New Ford performance unit plans 12 vehicles by 2020

DEARBORN -- Ford will introduce 12 new performance vehicles through 2020 under the umbrella of a single global Ford Performance unit announced on Thursday.

Raj Nair, head of global product development, said Ford Performance pulls together the SVT performance team from the U.S., Team RS in Europe and Ford Racing.

Ford Performance's upgraded vehicles will help profit margins, much like luxury vehicles and trucks do, Ford CEO Mark Fields told reporters. "The folks who are looking for performance vehicles want the best and they are willing to pay for the best as long as they see the value."

Ford Performance will allow for a quicker rollout of these performance products, Fields said.

Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president, telegraphed the move in September at the unveiling of the 2015 Mustang by saying how important performance vehicles have been to Ford sales and profits. He said then that Ford would concentrate more on such vehicles.

Among the anticipated vehicles: The next-generation of the European Ford Focus RS will be a global vehicle, meaning it will be sold in North America as well. Timing was not disclosed. The RS dates to 1968, was last introduced in 2009 and enthusiasts have sought its return since.

The Focus RS expands a portfolio that includes the Focus ST, Fiesta ST, Shelby GT350 Mustang and F-150 Raptor pickup. Nameplates will continue to use ST and RS badges.

More performance vehicle news and unveilings could come at next month's Detroit auto show.

With the new F-150 on sale, Raptor fans await the next generation of the off-road performance pickup. And since the reveal of the GT350 at the Los Angeles, there has been talk of a stripped down GT350R racing model in the works. Ford officials have also been mum on a new GT.

Ford Performance will be headquartered in Dearborn under former Mustang chief program engineer Dave Pericak and will act as a testbed to develop vehicles, parts and accessories.

It will have an "agile, skunkworks-type spirit," Nair said.

It is a smart move to leverage Ford's global breadth to go after wealthy customers with high-profit vehicles, said analyst Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific.

Ford wants to take advantage of a 70% increase in performance vehicle sales in the U.S. and a 14% increase in Europe. Nair said half the Fiesta ST buyers, for example, are 35 and younger, they have money to spend and tend to buy another Ford.

Ford's SVT team has had its ups and downs over the years and was all but defunct at one point.

Most European marquees have a branded performance line.