Ford unveiled a sensational new advert for the Fiesta ST this week, featuring World Rally Championship driver Elfyn Evans piloting the car at speed, 400m below ground in a salt mine. This advert, called “Undertrack “, is the latest instalment of the Greatest Driving Roads series of short films featuring the Blue Oval’s performance vehicles.
Ford had previously taken the Ford GT, Focus RS and Mustang Convertible to some of the most stunning environments across the continent, including the Arctic Circle in Norway and the sunny climes of Mallorca. Ford has been tight-lipped about the whereabouts of this underground location, but is it, in fact, deepest, darkest Carrickfergus?
All Ford will say is that it was shot 400 metres below ground in one of Europe’s largest salt mines. The advert opens with a shot of the Fiesta ST on Oxford Street in Belfast City centre and includes footage of the car on the M3 flyover. This makes us believe that the incredible subterranean blast, through 60 kilometres of tunnels, took place at the Kilroot rock salt mine, near Carrickfergus.
In the film, Elfyn Evans is seen at the wheel of the Fiesta ST slipping, sliding and jumping in the dirt. The sound of the zesty 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine is amplified by its surroundings as it tackles a high-speed drop through the narrow, entrance tunnel.
Temperatures in the mine are kept at a constant 16°C and safety precautions required that a skeleton crew was used for the three-day shoot. Leo Roeks, Ford Performance director said: “The drama of the tunnels and the chance to show off Fiesta ST’s ability on a different type of surface were a big part of choosing this unique location. It wasn’t a typical race track, it was somewhere we could drive this great car to its full potential.”
Evans, who is a dab hand at driving fast Fords in tricky conditions, was impressed by the experience: “The salt is actually like fine gravel to drive on, quite slippery to be honest, especially on road tyres. You expect it to be claustrophobic but actually, it’s quite the opposite, a great place to really enjoy the new Fiesta ST.”
So is the advert shot in Belfast and a Kilroot salt mine? Watch the video below and make your own mind up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HuAHLToqvg&feature=youtu.be