• December 17, 2010

The Focus Global Test Drive in February in Madrid, a program to promote Ford's new Focus car, will be hosted and coached by road racing veteran Justin Bell.

Bell -- currently a Speed Channel fixture who as a racer teamed with his father Derek Bell in the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1992 to 1996, and has participated in events like the Trans-Am series and in the American Le Mans Series -- has touted the Focus electric-car prototype on "Jay Leno Show." Ford says his job in Madrid will be to host test drive participants at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology near Madrid where the event takes place. According to a release, Ford plans to announce additional celebrity hosts for this inaugural event.

The automaker will have consumers and bloggers participating in a series of driving challenges intended to spotlight the car's driving dynamics and technologies. The company is holding a "Focus Global Test Drive" challenge where people can submit a simple video applications explaining why they should be included in the event to the Focus Facebook page. The application process invites prospective test drivers to "start more than a car" by generating the market equivalent of $10,000 for a specific charity of their choice from the categories of hunger, education and environment/sustainability.

Participants will be chosen by individual creative content, social networking vibrancy and volume of votes they receive. The car goes on sale in the first quarter next year.