The New Ford Focus Global Test Drive

In the Ford Focus Global Test Drive, everyone wins: Ford Focus engineers get rapid feedback from interested customers and prospects, drivers get a first look and thrilling international wheel time in the new Ford Focus before it goes on sale, friends get to come along for the ride of a lifetime and deserving charities benefit.

The Ford Focus Global Test Drive will be held in early 2011 in southern Europe - the location will be confirmed next month. Driving exercises will be created to give participants an early, behind-the-scenes look at the new Ford Focus, and will allow them to enjoy a few high-speed, high-adventure activities. Participants will be free to document and share their experiences.

Beginning today, via the Ford Focus Facebook page, friends and fans from around the world are invited to submit video applications explaining why they should be included in the first-ever Ford Focus Global Test Drive.

The application process invites prospective test drivers to "start more than a car" by providing the market equivalent of $10,000 for a charity they are passionate about, under the categories of hunger, education and environment/sustainability.

Details of the Global Test Drive application are now available on the Ford Focus' Facebook 'Global Drive' tab. A total of 100 participants from around the world will be selected to travel to Europe to be among the first external test drivers of the all-new, next-generation Ford Focus.

The Ford Focus Global Test Drive participants will be selected based on a range of criteria including their individual creative content, social networking vibrancy and volume of votes they receive.

With a total of up to $500,000 to be distributed across driver-preferred charities, participants will have the opportunity to "start more than a car". Ford gets some early feedback on a critical new global vehicle while drivers and their guests will savor an exhilarating international experience, and charitable organisations will benefit.