Ford GT roars back to life with 600 hp 3.5 EcoBoost V6

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The Ford GT is back! The second coming of the Dearborn blue-collar supercar has just been unveiled at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, 13 years after the first GT debuted in concept form at the same show.

And how’s this for a statement – production will begin late next year, just in time to celebrate 50 years of Ford’s first Le Mans win. The GT40 claimed a 1-2-3 finish in 1966, sending a powerful message to Enzo Ferrari after the latter walked out of talks to sell his namesake company at the last minute.

Unlike the retro-inspired original, the new car looks exceedingly modern and is designed to be as aerodynamically-efficient as possible. A characteristically low nose is jazzed up by futuristic dual-tier headlights and a set of aggressive lower air intakes and splitters.

All-New Ford GT

Moving back, the fuselage-shaped body and canopy tapers towards the rear, terminating at a pair of centrally-mounted exhaust exits. Over this, a pair of flying buttresses spread outwards to join the massive rear haunches and encapsulate the large rear air intakes. An active rear spoiler adjusts its height and pitch depending on the driving conditions.

Despite being so forward-looking, the new GT owes a fair bit of its styling to its earlier forebears. Cues such as the twin “nostrils” at the front, the low, flat surfacing, the iconic glasshouse shape and the pair of large round tail lights are all reminiscent of both the first GT and the earlier GT40 racers.

After the madness of the exterior, stepping under the upwards-swinging doors reveals a refreshingly minimalist cabin, with a simple horizontal dashboard and relatively few buttons. Instead, most of the controls appear to have moved to the F1-style steering wheel and the SYNC 3 infotainment system. The seats are fixed directly to the monocoque for less weight – it’s the pedals and steering column are adjustable here.

All-New Ford GT

This being a large American performance car, you’d expect to find a V8 of some kind in the engine bay. Not here – mounted amidships is a twin-turbocharged 3.5 litre EcoBoost V6 delivering over 600 hp, making this the most powerful EcoBoost motor ever produced. Sending power to the rear wheels is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. A supercar with a mid-mounted twin-turbo V6 – did someone say Jaguar XJ220?

The engine may be unorthodox, but the stuff it’s anchored to is straight-up exotic. The passenger cell and body panels are made from carbon fibre, mated to aluminium front and rear subframes – Ford claims one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any production car. There’s also a racing-style active torsion beam and pushrod suspension, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup 2 tyres over 20-inch wheels and carbon-ceramic brakes.

With those looks, that much power and the exotic new bones, we can’t wait to see what Ford’s new powerhouse can really do. It’s the Sixties, all over again!

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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • saya bukan najib razak on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:29 am

    lotus ford GT?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 11
    • AVH (Member) on Jan 13, 2015 at 2:43 am

      Funnily enough, the original 1960s LeMans Ford GT40 was started of in partnership between Ford and Lotus… but in the end Lola was chosen for the chassis, and Ford drop their great big American 7.0l V8(with a 4-speed manual..yes FOUR) in it. So technically the car was half European.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 1
    • ezralimm on Jan 13, 2015 at 10:15 am

      It’s a 1.6 ton car. Definitely not lotus. The lotus will look really tiny next to it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Semi-Value (Member) on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:35 am

    where’s the manual gearbox =(

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 30 Thumb down 2
  • mixed feeling about the back but looks damn good overall

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  • AVH (Member) on Jan 13, 2015 at 2:22 am

    Except its not really the sixties, from someone whoes parents are just pre-schoolers in the sixties, the sixties to me is meant to be loud and bombastic, and the US of A, a tribute to herself, show the world that Pax-Americana is still en force. So I was expecting something truly American, a aluminium, V8 firehouse with a modern twist, but instead I got an almost german LMP for the street.

    No its not a bad thing, faar from it. As a look on whole I love it, the front decker headlamps, the LMP like wrapround cockpit with the driver seated snug inside(almost Lancia Stratos snug, looks very small even by European car standard. The rear devides my opinion, its amazing, but the HUUuuGe Canyon between the wheels and the body is slightly unsetteling, not what I call a pretty ares. But its a overall fantastic design.

    Its the engine I dont get… now I know the world is moving ahead of times, developing smaller and force induction engine and I dont blame it, but why a V6. I was neatly expecting ever since the rumors to be a force inducted, Flat crank V8, but a V6 seems wrong. I said this before during the Mustang Ecoboost launch (in which It was negatively received), it just dosen’t fill American any more….now the Corvette Z06 on the other hand…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 4
    • Hemi 426 on Jan 13, 2015 at 10:39 am

      Exactly,no freakin V-8,Hi AVH,i’m not sure if you remember me,previously i was known as Kumar san,we used to exchange healthy views and comments on Paultan.

      I see you have not lost your endearing mojo on cars,and what you described in the first comment is spot on(except Lola’s first development test mule and the first prototypes ran using 289ci Hi-Po V8 producing 345hp estimated),now coming a Malaysian who worked for FMC in Detroit for more than 15 years before moving on to other brands,the powertrain choice for this legend comes as a disappointment to me.

      I was heavily involved in the development of a few high performance Fox body Mustangs in the 90’s,even back then i had already championed the design change for full IRS all around but i could not get it approved due to,you guessed it,bean freakin counters!2 prototypes i developed that got coverage was the 10 liter 1996 Boss Mustang ( A homage to our 1969 Boss 429 Stang ) and the 1997 Super Stallion,if i remember correctly,it used a development 5.4 liter all alloy supercharged V8 that put out 512bhp at the crank and ran solely on E85 corn grade Ethanol and RON 85 unleaded gas(yes i know,american gas is lousy to the core).The rest of the prototypes i designed and developed i can’t divulge anything more but i had extremely great fun doing it and doing what i love most.

      I contacted my buds back in FMC and gave them a shelling about the freakin V-6 and they gave me their justification on it,then we all laughed it off,it is what it is.

      All in all,there is still no freakin V-8!Damn!

      Cheers

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 2
      • MacchaGreen on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:06 pm

        They’re probably gonna make it sound like v8 anyway with some clever firing order manipulation or something..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
        • AVH (Member) on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:47 pm

          Nope videos already release
          Personally, it sounds like a GTR.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
      • AVH (Member) on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:46 pm

        Yea I still remember you, looks like quite a long time back along with another lad by the name of Turboman.

        Anyways, back during the fox body stang’ was developing, Ford’s bean counting department was really hard at work, I can’t think of a single product from that era that is memorable, aside from the Mustang and the Escort Cosworth, and that was Cosworth’s job.

        I am not much familiar with Muscle car mechanics unlike JDM where I know several contact that can walk me throu it. But I do know one guy that has a 1971 Stang’ (like hammond’s one in Top Gear Patagonia special) and also an 06′ GT500 Convertible currently in RHD conversion. In a country like Malaysia, a muscle car really does feels special. The rumble of their V8s and the sheer presence that gives is truly fascinating. I think it was Summernats last year at Sepang that I was truly mesmerize that the sound these big displacement V8 makes.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
        • Hemi 426 on Jan 13, 2015 at 2:32 pm

          Hey Avh,it’s cool that you still remember me,what happened to Turboman?

          Buddy,i have been living in the U.S for more than 30 years now,so you can say that i pretty much spent the prime of my youth and automotive industry career around small and big block v8’s.

          You just can’t beat the sound,performance and sense of occasion of a proper American V-8,be it carburetor or in fuel injection forms.

          I left FMC because we automobile engineers were only given limited reign on the design and engineering envelope of the prototypes we asked to produce.If the bean counters don’t get involved,we have in the past come up with some fine jewels,for which i am still proud of them till this day,even though they did not make production,they will never be crushed because the original 12 development engineer team including myself signed a petition to keep them that way.

          You are right,the 90’s was a particularly trying time for us FMC engineers and my batch,all of us despised the bean counters to the core.Many a times,i just walked out of the board meeting coz the damn bean counter was talking shit.

          Chrysler offered me a very good package so i went there,before Ford i was with GM,i’m semi retired now but i still take on development and prototyping projects,i still circuit and drag race actively,because of legalities,i can’t divulge more info.I hope you understand.

          Now,i have always that broad thinking dudes like yourself will do very well in the auto industry,abroad,anywhere else except our home soil (the rest is self explanatory).You have a passion for it so go along with it.It was nice to chat with you again.

          Cheers buddy.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  • sudonano (Member) on Jan 13, 2015 at 6:24 am

    10 years ago, Ford would have shown some more dull looking econoboxes that drove well.

    5 years ago, Ford would have been mad to show something like this.

    Today, Murica is back. It’s on.

    Ford, I AM IMPRESSED. First the Raptor, then this. Wow.

    (Starts throwing cash, cards, coins at Ford)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • mamat on Jan 13, 2015 at 8:14 am

    so piggy at rear end.. haha!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  • shawal on Jan 13, 2015 at 8:36 am

    I just hope that the production model wont stray off too far from the concept.
    It looks production ready apart from the showcar headlights…

    Gorgeous interior harks back to the good ol’ 80’s concept cars spaceship style cockpit….

    Overall this looks and feels really special…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • superbird #43 on Jan 13, 2015 at 8:49 am

    wow, an excellent modern rendition of the classic ford gt40..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Don Juan De Marco on Jan 13, 2015 at 9:18 am

    Can’t wait for the comparison test! – Ford GT, Honda NSX, Lambo Huracan Superleggera plus the upcoming Audi R8 & Ferrari 458 Italia replacement!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • 4G63T DSM on Jan 13, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Ford Miura?
    Ford Stratos?

    Nevertheless, good looking car this, although it being missing a v8 is somehow missing the point. An american car needs to have a V8, no matter how well you make it go and sound. Its just how it has been done.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Veneno on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    very nice blends of classic and modern design but the rear design looks like a shocking pig.. lol..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Gajen on Jan 13, 2015 at 1:53 pm

    Looks great! I wish it had more hp though

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • W204 C63 AMG on Jan 13, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    The front end looks great, but I’m not too sure about the rear end.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • An American sports car has to have V8 no matter what. Ecoboost just sounds wrong for a supercar. And the rear is ridiculous, designer just didn’t know where to stop.

    If they used the Ecoboost for emissions and FC, why didnt they just go hybrid. Ford could have used this opportunity to make the Ford GT like the 918 and the P1.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Josh Ling on Jan 13, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    sad to see it’s no longer V8 engine…….american muscle car should always have a V8 engine….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Angry Bird on Jan 13, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    Tat ass, if u guys play angry bird or head of it,
    it cant be unseen!

    oink oink

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Good enough looks that maintain the unmistakable identity of a GT40. The buttresses a Ferrari 599 are a nice design touch. Do like!

    However, my reservation stems from the v6 engine. Not that it’s 6 cylinders (see GTR). More on the displacement. How many liters did they bore out to get 600bhp? The older Ford GT was based on a supercharged 5.5l v8 which was ‘understressed’ at 550hp. Tuning companies have been known to swap out the supercharger for twin turbos and get mad horsepower from the engine.

    If it’s a highly strung engine from the get go, one thing it may do is affect reliability negatively, and there may not be much meat to the bone for tuning potential.

    Let’s see what the aftermarket can do for this car. Not surprised if someone swaps out the engine for the earlier v8 (which was rumoured to be based on a truck/Mustang engine).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
 

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