Autoblog

VW motorsport chief nixes F1 entry

Noah Joseph — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:03:00 EST

Formula One teams come and go, but few have been the subject of such intense rumors as the potential participation of Volkswagen.

The German automaker is the largest in Europe that hasn't been part of the sport in recent history, and its executives have made several public declarations that entering the series in one capacity or another was under consideration.

That prospect appears to be off the table now, however, as the company's new motorsport chief, Jost Capito has nixed the idea. Capito, who recently joined VW from after leaving his position as head of racing and performance vehicles for Ford, is focused squarely on Volkswagen's new entry in the World Rally Championship.

That may not mean, however, that the possibility of F1 participation is off the table for one of the group's other brands, which include Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini.

VW motorsport chief nixes F1 entry originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 May 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jost Capito leaving Ford SVT for Volkswagen Motorsport

Noah Joseph — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ford, Volkswagen

Few know performance and racing like Jost Capito. The speed-obsessed auto exec started out developing high-performance engines for BMW, then headed the motorsport department at Porsche before taking up senior management positions with the Sauber Formula One team.

He also won the Dakar rally as a co-pilot, but his most recent post has been with Ford. There he oversaw the amalgamation of the company's global performance divisions - including SVT in the States and RS in the UK - and ushered such vehicles as the SVT Raptor, Focus RS, new Fiesta ST and the Shelby GT500 into production, all the while managing Ford's effort in the World Rally Championship.

The Ford chapter in Capito's considerable career, however, is drawing to a close as Dearborn has announced his departure and Wolfsburg his arrival. Effective May 1, Capito will be heading up Volkswagen Motorsport, taking over for Kris Nissen, who managed the back-to-back-to-back victories Volkswagen took at Dakar.

In his new capacity, Capito will presumably be running the company's new WRC effort, but we wouldn't mind seeing his footprint on the next generation of GTI and R models, either. Look below for the official announcement.

Continue reading Jost Capito leaving Ford SVT for Volkswagen Motorsport

Jost Capito leaving Ford SVT for Volkswagen Motorsport originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford to merge U.S. and European performance lines; Focus RS coming to America?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Ford

2009 Ford Focus RS - Click above for high-res image gallery

Our friends across the pond in Europe have always good things to say about the Ford Focus RS, leading to a great deal of angst in America since the Blue Oval Boys have never brought the hi-po Focus Stateside. News from Jost Capito, the man in charge of aligning Ford's performance divisions all around the globe, has us anxiously awaiting the time when that gross oversight is finally corrected.

Automobile recently got the chance to sit down and chat with Capito, and the conversation quickly turned to the new global Ford Focus platform that was recently unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. According to Capito, Ford is still deciding what to call the next-gen high-performance Focus, saying only, "I don't see RS in Europe going away, and I don't see SVT in the U.S. going away."

Regardless of what it's called, we could very well see the speedy Focus take on multiple forms - similar to the path Ford has taken with the car in Europe with both a Focus ST and top-level RS. Previously, we heard rumors that a 240-horsepower Ecoboost-powered Focus ST could hit the scene within 18 months, followed by the latest RS, which could sport a 350-horsepower all-wheel drive hybrid powertrain, within the next three years.

There are plenty more interesting tidbits in the interview, click here to follow along.

Gallery: 2009 Ford Focus RS (green)

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

Ford to merge U.S. and European performance lines; Focus RS coming to America? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford reportedly turning its back on production Fiesta RS

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hatchback, Ford, UK, Rumormill

The Ford Fiesta RS has been canceled before - back in 2005 - and yet the rambunctious little hatchback lived to tell the story. Rumor has it that the hottest Fiesta has been canceled again, but these being changed times (and coming on the heels of news that the factory-tuned Fiesta ST has been canceled) it will be much more difficult for the even hotter RS to play the resurrection game.

If this news is true, the reasons for the RS being canned are the same as it was the time: meager profit potential. The Fiesta ST reportedly has a chance of being revived in 2012, but until then, it's apparently standard models for everyone.

[Source: EVO Magazine via 4 Wheels News]

Ford reportedly turning its back on production Fiesta RS originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford names new head of SVT and TeamRS, performance models to be developed globally

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ford

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Focus RS

Ford's goal of designing products to be sold both Stateside and abroad could finally include some of its hottest European offerings with the appointment of Jost Capito to the newly-created position of director of global performance vehicles and motorsports business development.

While we've had to adore models like the Focus RS from abroad, Capito's new gig overseeing and consolidating both the North American Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and the European TeamRS means that crosspollination between the two performance brands is assured.

Capito -- a Dakar Rally veteran and former engineer for BMW and Porsche -- has been with Ford of Europe since October of 2001, and managed Ford's European motorsport and performance vehicle programs from 2003 through 2007. During that time, he was instrumental in Ford's WRC campaign and helped to bring the Fiesta ST, Focus ST and Focus RS to market. Capito will be moving from the UK to Dearborn, Michigan before he takes the reigns in January next year, and we're hoping to secure some time with the new exec to hear his plans for the future of Ford's performance products.

Gallery: 2009 Ford Focus RS (green)

Gallery: Ford Fiesta ST Mountune

Continue reading Ford names new head of SVT and TeamRS, performance models to be developed globally

Ford names new head of SVT and TeamRS, performance models to be developed globally originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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