Electric Ford Focus To Race on Jay Leno Tonight

Jay Leno’s new show may not be a hit with critics but the admitted car fanatic is hoping to get auto enthusiasts and greenies on his side with a new “Green Car Challenge” segment launching tonight — Friday at 10 p.m. EDT.

The first car to be tested — and driven by actress Drew Barrymore — will be a European Ford Focus seen here that has been converted to an all-electric car. This is one of the cars Ford has been testing in advance of a consumer version to go on sale in the U.S. in 2011.

Ford says the battery powered Focus has 236 lb ft. of torque — almost as much as a V-6 Mustang — 50/50 weight distribution and a number of other race ready parts supplied by Ford’s performance division.

That’s a lot of go while Ford also says the test-car can travel 80 miles on a single electric charge.

The Ford may also have an unfair advantage to future cars in the challenge. It has been tweaked and tested specifically for Leno’s custom race track he had built for the new show. Ford went as far as designing its own version of Leno’s track in Michigan for its testing.

Tune in to NBC tonight to see how Barrymore and the battery-powered Focus handle the pressure.

Comments

gotta see this...seen every show so far.

Gee if the critics do not like it I have to try watching it more often. Tired of the same old stuff. I caught a little bit of it the other night and it seemed pretty good. For ths Focus I might have to give it a look, wish Jay was driving intead. I will not be happy until we have a show like Top Gear, those guys are the best. :-)

Why does Europe get better looking cars than us? I like the styling of this Ford. Does anyone know what the range of the battery is?

Sounds like "The Tonight Show Prime Time with Jay Leno" is getting "more staler" and "more unoriginaler" with each show. Maybe this segment will breathe some life into it. It'll be interesting to see if they lift the entire Top Gear format for this "Green Car Challenge." Quite frankly, it looks like they might have geared (pun entirely intended) the entire relaxed, deskless, interview environment of the show to mimic the Top Gear set solely because it lends itself to the Green Car Challenge. You're right Zerf, we definitely could use a good, fun automotive show like Top Gear, maybe that's what Jay will do if this show tanks - he'd be perfect for it.

Oh look more proof that Ford's investment in R&D is paying off better than GM's marketing hype. What a blown opportunity for GM to not have the Volt be doing this. The difference is leadership. Kudos to Ford and Alan Mulally.

Really? Go to the dealer and buy one then. Oops, it's not available yet. Hype. Want that Fiesta too? Oops, it's not available yet either. Hype.

DW,
This is the first of many challenges. It's going to be a recurring segment. Since Jay has done a lot of promotional stuff with GM I'd expect the VOLT to definitely make an appearance.

H - Clearly you missed the fact that the article is about the Focus not the Fiesta. The Focus is market-proven so Ford adding an electric drivetrain would be a next logical step. Ford's focus is on products: hybrids, ecoboost, etc. GM hypes about money back guarantee's.

Dave - I'm sure the Volt will eventually make it onto some show some where some time however in the meantime Ford will be showcasing their electric Focus tonight on Leno's show. That's not hype that's real marketing.

I really could care less about what you think is hype and what is real marketing so have at it all you want and after watching that "real marketing" of the e-Focus, go to your local Ford dealer and buy one. Better yet, go to your local Toyota dealer and get in on their next "real marketing" plan, you know the one where they plan to offer subsidized leases and loan rates and to help pay for dealer ads. That there is a true emphasis on product.

"I really could care less about what you think..." Then why respond? Enjoy the dope slap junior.

Because I enjoy letting others see much of a poseur you really are.