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50 years of Ford Motorsport Cologne - the nineties to the end

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Created on November 29, 2018

Reading time 10min

Written by:

Rainer Braun

Photos:

Archiv Ford

10

Ferdi Kräling

8

Ford Motor Company

3

Hallo Fahrerlager (diverse Archive)

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Archiv Bilstein/Jägermeister

1

DTM

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Archiv Ford

10

Ferdi Kräling

8

Ford Motor Company

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Hallo Fahrerlager (diverse Archive)

2

Archiv Bilstein/Jägermeister

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DTM

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Bad Vibrations - Ford Mondeo (1996) Mechaniker und Ingenieure bei der Intensiv-Behandlung im Mondeo-Motorraum

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Sportchef Lothar Pinske muss sein Motorsport-Programm neu organisieren

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Ford Sierra Cosworth (1988) - Klaus Ludwig auf dem Ford in der DTM

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Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth (1989) - das letzte DTM-Rennen vor dem Turbo-Verbot gewinnt Niedzwiedz 1989 in Hockenheim

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Ford Mondeo STW (1995) - Nach 3 Jahren Denkpause ohne Werkseinsätze kommt der Mondeo in die STW-Serie

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Bad Vibrations - Ford Mondeo (1994) Boutsen hat sein Renngerät in den Sand gesetzt und flüchtet im Laufschritt

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Bad Vibrations - Ford Mondeo (1995) - Asch im Clinch mit dem Nissan von Maassen

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Bad Vibrations - Ford Mondeo (1995) Ex-Formel 1-Pilot Riccardo Patrese bringt die Mondeo-Truppe auch nicht viel weiter

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Bad Vibrations - Ford Mondeo (1996) Mega-Crash am Sachsenring von Warren Hughes - Tiefpunkt der Mondeo-Pannenserie

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Ford Mondeo DTM (2000) - die Mondeo-DTM-Studie nach dem Reglement 2001, die nie fertig gebaut wurde

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Ford Escort RS 2000 Cup (1999) - der Ford Escort RS 2000-Cup läuft 1998 aus..

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Ford Focus (1999) - der Im Breitensport wird Focus 1999 neues Renninstrument für Privatfahrer

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Ford Focus (2010) - im Focus sammeln private Teams noch viele Siege auf der Rundstrecke

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Ford Puma Cup (1999) - ...und der Nachfolger des Escort-Cups ist ab 1999 ist der Ford Puma-Cup

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Ford Puma (2000) - zum 75. Geburtstag starten 5 Puma-Teams beim 24 h Rennen am Ring - und kommen alle ins Ziel

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Ford Formel Ford (1990) - Schleizer Dreieck in Deutschland

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Ford Formel Ford (1991) - in Hockenheim, in den S-Kurven

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Ford Formel Ford (1994) - auf der Avus in Berlin - Patrick Simon in Führung

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Fiesta Mexicana 1971 auf der Godesburg mit Jackie Stewart

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Ford Fest 1971 - Neerpasch mit fröhlichen Journalisten in Essen

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Ford Herbstfest 71 Berlin - Neerpasch mit Journalisten beim Preisschießen

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Ford Herbstfest 1973 in Berlin - fröhliche Tafelrunde

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Gruppenbild mit Chefs - die Mannschaft von Ford Motorsport 1973

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Ford-Meisterfeier 1976 - Zakowski, Heyer, Kranefuss und Vorstand Bob Lutz

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Einen Jägermeister auf die guten Zeiten - Klaus Schlüter, Ford-Mechaniker

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Summary

The history of the Ford Motorsport Cologne racing department began in 1968 with the arrival of Porsche works driver Jochen Neerpasch, and with it a rollercoaster ride of successes and failures. The early years were characterized by the Escort and Capri models. The "little Mustang" accompanied Ford until the 1980s. Then came the time for a new era and the Sierra. And after that, when the era of turbos was over, fewer and fewer until the end. Rainer Braun, who was close to it, looks back.

This article contains the following chapters

The turbo ban (1989 - 1990)
Dry spell (1991-1993)
Mondeo worries (1994 - 1996)
Focus offensive (1997-1999)
Descent into insignificance (1999)
Happy Birthday (2000)
Relegation and the end (2001-2018)
Final words from the author

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In the seventies, it was mainly the Capris that gave the competition a run for their money, and in the eighties it was the Ford Sierra era. But even the longest phases of success come to an end at some point. The DTM is now also in the international spotlight and has become the most important competition after Formula 1. An open exchange of blows between Ford, Mercedes, BMW and, from 1990, Audi. Up to seven Sierra RS 500s take on the competition, but Ford loses one of its top drivers, Armin Hahne, early on: A serious crash with former brand colleague Ludwig of all people put the Rhinelander out of action until the end of the season. Niedzwiedz kept things exciting until the finale, but lost the title despite a double victory in the two final races due to the scratch results rule.

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