FUN AS FORD FOCUS RELAY CHALLENGE ENDS IN LAGOS

• One of the two units of 2012 Ford Focus won by Yellow team

After weeks of tasking contests by grouped participants, the Ford Focus Relay Challenge hit a climax recently in Lagos when Team Yellow with on-air personality, Mannie, took the first position.The team won the ultimate prize of two units of the 2012 Focus.

'Yellow' triumphed having earned the highest cumulative points all through the four weeks of the challenge. The star prize of two units of Ford Focus went to two of the team's members, Azuka Mpi, a private school proprietress, and Tunji Meshioye.

The Ford Focus Relay Challenge kicked off in Lagos with weekly contests among four teams comprising a driver and co-driver. Each team's on-air personality served as captain and was always on hand to add healthy rivalry and drama to the competition.

While Ik Osakioduwa, the cool, articulate and thrilling Big Brother Africa compere and Ryhthm FM presenter, headed the Green Team, Toolz of Beat FM led the White Team. The Yellow Team was headed by Cool FM's Mannie, just as the effervescent Tosyn Bucknor of Top Radio, led the Red Team. The pit crew supporting each team also added excitement by cheering their teams, thus making the challenge very colorful and exciting.

During Week One challenge with the theme 'Find Your Focus,' the contestants were made to find their car in a crowded parking lot, and in doing so, highlighted the keyless entry feature of the car, after which they embarked on an obstacle course at the National Stadium, Surulere. This was aimed at testing their driving skills, as well as showcasing the pure pleasure of driving a Ford Focus.

They also competed on the Focus' active park assist function, which allows the car to park itself.

Themed 'Charity Challenge', Week Two's exercise required the contestants to get pit crew members and the general public to drop off various items at any of the two Ford-dealer designated drop spots. The contestants were then expected to properly pack all donated items into their Ford Focus and take them to designated charities. For the Week Three challenge, which came up on Saturday, December 3, contestants took their friends on drives, shuttling between Get Arena and the Palms, Lekki in the new Ford Focus 2012, with the winner being the team with the highest number of friends shuttled.

The teams also took on tasks in the 'Lagos Road Rally' Challenge aimed at highlighting the remarkable fuel efficiency and features of the 2012 Ford Focus which is powered by 2.0-litre DOHC four cylinder engine with dual independent variable valve timing cam (Ti-VCT). The new Focus also offers several unique attributes in its class, including an 8-inch MyFord touch screen, HD radio with iTunes, active park assist, reverse camera and torque vectoring control.

Apart from performances by a top hip-hop artiste, MI, and stand-up comedians, some highpoints of the grand finale which was held at the Oceanview Restaurant in Victoria Island. were special recognition of Ford Su-Saharan Africa representatives and the brand's distributors in Nigeria, as well as their comments on the Ford Focus and the essence of the Challenge.

They included Ezio Tuniz, Regional Director, Ford Sub-Saharan Africa; Dale Reid, District Marketing Manger, Ford Sub-Saharan Africa; Raju Sawlani, Executive Director (Sales), Coscharis Motors; and Oigiagbe Oseme.

Team Yellow's 'Don Chris' also bagged the incredible $8,000 travel voucher - a prize presented to him by Raju Sawlani of Coscharis Motors, one of Nigeria's biggest auto sales/service companies which has taken the Ford brand to great heights in the local market.