Jump to content

Dave Pericak gets a new job.


Recommended Posts

"Dave Pericak, the head of Ford Performance who was instrumental in developing the GT supercar and Raptor performance pickup, has moved to a new role within Ford Motor Co. overseeing engineering of more mainstream products. Pericak, 46, this month became engineering director of Ford's North American unibody applications, according to a Ford spokesman. His LinkedIn profile also says he'll work on Lincoln programs"

 

http://www.autonews.com/article/20171207/OEM/171209821/ford-pericak-changes-job-lincoln

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The whole company seems to be going to hell. Why not the performance division too.

 

The performance division, while putting out some pretty sweet products, have left a lot to be desired when it comes to reliability. Ask the first couple years of GT350 owners and 2016-17 Focus RS owners. Ford finally has fixed the head gasket problem of the RS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This isn't exactly breaking news. From a post on the Ford Performance forum on 11/13/17:

 

http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/64089-q-a-with-new-ford-performance-motorsports-director-mark-rushbrook/

That announcement didn't indicate what his new position would be,

"engineering director of Ford's North American unibody applications"

 

Apart form Mustang, that looks like a sea of FWD/AWD Utilties.and cars unless

of course we see some sort of announcement regarding the new CD6 Explorer....

Edited by jpd80
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That announcement didn't indicate what his new position would be,

"engineering director of Ford's North American unibody applications"

 

 

Others seem to be just as concerned about the direction of Ford Performance and the earlier announcement at least gave a little insight into who is replacement will be.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

True but this thread is about Dave Pericak new position. not about his replacements at Ford Performance.

A person with performance vehicle development pedigree augers well for the rest of Ford's unitary vehicles.

 

Ford performance now has two leaders, one for Racing programs and one for road car development,

that in itself is a positve move as it better defines vehicle goals.

 

Yes, Ford performance mishandled the '16 base GT350 and its optioning, I think that was entirely due to a lack

understanding, buyers expected the base GT350 to be a track capable car and were going to use it on track days.

Ford simply misread buyer expectations on essential base equipment but now it's included in the new higher price.

Edited by jpd80
Link to comment
Share on other sites

True but this thread is about Dave Pericak new position. not about his replacements at Ford Performance.

A person with performance vehicle development pedigree augers well for the rest of Ford's unitary vehicles.

 

Ford performance now has two leaders, one for Racing programs and one for road car development,

that in itself is a positve move as it better defines vehicle goals.

 

Yes, Ford performance mishandled the '16 base GT350 and its optioning, I think that was entirely due to a lack

understanding, buyers expected the base GT350 to be a track capable car and were going to use it on track days.

Ford simply misread buyer expectations on essential base equipment but now it's included in the new higher price.

LOL I can't see FPP lasting much longer. This is starting to look like a dead horse if you ask me. Crap they have only built 80 or so Ford GT's moving at a snails pace for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a post down in Ford Performance about the how soft the FoMoCo presence is with their parts and all and I felt a little derided for it.

 

I'll be darned if more of y'all aren't starting to feel the same way.

 

Too bad since the newly taxpayer revitalized Chrysler and General Motors have got plenty of money to spend on motorsports.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL I can't see FPP lasting much longer. This is starting to look like a dead horse if you ask me. Crap they have only built 80 or so Ford GT's moving at a snails pace for sure.

Those Ford GTs are hand built Carbon fiber units built at MultiMac, they were always going to be about 14-16 a month.

You had to be on a list to get on a list for all those GTs, Ford could have sold them eight times over so the owners

could care less...although John Cena may be wishing that he never tried to flip his...

 

FPP exists to fill a niche for a very small number of buyers, Motorsport isn't the giant catch all it once was.

Totay's vehicles have a lot more inbuilt performance as standard, look at the new Mustang GT,

with a mild 460 RWHP tune and a set of drag slicks, someone wen 11.53 without a blower or N2O

Edited by jpd80
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those Ford GTs are hand built Carbon fiber units built at MultiMac, they were always going to be about 14-16 a month.

You had to be on a list to get on a list for all those GTs, Ford could have sold them eight times over so the owners

could care less...although John Cena may be wishing that he never tried to flip his...

 

FPP exists to fill a niche for a very small number of buyers, Motorsport isn't the giant catch all it once was.

Totay's vehicles have a lot more inbuilt performance as standard, look at the new Mustang GT,

with a mild 460 RWHP tune and a set of drag slicks, someone wen 11.53 without a blower or N2O

All true what you say. But at 14 to 16 a month that would be ~ 168 - 192 cars, they have only produced ~ 80 way off pace. And Ford is getting it's a** kicked by the COPO Camaros in Stock and Super Stock in NHRA. This is why Ford pulled the funding from John Force to put into the grass roots racers. And as usual Ford has left the Cobra Jet guys down, just the ones they were suppose to support. No wonder nobody wants to race Fords. This isn't the first time Ford has done this. Meanwhile GM keeps supporting the GM guys and that's why they stick with GM. Many Ford guys have switched for this reason. Even Richard Petty has switched to Chevy for 2018 in NASCAR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Multimac started of with 2-3 cars in February to April, then 5 - 9 from May to July then 13-16 from then until now.

I see it as a steady ramp up in production with 16/mth just the latest production rate.

 

I wouldn't begin to even comment on Ford support (or the lack of it) for racers and teams in motorsport

only to say that it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. In other parts of the world, privateers champion

the Ford brand only to see the corporation give piddling support but ride their coat tails when they win.

Edited by jpd80
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new guy needs to get a Ford engine accepted in NHRA Pro Stock. Right now with the new rules it is legal to run a GM engine in a Mustang.

They have an accepted engine (well part numbers) but there are no parts available. When Jim Cunningham died so did the Pro Stock parts and development. He was funding the whole project.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...