Ford GT40

[thepolarfoxqx]

lincoln has some interesting things brewing, jaguar has been going non-stop, aston martin has DB-5 on the way, Land Rover just let out the new Range Rover, Discovery, and released Freelander into north america, volvo released XC90 and the new S60-R, and Mercury may actually get to be more than an optional hood ornament for a ford.

I think if they got the Aston Martin V12 cranking the way it should (atleast 550) they wouldn't need a V12 Ford, and the supercharged V8 Ford GT would perfectly fill the gap between cobra and Vanquish (big gap).

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Hallo thepolarfoxqx,

 

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[Patrick2]

would the Ford GT really be filling a gap?? I guess you cold argue that. To me the vanquish is more of a GT car than a sports car. The Ford GT probably pure sports car versus a GT car. In terms of a full offering of performance cars at various levels of cost and trim levels you could make a good argument. Although character varies somewhat from car to car.

[thepolarfoxqx]

character varies for sure, but for 250k, most people expect more than a sports car anyhow. If aston got the v12 running as strong as it should, it would be a near heirarchy of performance and luxury.

[izzyloveslizzy]

The GT40 looks amazing, but for the price it better have performance that spanks Ferraris as well. BTW I'm still gonna be waiting for the GT90. Now THAT will be something else.

[thepolarfoxqx]

i am not sure a GT90 will ever acutally happen. A GT40 (the GT) may not spank a 420. on paper a 420 is fast, and more steam is needed in the large GT to make it all work out.

But for the money, and overall, the GT hauls.

[imported_felix]

Definitely- The gt40 is one of the best cars around

[thepolarfoxqx]

motor trend just tested ford GT.

They said for less money, it is faster than a Ferrari F360 (GT runs to sixty in 3.7, making it the fastest current american production car), outhandles it (pulling an even 1.0 lateral G on the skidpad), they said it only sounds beastly when pushed hard.

The jist of it.

You can buy a car to run toe to toe with a murci or a Zonda for half the price, and service is as close as your local ford dealer.

[Arty25]

the gt40 has a supercharged 5.7 l. 500+ horsepoer under the hood so thats good right there and that is in the range of the european supercars

[thepolarfoxqx]

thank you for restating common knowledge?

it's a 5.4L and it will be an even 500hp, and it is fast.

[LateNightCable]

The Ford GT has truck loads of presence. Next to the 360, and Gallardo, the GT makes them look like cheap ricers. It's a testament to the pure muscular beauty of the original GT40's classic design. Modern " edge " stuff can't compete.

Ford needs to take this to LeMans, or where ever Ferrari is racing for maximum effect.

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Hallo thepolarfoxqx,

 

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[djfux69]

i get your point but i wouldnt go as far as to say it makes ferrari and lambo look like ricers. they are sexy sexy cars.

[SpEeDiSaDdIcTiVe]

The car that america took to europe and won comes back.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original GT40 was made in Britain. It was hardly 'American'... the new one is more 'American', but it was still part-engineered by Lotus, and various bits and bobs aren't American either. Sorry to piss on your parade here, but it doesn't have the spirit to take on the Italians. I've never sat in one before, but I'd imagine that it wouldn't feel as special as sitting in a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati. The old one had a sense of purpose, this one I feel is just an attempt to make a few dollars and boost the failing image of Ford.

[thepolarfoxqx]

and was it not all american 351 that drove the GT40 to win? I admit that the GT40 had a serious british component to it, but i see it like this, the Mark II was a very british car, especially by it's seccond year, and when the GT40 Mk. II went up against the very american Mk. IV at Lemans, the mark 4 won, taking a 1-2-3 finish, and giving Henry Ford II exactly what he wanted to see. The new GT40 is faster than a 575MM and Murcielago, less expensive than both, and i believe far too much in ford as an american institution, and an icon of what we are, are and are capable of, that for me to sit in one, it was be the pinnacle of all things automotive, there isn't a single thing to me that would be better than sitting in a GT40, and someday i hope to own one. I recognize how great ferrari and lambo are, but as an american, this just has so much more presence to me. That an it's faster.

And if it has bits and pieces from other places, and it's suspension was developed with lotus as a consultant, then it does. Need I remind you that Britain no longer has a british owned car maker of size? Rolls is BMW (can you imagine rolls engineers, at the same plant who made the merlin that powered spitfire and hurricane to win the battle of britain taking orders from germans?), Ford owns Rover, Jaguar, and Aston Martin, and exerts signifigant leverage on them, XJ and S ride on the same platform that lincoln LS and thunderbird do, and as of next year, mustang and cougar too. The X-Type has an american designed engine (the duratech V6s were originally designed in dearborn, michigan, US), and ride on a euroford chasis. Aston Martin's V12 was developed by Cosworth with purpose of making the duratech V6 a V12 (the essential design is identical between). My point is, it's a global car industry now, no car doesn't have bits and pieces from here and there. A jaguar, and aston, a rover, a rolls, all are british cars, and the GT40 is, and has always been very american (barring the seccond year Mk. II's)

[LateNightCable]

It doesn't have the spirit to take on the Italians. I'd imagine that it wouldn't feel as special as sitting in a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati.

You have to remember that a large part of the " specialness " of sitting in an Italian exotic, is knowing that it probably costs more than your house. The thrill of knowing You are sitting in it Right now. Like meeting your favorite celebrity. I'm confidant that if a GT was parked in your drive tomorrow, your driveway of all people, you would feel plenty excited.

The old one had a sense of purpose, this one I feel is just an attempt to make a few dollars and boost the failing image of Ford.

The GT has the spirit to take on the Italians, it's doing so right now. The GT40 was created to beat Ferrari at their own game, I'm sure the new GT was greenlit to make an impact on Ford's lackluster image.

But like the old GT40, the new GT's sense of purpose lies in the sum of it's parts. And like it's namesake, it was born to win.

[70 Ed]

Why do you want to compare cars made for european roads and european drivers to those made for usa ?

I'm a belgian former rally driver and for that I preferred Minis, Alpine Renault or Porsches.

When I visit the states I certainely prefer a good V8 with automatic transmission and cruise control.

But now, when I drive my lovely '70 Chevelle here in Belgium I wonder why someone here paid for "that" 34 years ago !

Ford GT is NOT a GT40. it just looks like a GT40. It would be stupid to rebuild the same car. Is it a good sports car for the 21st century ? Wait and see.

70Ed

[LateNightCable]

Cars of this nature, whether American or European are both made for high speed and handling on a paved surface, not Rally. The GT will no doubt be a competent sports car whether you drive it on an American boulavard, or on a twisting Italian back road.

The purpose of the original GT concept was to prove that an " American " car can compete on European turf.

The new GT will be a fine sports car no matter what friggin' century it is.

[thepolarfoxqx]

truly, how different are roads in holland or england, or wherever from those in america? the GT was built for one specific purpose. To make a car superior to the Ferrari F360 in every way, and do it for less money, do it in america, the american way. Truly a patriotic car. Either way, it will have no troulbe with roads anywhere

[70 Ed]

Not sure roads in europe can be compared to those in the states. As well as those in UK or belgium with spain etc

and also how drivers (and police !) read laws and what we are free to do or not with a sports car.

But what is interesting is that we all here are enthusiasts, mad about nice machines and Ford, Ferrari, Porsche, ... try to give us someting to dream of.

Who will claim he NEEDS a GT ?

Which is the best ? Ask a Ferrari buff if a Porsche GT3 is better than his 355.

It's a matter of taste and fortunately for the car manufacturers we all have different tastes. (I prefer 68 mustang, see what I drive).

70Ed

[70 Ed]

huh

large photo, didn't expect to see it so large !

when I see the pic I note the front bumper was still in bad condition

It has been replaced since

Not so easy to find spares for european cars !

Ed

[SpEeDiSaDdIcTiVe]

Rolls is not British any more, neither is Bentley. It's nothing to do with ownership, but everything to do with the parts (let's say the number and importance of parts). Jaguars have odds-and-ends from Ford, but Ford Europe, and they are built in Britain. The old GT40 was not built in U.S.A. The new one is, but then you have to question its 'american-ness' when it's set up by Lotus. They will have made it so that it can go through corners with ease, but this is hardly an american car trait. Set up by americans with maybe a few outside parts would make it american, but to do so the other way around doesn't really keep the 'spirit' of what american cars are. It just stinks of Ford trying to claw back some money and boost its lacklustre sales figures. Why the hell not build something completely new? Money perhaps? But then maybe that is my point - put money before passion and you end up with an accountants dream, not a driver's one.

As for the spirit, the old GT40 had it in bucket loads, but it was still no Ferrari. LNC... how can a car built and engineered in Britain (or anywhere else outside of U.S.A.) be an american car? If it was built in U.S.A. by american engineers and raced at Le Mans, it'd have been a U.S. victory, and showing that U.S. cars can compete with Europe, but it wasn't.

Anyone wanting the real spirit of the GT40 would surely buy the original.

[LateNightCable]

As for the spirit, the old GT40 had it in bucket loads, but it was still no Ferrari.

You're right, the old GT40 was no Ferrari, - it turned out to be much

better.

LNC... how can a car built and engineered in Britain (or anywhere else outside of U.S.A.) be an american car? If it was built in U.S.A. by american engineers and raced at Le Mans, it'd have been a U.S. victory, and showing that U.S. cars can compete with Europe, but it wasn't.

Anyone wanting the real spirit of the GT40 would surely buy the original.

Well, I did put American in quotes. But the GT40 Was a Ford, and Ford has always been an American company, no matter where the parts come from. If Ford was owned by a German company or something, that would make it more complicated. But regardless of the GT40's considerable British pedigree, it was a Ford project, powered by an American Ford engine. Like the old Cadillac Allante's body was manufactured by Pininfarina in Italy, but no one says it's half Italian.

And I'm sure many people would buy an original GT40 ( including myself ), but they happen to cost at least twice as much as the new GT. Many may not be street legal, and they bring with them all the special needs of a rare vintage car.

[thepolarfoxqx]

so wait just a seccond. A rolls phantom isn't british because it's engine, transmission, and chasis were designed in germany, but were tuned by brits, but the Ford GT40 had an engine, a transmission, and a chasis designed in the US (the engine and transmission were built here too). The new Ford GT was not "set up" by lotus at all. They hired lotus to consult on the handling, but it was tuned in michigan.

[daugbjerg]

so wait just a seccond. A rolls phantom isn't british because it's engine, transmission, and chasis were designed in germany, but were tuned by brits, but the Ford GT40 had an engine, a transmission, and a chasis designed in the US (the engine and transmission were built here too). The new Ford GT was not "set up" by lotus at all. They hired lotus to consult on the handling, but it was tuned in michigan.

The original GT40 was a combination of British (Lola) chassis and Detroit powertrain. The new GT is also a product of international cooperation: the V8 is purely USA - based on Ford's MOD V8 and modified by Roush, the 6-speed transaxle is from Ricardo (UK), the aluminum space-frame chassis is supplied by Metro Technologies (USA), the aluminum body work is by Mayflower (UK), the clutch is AP Racing (UK), the brakes come from Brembo (Italy). However, this time the chassis was designed by American and the whole project was handled by Neil Hannemann, who engineered the Saleen S7 road car. Assembly is also taken place at Saleen. Therefore it is fair to say the Ford GT is an American car in the way like Corvette and Viper.

[thepolarfoxqx]

all modern cars are international to some degree, the mini cooper most of them all. GT40 is a supercar, and the parts bin for supercars is small, so they did have to go out of country for some parts. Ricardo makes the best transmission for that layout of car, simple as that, and everyone who's anyone uses brembo brakes on that sort of car too, that is a no brainer. it just strikes me that no nation but the US would have made that car how they did though. It's less international than the first, i'll admit that.