Following the success of its BA Falcon Supercars program, Ford joined Toyota, Subaru and Mitsubishi on the stages of the Australian Rally Championship.
Joining the battle against seasoned teams such as Neal Bates Motorsport, Ralliart and Les Walkden Racing, Ford elected to enter a rear-wheel-drive Ford Focus during the 2006 season backed by Pirtek.
Getting a world class driver was next and ex-World Rally Championship driver Michael Guest fitted the bill.
It was a struggle for the first season, but a new Ford Fiesta built to S2000 specifications was planned for the 2007 season.
Enlisted to build the two Fiesta S2000s was V8 Supercars squad Britek owned by driver Jason Bright.
A Fiesta had never previously been built to S2000 specifications, so Ford purchased two Super 1600 versions to convert.
European engineers did guide Britek on the construction of the Fiestas including the replacement of the gearbox tunnel to fit the four-wheel-drive system and Sadev gearbox in addition to a Mountune-constructed engine.
A pair of Fiesta S2000s were constructed for Guest and teammate Darren Windus, with the duo enjoying plenty of podium success, but it failed to stop the inevitable.
In the end, S2000 proved mighty expensive for Ford and Britek leading to the conclusion of the program by the finish of its debut season as both Fiestas were sold to New Zealand.
Ford has never returned to the local rallying stage in an official capacity, though the R5 Fiesta has proven to be a success globally.