Polites backs Prodrive push to run a Ford racing team
WITH Holden Racing Team's Mark Skaife dominating the V8 Supercar championship, Mr Polites has backed the mooted move of Prodrive to run a Ford team next year.
Headquartered in the UK, Prodrive manages Subaru's World Rally Championship team and has numerous other motorsport interests. It acquired Tickford last year, including its Australian interests.
Prodrive has been linked with the 00 Motorsport team, which was created to run former Holden star Craig Lowndes and is owned by veteran touring car entrant Bob Forbes. It is believed Prodrive is also looking at other potential avenues into the championship.
"I'd have no issue with Prodrive coming in to run a V8 Supercar team," Mr Polites said.
"If they did, I think it would be great, but they would have to make up a business model. It would be as Prodrive, it would not be as a Tickford partnership with us. It would be as Prodrive coming in on their own."
Mr Polites said Prodrive would bring the same sort of expertise to Ford's V8 Supercar campaign that TWR delivered to HRT.
"Some increased technology, increased resources, the roll-down of Formula One and rally car learnings and a much larger engineering base," he said.
"I would then want to see - if they did it - some of those learnings and benefits passed on to the other Ford teams. I perhaps have a more socialistic view of their role than others might."
Hmm interesting stuff, so this means that there still won't ba a factory backed team? I thought it would have made better sense if there was a full factory backed Ford team with major Prodrive assistance. Why won't this be a Ford/Tickford program, can't they work together???
The simple answer is NO!
The more complex answer needs to delve into the respective positions of the two organisations both now and into the near future.
The cosy relationship that once existed has almost certainly had it's dynamics altered since the introduction of Pro Drive into the equation. In essence the two organisations are probably going to find themselves competing in the same market space (the Ford performance enthusiast market) if the present indicators are anything to judge by. This is likely to prove a bonus for the buyers but will also preclude any combined effort in V8 Supercars.
Of course I could well be talking out of my *ss - it's been known to happen before.
I think Ford are kidding themselves. Until there is a factory backed team with the kind of money and resources that are available to HRT we will always be second across the line.
TWR own about 50% of HSV, yet thier main team they concentrate on is HRT, the official factory backed racing team of Holden.
Prodrive too own about 50% of Tickford, with ford owning the other half. Why does Prodrive need thier own team? Why can't there just be a reincarnation of FTR, with major financial and technical assistance from them? Do they want more recognition?
Still by saying that though I really don't care how ford does thier business as long as they get thier business right. That is, beating HRT over the line of course!
Just to clarify the situation - Prodrive is the 100% owner of Tickford (and thus the brand image) and the majority partner (just) in TVE which is the Tickford / Ford joint venture in Australia.
Thus Cobra has almost hit the nail on the head when he asks if they want more recognition - that is exacrly the name of the whole game - just whose performance brand has the image for Ford in Australia. You would be hard pushed to even begin to think that Ford (without Tickford branding) has any real performance image in Australia (as was indicated by the poll results in the thread on cars without wings) and thus if you were the CEO of Ford what would you be doing???
I'm not (of course) but I would stake almost anything on the fundamentals here -
1. TVE is now effectively a Ford competitor in the performance vehicle market in Australia.
2. Ford would not want to continue selling Tickford badged cars as pseudo factory items because that only strengthens further the already strong brand image Tickford has.
3. Neither would ProDrive have any interest in Ford using that brand image when it is their market strength.
4. The Joint Venture relationship would be an "interesting" one at the moment I would think (to use classic understatement). Would be a bit like taking a shower at a gay convention - you know you've gotta' do it but you'd be wondering who was gonna' shaft who next!
What this ends up meaning for either the race tam or the buyer I gues we will only see in the course of time but I would predict that the times ahead will be interesting, confusing but eventually rewarding.
Not sure I agree with everything that's been posted:
TVE a Ford competitor? Ford own the other 49%, unless I'm mistaken & you can only buy TVE cars through Ford delaers. I also understand that 'vehicle compliance' is done as Ford Australia. This has always been very different to the Holden/HSV equation.
Tickford (Prodrive) may want to change things but I haven't heard anything that would indicate they are unhappy with the 'Australian' arrangements.
As always these are opinions and you don't have to agree with them. You are correct in stating that Ford owns the other 49% of TVE but let's not confuse ownership with market goals.
Compliance has been done by TVE as a Secondary Manufacturer for some time now.
well I am a little confused with this, (not hard granted). It seems like some are talking about the race track and some are talking about the road car division.
I dont see how anyone can get TVE being a competitior for Ford in the performance market or anyother market.
Ford dont market anything that competes with any Tickford product.
Many companies are owned by outside interests, and in the case of Tickford I fail to see what interest would be served by Prodrive changing the name.
Market goals has to be for Ford to sell X units. Nothing has changed in this respect, in that their biggest chance of allowing that to happen is to have a brand that uses the Ford product and extends on it. WHY?, well for some in this market, a Ford badge isn't going to cut it, they want exclusivity and image and Ford dont have that. If they have learnt anything from T series it should be just that.
You are NOT going to get me moving from a 540I into a Ford badged barge regardless of performance unless there is cache attached.
This is a very specialised market we are talking about. Sure there are elelments of tradition involved but to make a business study hold water, one can not over look the importance of attracting new blood to the marque. In the market in question, the exclusivity of the Tickford wings is the only thing Ford have going for it.
I have a feeling I know what you are talking about and I also have a feeling you don't agree with what you have said.
What I will say is that if Tickford or its wings are removed from the performance models, there will be legal action taken against Ford for compensation by our club even if I have to foot the bill myself.
In case Ford don't know, many clubs have invested heavily in support of the Tickford product. Merchandise club flyers, set up cost and it goes on and on.
You are dead right there mate - but then us poor punters don't have to like the decisions that are made at the Corporate level 'cos we aren't ever likely to be asked when commercial reality bites.
It's the Napoleonic businsss approach again and I guess if you are GP then you would have to trust that there are enough punters out there who either:
1. Couldn't care as long as it goes hard.
2. Can remember the glory days when the fast Fords had Ford badges only.
3. Will still buy whatever competing product might appear 'cos it still sells Fords.
Prodrive owns 100% of Tickford Limited and also holds a 51% share in Tickford Vehicle Engineering Pty Ltd, the rest of TVE is owned by Ford.
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