This all-new Ford GT supercar has taken all of the Detroit Motor Show limelight in 2015 - and it's easy to see why.
Confirmed
to start production in late 2016, and cost around £250,000, it features
an advanced carbon-fibre tub with aluminium sub frames, carbon-fibre
body panels and has ditched its predecessor's V8 for a EcoBoost
3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 with 'in excess of' 592bhp.
"It's
a showcase for all our latest technology, including EcoBoost
performance and aerodynamics," Mark Fields, Ford CEO and President, told
us. "We've been working on it for a little over a year."
Fields fueled speculation that Ford will return to the race track,
specifically the Le Mans 24hr GT class, when he said; "t’s worth
remembering that our first innovation as a company was not in a
laboratory, but on the racetrack." Another spokesman said it was "a nice
idea." The timing couldn't be better - 2016 is the 50th anniversary of
Ford breaking Ferrari's six year winning streak at Le Mans, and going on
a four year winning run of its own.
Under the
lightweight carbon-fibre skin is a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged version
of Ford's EcoBoost V6, generating more than 592bhp. That's mated to a
unique seven-speed dual clutch transmission. From power output alone,
the GT should produce performance that strikes fear into the world's
most prominent supercar manufacturers, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and
Mclaren.
Ford GT at Detroit
The stunning GT supercar concept is a modern take on the retro
styling of the first Ford GT remake we saw back in 2004, with a shape
that harks back to the 1960s racer. The front end is immediately
recognisable, but the enormous flying buttresses, wider stance,
deployable rear spoiler and rifled exhaust give it an agressive and far
more modern look.
Despite the dramatic styling details
on the GT, the low stance and profile is instantly recognisable to fans
of its predecessors. There's 20-inch wheels clad in Michelin Pilot Super
Sport Cup tyres, and the suspension is a torsion bar and pushrod setup
that is height-adjustable. Carbon ceramic brakes are also standard.
All-new Ford GT interior
Slide into the two-seat cockpit through the scissor doors, and the interior is clearly race-influenced, with seats that are mounted directly to the floor. A huge number of functions are transferred to the F1-style steering wheel, with a configurable digital instrument display behind it.