Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer "into the racing business."
The Friday unveiling of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford's announcement in February that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.
The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.
Ford CEO Jim Farley told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance -- done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee -- that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.
"It's kind of like the company finding its own, and rediscovering its icons, and doubling down on them," Farley told the AP. "And then this motorsports activity is getting serious about connecting enthusiast customers with those rediscovered icons. It's a big switch for the company -- this is really about building strong, iconic vehicles with enthusiasts at the center of our marketing."
Ford last competed in sports car racing in 2019 as part of a three-year program with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team scored the class win at Le Mans in 2016 in a targeted performance aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford snapping Ferrari's six-year winning streak.
Ford on Friday displayed a Mustang with a Lee-designed livery that showcased the cleaner, simplified look that will soon be featured on all its racing vehicles. The traditional blue oval with Ford Performance in white lettering underneath will now be branded simply FP.
The new mark will be used across car liveries, merchandise and apparel, display assets, parts and accessories and in advertising.
Farley cited Porsche as an automaker that has successfully figured out how to sell cars to consumers and race cars in various series around the world while creating a culture of brand enthusiasts. He believes Ford's new direction will help the company sell street cars, race cars, boost interest in driving schools, and create a merchandise line that convinces consumers that a stalwart of American automakers is a hip, cool brand.
"We're going to build a global motorsports business off road and on road," Farley told the AP, adding that the design of the Mustang is "unapologetically American."
He lauded the work of Lee, who is considered the top helmet designer among race car drivers.
"We're in the first inning of a nine inning game, and going to Le Mans is really important," Farley said. "But for customer cars, getting the graphics right, designing race cars that win at all different levels, and then designing a racing brand for Ford Performance that gets rebranded and elevated is super important."
He said he's kept a close eye on how Porsche and Aston Martin have built their motorsports businesses and said Ford will be better.
"We're going in the exact same direction. We just want to be better than them, that's all," Farley said. "Second is the first loser."
Farley, an avid amateur racer himself, did not travel to Le Mans for the announcement. The race that begins Saturday features an entry from NASCAR and Ford is the reigning Cup Series champion with Joey Logano and Team Penske.
The NASCAR "Garage 56" entry is a collaboration between Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and is being widely celebrated throughout the industry. Farley did feel left out of the party in France -- a sentiment NASCAR tried to avoid by inviting many of its partners to attend the race so that it wouldn't seem like a Chevrolet-only celebration.
"They're going right and I'm going left -- that NASCAR thing is a one-year deal, right? It's Garage 56 and they can have their NASCAR party, but that's a one-year party," Farley said. "We won Le Mans outright four times, we won in the GT class, and we're coming back with Mustang and it's not a one-year deal.
"So they can get all excited about Garage 56. I almost see that as a marketing exercise for NASCAR, but for me, that's a science project," Farley continued. "I don't live in a world of science projects. I live in the world of building a vital company that everyone is excited about. To do that, we're not going to do a Garage 56 -- I've got to beat Porsche and Aston Martin and Ferrari year after year after year."
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.