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Ford Donates Limited-Edition Falcon XR8 Sprint to JDRF to Auction (555)

• Ford Australia has donated the first Falcon XR8 Sprint built for retail – No.1 of only 750 – to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) for auction to directly fund a research project exploring how to automate insulin pumps to manage type 1 diabetes (T1D)
• The Artificial Pancreas Project led by Professor Tim Jones at Princess Margaret Hospital, involves research institutes and hospitals across the country – from Perth, Melbourne, Newcastle, Adelaide and Sydney.
• Ford has also committed a further $60,000 monetary donation to the research, on top of $13,000 employees contributed from their own wages in 2015.
• Donation builds on Ford's leading local investment to make Australians’ lives better, including $500,000 to JDRF over the past 15 years and nearly $2 billion in R&D the past six years.

Ford is donating the first publicly available version of the highly anticipated Falcon XR8 Sprint – one of the most powerful and high-tech Falcon’s ever – to fund local innovation for the JDRF Artificial Pancreas Project, which is exploring how to automate insulin pumps and deliver improved therapies and ultimately a ‘technological cure’ for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Led by Professor Tim Jones at Princess Margaret Hospital, JDRF’s Artificial Pancreas Project explores how to automate insulin pumps to manage T1D and involves research institutes and hospitals from Perth, Melbourne, Newcastle, Adelaide and Sydney.

Ford has also committed a $60,000 monetary donation towards the program, on top of $13,000 that employees contributed from their own wages in 2015. This donation builds on Ford's leading local investment to make Australians’ lives better, including $500,000 to JDRF the past 15 years and nearly $2 billion in R&D the past six years.

“Our support of Professor Jones’ team’s innovative diabetes research underpins our commitment to serve our communities as we become Australia’s largest automotive employer,” said Graeme Whickman, Ford Australia President and CEO. “The Falcon XR8 Sprint is a truly memorable vehicle, a tribute to the ongoing, innovative work by our local development team.

“This iconic car will contribute in a small way to another Australian innovation under development by JDRF to help save young lives.”

Vital support for JDRF research

JDRF Australia CEO and Managing Director Mike Wilson said JDRF shares their vision of a world without type 1 diabetes with partners like Ford Australia.

“Type 1 diabetes strikes more children in Australia each week, hampering and damaging adult lives, causing serious illness and in some tragic cases, death,” said Mr Wilson.

“JDRF’s vision is ambitious – a world without type 1 diabetes – and our work is grounded in a realistic action plan for research. We are confident in the path to a cure, but research funding and support are critical.”

“We are able to deliver real progress in T1D research thanks to the financial support of valued partners like Ford Australia.”

Falcon XR8 Sprint auction

JDRF’s auction of the vehicle will run from May 7 through midnight on May 31, 2016. The specific vehicle will be a six-speed manual in ‘Winter White’ colour.

To learn more about the Falcon XR8 Sprint auction, visit https://galabid.com/ford.

Proceeds raised by the auction will support JDRF’s innovative Artificial Pancreas Program aimed to decrease the burden of T1D.

Falcon Sprint Series development and innovation

Ford’s Asia-Pacific Product Development team based in Melbourne developed the limited-edition, high-performance XR6 Sprint and XR8 Sprint series sedans. The vehicles sold out in a matter of weeks after being revealed.

The vehicles feature significant suspension improvements and high-performance tyres to match the vehicles’ dynamic capability.

Power of giving

Ford Australia has been a proud partner of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund for 15 years, contributing more than $500,000 to research in Australia.

Globally, Ford has raised more than any other corporate sponsor, dedicating more than $55 million to fund JDRF research programs and raise awareness.