Ferguson Research

The Ferguson Research Ltd.. was a company from England, which was founded by Sir Harry Ferguson, as well as the racing driver and engineer Tony Rolt and is mainly known for its innovative all-wheel drive as well as a manufacturer of all-wheel drive F1 racing car.

Harry Ferguson was originally involved in the company Massey Ferguson, an even then worldwide manufacturer of tractors. In 1950, he decided, however, to leave this company, its shares to sell and use the proceeds to Ferguson Research Ltd.. to start. There he devoted himself primarily to the development of racing car components, until he died suddenly in 1960. Following the closure of Ferguson Research Tony Rolt founded in 1971 with the consent of Ferguson's family, the successor company FF Developments, which he sold himself in 1994.

Formula 1

1960 Ferguson Project was built 99 or P99, a four-wheel drive Formula 1 car in which a 4 -cylinder engine from Coventry Climax 1.5 liter displacement was salvaged. After Ferguson's death, in October 1960, the car was only a few months later, used under Jack Fairman and Stirling Moss at the British F1 GP 1961 in Aintree. The winner, however, was thus only a single race out of the F1 World Championship - and the rainy Oulton Park Gold Cup Race of Stirling Moss. This has remained the only victory by a four-wheel drive F1 car. The car was too error-prone, and a short time later, the " outdated " concept of the front motor vehicles was replaced with a mid-engine. However, Stirling Moss called for 1997 in the P99 in the September issue of Motor Sport as his favorite F1 car.

Later, the company Ferguson Research supplied other racing teams with their four-wheel drive: BRM, Matra, Lotus and McLaren. In 1969 took up to four vehicles participate in F1 race that used the Ferguson system. The success of the all-wheel concept remained out anyway and was replaced by the aerodynamic wing also developed from 1969. The last attempt to use all-wheel drive in Formula 1, Lotus 1971 Made with the turbine-powered 56B, which also used a Ferguson technique.

All-wheel drive is prohibited in Formula 1 since 1983.

Rallycross

Apart from the F1 teams mentioned above also the company Ford dealt with the four-wheel drive technology from Ferguson. Between the spring of 1969 and autumn 1971, the work of two Ford Capri 3000GT 4WD under the two brothers Roger Clark and Stan Clark in the then still young Autosport Rally Cross, and also supported also largely identical semi-works car from Rod Chapman. After many teething problems, the all-wheel - Capris were always successful, were often only five or ten seconds ( 4WD penalty ) set off behind the two-wheel drive competitors and won anyway not later than the end of 1970 almost all of their race. While Ford himself at the end over 250 hp " beasts " (with Zodiac V6 engine, 3 -liter displacement, CanAm gasoline injection, ZF transmission, etc. ) before the start of the British Rallycross Winter Series 1971 / 72 einmottete, Chapman was with his 4x4 Capri around one year longer active. Since it has been driven in Rallycross from 1973 according to FIA regulations, the end of 1972 the first generation of four-wheel vehicles forever just out of this burgeoning motorsport discipline disappeared.

Road vehicles

The most common road vehicle used a Ferguson developed by Research -wheel drive, was built from 1966 to 1971 Jensen FF. He was the first passenger car production car (320 units produced ) in the world with all-wheel drive - and not, as often assumed, the Audi quattro.

Ford built in 1968 on behalf of the Home Office a comprehensive 22 copies limited edition of the Ford Zephyr with Ferguson technique, which were designed for the British police. 20 of them were taken as proven executive vehicles with police lettering and blue light into service and designated by their users as "extraordinary " and praised. However, after that no other cars were ordered more, because the conversion costs for the police proved to be too high, and on top of that they soon decided on the new Range Rover.

In addition, Ferguson paid to customer from a number of other vehicles with all-wheel drive. To this end, the Austin were 1800 ( a car ), Ford Capri (17 copies), Ford Mustang ( three copies), the Opel Admiral (17 vehicles), the Reliant Scimitar (one copy ) of the Triumph Stag and Triumph 2.5 PI (depending two vehicles).