How good are you as a driver?
You may be a great driver. One who commutes into work without any incident. You may be the one stuck on the hill coming from Cloquet into Duluth on any given weekday morning.
You may be a great driver, but are you as good as a tier-four driver?
A tier-four driver is one who drives on the track for a living. He or she gets behind the wheel of any given vehicle and takes it to the limit. Any feedback from the vehicle is recorded, discussed, and sent back for evaluation by the engineering team. Tier-four drivers are there to make sure that the rest of us can enjoy our vehicles.
Ford Performance hires tier-four drivers to test their high performance machines at all times. They have to be top notch in what they do – taking on the track to test out the latest members of the Ford Performance lineup.
Their uniform is a fire suit and a helmet. Their office is any of Ford Performance’s vehicles – ranging from the Fiesta ST to the track-mastering Mustang FR350S sold to motorsports enthusiasts and teams. Their job description includes finding how far they can see Ford Performance’s vehicles in terms of traction, power, and speed to know the limits of each product before they come to you.
They also drive, so you can become a better driver.
Before they can be a part of the team of 20 who have been certified as tier-four drivers, they must go through more rigorous training to get there. It is a competitive environment that fosters limits beyond just mere competence.
Once these tier-four drivers earn their certification, they have to be monitored using a 50-channel data acquisition system equipped in the FP350S. That way, drivers can gauge their performance based on many aspects of their response to the vehicle – right down to the time it takes to brake and throttle back up. Any feedback from this system will help drivers get individual instruction that will get them towards that certification.
That way, they will have a better understanding of the vehicles you want to own and to help shape any improvements needed on them.
In other words, their training and certification could help you become a better driver – and a better Ford owner.
This is why Benna Ford sells a variety of vehicles that fit your lifestyle – including those who want to take it to the track. From our lineup of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and vans to our Toy Store selection, there is a vehicle for everyone’s driving skills. If you love your vehicle, thank the Ford Performance driver-engineers who helped shape the way it drives.
Brainerd and Road America are waiting. Are you ready? It all starts with a visit to Benna Ford in Superior.
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