby charging takes about 25 minutes. The 95 kilogram hybrid system is liquid and air-cooled and housed in an extra-stable housing to withstand high centrifugal forces and mechanical impact in the event of an accident.

The base vehicle, the standard Ford Puma, uses a 1,0-liter EcoBoost hybrid drive train with 48-volt mild hybrid technology to increase fuel efficiency and, at the same time, driving pleasure. Its integrated starter generator recovers energy in order to charge a lithium-ion battery, which provides power support for the engine - which can save fuel or increase performance, depending on the driving scenario.

As a company, Ford is committed to the electrification of the entire vehicle fleet and announced at the beginning of the year that by mid-2026 all car series in Europe will be available as fully electric variants or plug-in hybrid models. The complete changeover to fully electric drives will take place by 2030.

Craiova celebrates one million vehicles produced

In addition to the unveiling of the Puma Rally1 competition vehicle, Ford also officially announced today that the millionth vehicle to roll off the assembly line in Craiova is a Ford Puma ST-Line in the exterior color of Desert Island Blue, which is powered by a 114 kW (155 PS) is powered by a powerful EcoBoost hybrid motor. Ford reached this production mark twelve years after manufacturing its first vehicle in Romania in 2009. At the Craiova site, the compact transporter Ford Transit Connect was initially manufactured, as well as the innovative SUV models Ford B-MAX and Ford EcoSport, before Puma production began in 2019.

Earlier this year, Ford announced that the company would invest $ 300 million to build a new light commercial vehicle at its Craiova assembly plant in Romania in 2023, including an all-electric version set to debut in 2024 - that's what it will be be the first fully electric volume vehicle to be built in Romania. The funding provided will bring Ford's total investment in its Romanian manufacturing operations to nearly $ 2008 billion since it acquired the Craiova plant in 600. More than 6.000 robots have been installed to improve efficiency and quality in the body, stamping, painting and chassis workshops. Around XNUMX people are employed in Ford's ultra-modern vehicle and engine assembly facility in Romania.

"Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 Gatecrashes the Party" was realized by Chrome Productions. The shooting took place under controlled conditions on closed roads with professional stunt drivers. Do not try to imitate or re-enact the stunts shown. Always drive responsibly and always obey the applicable road traffic regulations.

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2022 Ford Puma Rally1
Photo credit + video: Ford/ Chrome Productions

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