PALM BEACH, FL--April 1, 2012: Ford Motor Company will create the ultimate automotive enthusiast and consumer experience at the 10th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction on April 5-7, 2012. From hosting a local car "cruise-in" at a dealership to exhibits and on-site driving opportunities, Ford will give attendees a chance to enjoy aspects of its performance lineup during the three-day event at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
“The Palm Beach Barrett-Jackson event is one of the greatest celebrations of car culture on the east coast”
Now through April 6, qualified consumers who visit any Palm Beach area Ford dealer to test drive a new Fusion, F-150, Mustang, Explorer or other new Ford will receive a free pair of single-day tickets to the Barrett-Jackson event. There, they can visit the Ford exhibit featuring the newest models then "test drive" a new Mustang, Focus or Fiesta on a closed circuit.
"The Palm Beach Barrett-Jackson event is one of the greatest celebrations of car culture on the east coast," said Steve Ling, North America Car Marketing Manager at Ford. "We want to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the fun so we're giving away a limited number of tickets to Barrett-Jackson through our local dealers and bringing our line-up of fantastic vehicles to the South Florida Fairgrounds. One of the highlights will be the exciting, new 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 with 650 horsepower. This is the Florida debut for Ford's new supercar."
Many first saw this new model on TV when SPEED broadcast the sale of the racetrack durability prototype used to produce the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang. Ford gave enthusiasts the chance to bid on it at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale earlier this year. The sale raised $350,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the world's largest charitable funder of type 1 diabetes research.
The Ford Shelby GT500 raises the bar high on performance by delivering a test track top speed of more than 200 mph. The 5.8-liter V8 aluminum-block engine is the most powerful production V8 in the world. Nearly every part of the powertrain was optimized for producing additional power, including a new supercharger, new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon fiber driveshaft and an upgraded clutch, transmission and axle. Nearly every gear on the GT500 was revised to manage the torque and use more of the power in a way that makes it more driver-friendly. The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.
The Shelby, as well as all other new Ford vehicles, is available through local South Florida Ford dealers. Dealer Wayne Akers Ford in Palm Beach will host a "cruise-in" with Barrett-Jackson on Saturday, March 31. The cruise night is open to all makes and models of cars.
Those interested in a test drive or seeing a new or quality pre-owned Ford vehicle can visit South Florida Ford to find their closet dealer.