The Stig wins unique Ford Focus ST virtual race

 

By Jamie White – Head of Communications

 

The New Ford Focus ST notched up a first victory hours after making its global debut by winning a unique ‘virtual versus real’ race.

 

The new model went head-to-head against a virtual Focus ST, after Ford and Sony Computer Entertainment staged the first such race on the world-famous hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

 

Driven by former ‘Stig’ Ben Collins, the real new Focus ST completed the 1.16-mile course just ahead of gamer Krisztian Somodi tackling the same course simultaneously on a Gran Turismo 6 PlayStation 3 simulator.

 

Ben said: “Racing the new Ford Focus ST against the virtual one was a first for me. I had no idea who was in the lead, so I was ecstatic when I realised I’d won.

 

“The Focus ST has always been a great driver’s car but the new version is even more responsive and rewarding.”

 

The race was shown live on giant screens to tens of thousands at the festival, with visitors later able to set their own time on Gran Turismo 6 simulators on the Ford stand, where the first diesel-powered version of the new Focus ST was revealed.

 

The game replicated the conditions and features on the day itself as closely as possible, with the attention to detail making for a close contest. The real Focus ST posted a time of 1 min 5.13 seconds, with the virtual model only a tenth of a second behind, covering the climb in 1 min 5.23 seconds.

 

A video of the race can be found here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifVo-rjmvXs

 

The new Focus ST is set to be in Ford UK dealerships from early 2015.

 

Mystery shopping and performance improvement company Douglas Stafford provides Ford with a bespoke and tailored mystery shopping and customer experience programme to include Video Mystery Shopping.

 

 

Follow mystery shopping and performance improvement company, Douglas Stafford:

 

 

on Twitter @DouglasStafford

 

 

on Facebook facebook.com/douglasstafforduk