Before the cars arrive, the fans are already there. They travel down narrow roads and into the woods, waiting — sometimes for hours — for a few seconds they will remember for years. Then the sound builds, the car appears, and driver and machine fly past in a blur of speed, noise, and control.
They come for the thrill.
A rally connects you to the action, the dirt, and the machine in a way few other sports can. That connection has been part of Ford for generations. Our history is measured in championships and legendary drivers like Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae, Sébastien Ogier, Hannu Mikkola, and Marcus Grönholm — but also in the memories made by the people who stood beside the stage.
Rally is also where our cars are pushed the hardest. A circuit is built to be repeated, but a rally stage is different every time. Surfaces change, grip drops in a matter of metres, and blind crests hide what comes next. The driver has to read the road, trust the car, and respond in an instant.
That challenge perfectly mirrors driving on Europe's perfectly imperfect roads. The surface can change from smooth tarmac to broken pavement, tight cobblestones, or the high-speed Autobahn. A familiar route can feel entirely different in the rain, in traffic, or after dark.
On roads like these, a car should do more than just get you there. We want you to feel a spark of that rally-stage emotion on your everyday commute. The car should feel natural, respond instantly, and give you the confidence to actually enjoy the drive.
That is what we mean by rally-bred. It is not a badge or a body kit. It is a character: responsive, composed, and engaging when the road changes beneath you. It is the exact DNA our new generation of European passenger vehicles is being designed around.
Not everyone wants that. Some want an appliance that fades into the background. Ford has a different ambition. We are done building boring cars, and we refuse to build toasters on wheels. We build vehicles for people who want to be part of the experience — who enjoy a road that changes, a corner that opens up, and a car with the soul to respond as they drive it.
To guarantee we deliver on that promise, we are putting our engineering to the ultimate test. Today, we are officially announcing that Ford is returning to the FIA World Rally Championship as a full factory team starting in 2028.
“We are returning because the rally stage is where our promise of building rally-bred passenger cars becomes reality.”Jim Baumbick, President, Ford Europe
We are returning because the rally stage is where our promise of building rally-bred passenger cars becomes reality. Our aim is to bring that unapologetic sense of response and control directly from the dirt to your driveway.
This commitment goes beyond the metal and separates us from commoditised competitors. In the future, we will also offer immersive customer experiences where you can get behind the wheel, push that rally-bred capability to its limit, and experience that unmistakable Ford thrill for yourself.
Because the best journeys are not always on the easiest roads. They are the ones that make you glad you took them.
Jim Baumbick is president of Ford Europe
