How Ford Beat the Nurburgring, Again: Ford Stock (NYSE:F) Slips on New Insight

Not so long ago, legacy automaker Ford (F) headed back to the Nurburgring test track to show off its chops and try to get a faster time than it did the last time it took the run. It managed to pull off a second win, turning in a better time than it did previously and cementing the Mustang GTD as one of the world’s finest racers. But shareholders were not pleased, and shares slipped fractionally in Tuesday afternoon’s trading.

Almost a year ago, back in August 2024, Ford took to the Nurburgring and posted a lap that came in under seven minutes, a major feat for any car. But that proved not good enough for Ford, who subsequently announced plans to return. When it did return, Ford delivered, turning in a lap that was around 5.5 seconds faster than the previous lap, and today, we found out how it did that.

First, track conditions had improved; the track was dry rather than wet, which helped. Second, Ford also ran the numbers on just about every condition it could; from the powertrain to braking software to aerodynamics, Ford checked everything. And then, it released video of a side-by-side lap comparison, showing just how Ford managed to shave off nearly six extra seconds from an already sub-seven-minute lap. One portion of the video even showed the two vehicles overlapping almost perfectly, showing just how close this whole matter was.

The Future Soon

And while the Nurburgring win was a win by any standard, a win is only a win for so long. There is always the future to consider, and Ford has plans for the near term and the longer term future. First, the near-term: Ford is bringing out the Coastal Package for its new Bronco, just in time for summer, which starts in just over a month. It is a styling package, but a performance upgrade also includes Bilstein shocks and a two-inch lift.

Farther down the line, Ford also revealed a new patent for a rock-kick-up detector. With this, Ford can use a vehicle’s camera to identify damage and since footage of said damage to the car’s owner. This includes those pesky rocks that fly up and crack a windshield. It can even identify areas where such rocks are likely to kick up and cause damage, which would thus encourage drivers to increase follow distance in certain areas or something similar.

Is Ford Stock a Good Buy Right Now?

Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on F stock based on two Buys, 12 Holds and three Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 11.52% loss in its share price over the past year, the average F price target of $9.59 per share implies 10.37% downside risk.

See more F analyst ratings

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