Ford GT
Encyclopedia
The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car. Ford Motor Company
produced the Ford GT for the 2005 to 2006 model years. The designers drew inspiration from Ford's GT40
race cars of the 1960s.
designed in anticipation of the automaker's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang
and Thunderbird
. At the 1995 Detroit Auto Show
, the Ford GT90
concept was shown. At the 2002 auto show
, Ford unveiled a new GT40 Concept car. Camilo Pardo, the head of Ford's "Living Legends" studio, is credited as the chief designer of the GT and worked under the guidance of J Mays
.
The GT is similar in outward appearance to the original Ford GT40
cars, but bigger, wider, and 3 in (76.2 mm) taller than the original 40 in (101.6 cm); as a result, a potential name for the car was the GT43. Although the cars are visually related, structurally, there is no similarity between the modern GT and the 1960s GT40 that inspired it. Three production prototype cars were shown in 2003 as part of Ford's centenary, and delivery of the production Ford GT began in the fall of 2004.
A British company, Safir Engineering
, who built continuation GT40s in the 1980s, owned the "GT40" trademark at that time. When they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small Ohio
company called Safir GT40 Spares. This company licensed the use of the "GT40" trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car. When Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations between the two firms failed. The production cars do not wear the GT40 badge.
The GT was produced in model years 2005 and 2006, with the first customers taking delivery in August 2004. The GT began assembly at Mayflower Vehicle Systems in Norwalk
, Ohio and was painted by Saleen in their Saleen Special Vehicles
facility in Troy
, Michigan. The GT is powered by an engine built at Ford's Romeo Engine Plant in Romeo, Michigan
. Installation of the engine and manual transmission
along with interior finishing was handled in the SVT
building at Ford's Wixom, Michigan
plant.
Of the 4,500 GTs originally planned, approximately 100 were to be exported to Europe, starting in late 2005. An additional 200 were destined for sale in Canada. Production ended in 2006 without reaching the planned lot. Approximately 550 were built in 2004, nearly 1,900 in 2005, and just over 1,600 in 2006, for a grand total of 4,038. The final 11 car bodies manufactured by Mayflower Vehicle Systems were disassembled, and the frames and body panels were sold as service parts.
As with many exotic vehicles, when the Ford GT was first released, the demand outpaced supply, and the cars initially sold for premium prices. The first private sale of Ford's new mid-engine sports car was completed on August 4, 2004, when former Microsoft
executive Jon Shirley took delivery of his Midnight Blue 2005 Ford GT. Shirley earned the right to purchase the first production Ford GT (chassis #10) at a charity auction at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Auction after bidding over $557,000.
A few other early cars sold for as much as a US$100,000 premium over the suggested retail price of $139,995 (Ford increased the MSRP
to $149,995 on July 1, 2005). Optional equipment available included a McIntosh
sound system, racing stripes, and forged alloy wheels adding an additional $13,500 to the MSRP.
The production run of 4,038 GTs ended the 2006 model year on September 21, 2006, short of the originally planned 4,500. The Wixom Assembly Plant
has stopped production of all models as of May 31, 2007. Sales of the GT continued into 2007, from cars held in storage and in dealer inventories. During the GT's lifetime, the car was featured on the cover of the video game Gran Turismo 4
.
-formed aluminum body panels, roll-bonded floor panels, a friction stir welded
center tunnel, a "ship-in-a-bottle
" gas tank, a capless fuel filler system, one-piece door panels, and an aluminum engine cover with a one-piece carbon-fiber inner panel.
Brakes are four-piston aluminum Brembo
calipers with cross-drilled and vented rotors at all four corners. When the rear canopy is opened, the rear suspension components and engine are visible.
The mid-mounted 5.4 L Modular
V8 engine
is all-aluminum with a Lysholm twin screw-type supercharger. It features a forged rotating assembly housed in an aluminum block designed specifically for the GT program. A dry sump oiling system is employed, allowing the engine to sit low in the car's frame. The DOHC 4-valve heads are a revision of the 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R cylinder heads (with slightly increased wall casting thickness in the exhaust port). The camshafts have unique specifications, with more lift and duration than those found in the Shelby GT500 or 2003–2004 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra. Power output is 550 hp at 6500 rpm and generates 500 ft·lbf (678 N·m) of torque at 3750 rpm. A Ricardo
six-speed manual transmission is fitted featuring a helical limited-slip differential.
Performance:
Fuel consumption:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency
mileage estimate for the GT is 12 miles per US gallon in city driving, and 19 miles per US gallon in highway cruising, for a combined 14 miles per US gallon.
The Ford GT has been campaigned in various racing venues. These include:
to comply with FIA GT1 rules. The official race debut of the Ford GT1 coincided with the kick-off of the 2009 FIA GT Championship season
in Silverstone. For the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season
four cars will be fielded by two team: Matech Competition and Marc VDS Racing Team
. Three GT1 Fords competed in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
race, with two (the number 70 car run by the Marc VDS Racing Team and the number 61 car run by Matech Concepts) retiring early on. The third car retired later in the race. For the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season
, Matech left the series which left Marc VDS running the four cars during the season, two under the Marc VDS Racing Team name and the other two cars under the name of Belgian Racing.
In November 2005 the Ford GTX1, a roadster
version of the Ford GT, was unveiled in Las Vegas
. The Genaddi Design Group performed the US$48,000 aftermarket conversion. It included optional performance upgrades to the suspension, brakes, and aerodynamics, as well as an improved supercharger and exhaust line that increased power to 700 hp. Plans called for 600 cars, 500 GTX1 cars and 100 sema edition in the special valencia orange color, but only 38 in total were ordered and production ended in August 2008.
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
produced the Ford GT for the 2005 to 2006 model years. The designers drew inspiration from Ford's GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
race cars of the 1960s.
Development
The Ford GT began as a concept carConcept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
designed in anticipation of the automaker's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
and Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
. At the 1995 Detroit Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
, the Ford GT90
Ford GT90
The Ford GT90 is a concept car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was unveiled in January 1995 at the Detroit Auto Show as "the world's mightiest supercar"...
concept was shown. At the 2002 auto show
Auto show
An auto show, or motor show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year...
, Ford unveiled a new GT40 Concept car. Camilo Pardo, the head of Ford's "Living Legends" studio, is credited as the chief designer of the GT and worked under the guidance of J Mays
J Mays
J Mays, born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, U.S., is Group Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company. His name is simply "J", named after his grandfather, S J Mays.-Background:...
.
The GT is similar in outward appearance to the original Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
cars, but bigger, wider, and 3 in (76.2 mm) taller than the original 40 in (101.6 cm); as a result, a potential name for the car was the GT43. Although the cars are visually related, structurally, there is no similarity between the modern GT and the 1960s GT40 that inspired it. Three production prototype cars were shown in 2003 as part of Ford's centenary, and delivery of the production Ford GT began in the fall of 2004.
A British company, Safir Engineering
Safir Engineering
Safir Engineering is a British racecar engineering firm.In 1975, they purchased the Token RJ02 Formula One car, renamed it the "Safir" and raced it in the 1975 Race of Champions and BRDC International Trophy....
, who built continuation GT40s in the 1980s, owned the "GT40" trademark at that time. When they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
company called Safir GT40 Spares. This company licensed the use of the "GT40" trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car. When Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations between the two firms failed. The production cars do not wear the GT40 badge.
Production and sales
Norwalk, Ohio
At the 2000 census, there were 16,238 people, 6,377 households and 4,234 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,950.3 per square mile . There were 6,687 housing units at an average density of 803.1 per square mile...
, Ohio and was painted by Saleen in their Saleen Special Vehicles
Saleen Special Vehicles
Saleen Special Vehicles or SSV, was a Saleen-owned and Saleen-operated small-volume, specialty vehicle assembly plant located 1225 East Maple Road in Troy, Michigan. The building housing this facility was previously a Stanley door-manufacturing facility prior to renovations performed by Saleen to...
facility in Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
, Michigan. The GT is powered by an engine built at Ford's Romeo Engine Plant in Romeo, Michigan
Romeo, Michigan
Romeo is a village in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is situated at the southeast corner of Bruce Township, with a portion extending south into Washington Township. Armada Township is adjacent to the east and Ray Township to the...
. Installation of the engine and manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
along with interior finishing was handled in the SVT
Special Vehicle Team
Special Vehicle Team, also known as SVT, is an arm of Ford Motor Company responsible for the development of the company's highest-performance vehicles, much like Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, Chrysler's SRT division and GM's Performance Division. SVT is the successor to the SVO division.The current SVT...
building at Ford's Wixom, Michigan
Wixom, Michigan
Wixom is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,498 at the 2010 census. The city was home to the former Wixom Assembly Plant, which produced the Lincoln LS, the Ford Thunderbird, the Ford GT, and the Lincoln Town Car...
plant.
Of the 4,500 GTs originally planned, approximately 100 were to be exported to Europe, starting in late 2005. An additional 200 were destined for sale in Canada. Production ended in 2006 without reaching the planned lot. Approximately 550 were built in 2004, nearly 1,900 in 2005, and just over 1,600 in 2006, for a grand total of 4,038. The final 11 car bodies manufactured by Mayflower Vehicle Systems were disassembled, and the frames and body panels were sold as service parts.
As with many exotic vehicles, when the Ford GT was first released, the demand outpaced supply, and the cars initially sold for premium prices. The first private sale of Ford's new mid-engine sports car was completed on August 4, 2004, when former Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
executive Jon Shirley took delivery of his Midnight Blue 2005 Ford GT. Shirley earned the right to purchase the first production Ford GT (chassis #10) at a charity auction at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Auction after bidding over $557,000.
A few other early cars sold for as much as a US$100,000 premium over the suggested retail price of $139,995 (Ford increased the MSRP
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
to $149,995 on July 1, 2005). Optional equipment available included a McIntosh
McIntosh Laboratory
McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton, New York. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh,. The "classic" vacuum tube components of the 1960s include the MC275 power amplifier, the C22 preamplifier, and the MR67 tuner...
sound system, racing stripes, and forged alloy wheels adding an additional $13,500 to the MSRP.
The production run of 4,038 GTs ended the 2006 model year on September 21, 2006, short of the originally planned 4,500. The Wixom Assembly Plant
Wixom Assembly Plant
The Ford Wixom Assembly Plant, now known as the Ford Renewable Energy Park, is a former Ford Motor Company automobile assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan, United States.-Ford years:...
has stopped production of all models as of May 31, 2007. Sales of the GT continued into 2007, from cars held in storage and in dealer inventories. During the GT's lifetime, the car was featured on the cover of the video game Gran Turismo 4
Gran Turismo 4
is a racing simulator for the Sony PlayStation 2 which was developed by Polyphony Digital. It was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong , February 22, 2005 in North America , and March 9, 2005 in Europe , and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line...
.
| Year | Reported US Sales | Production | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | ||
| 2005 | 7 | 4 | 44 | 70 | 117 | 150 | 91 | 113 | 176 | 165 | 157 | 208 | 1302 | 2027 |
| 2006 | 157 | 194 | 204 | 157 | 178 | 185 | 147 | 143 | 133 | 102 | 261 | 58 | 1919 | 2011 |
| Grand Total | 3452 | 4038 | ||||||||||||
Performance and engineering
The Ford GT features many new and unique technologies, including superplasticSuperplastic forming
Superplastic forming is a metalworking process for forming sheet metal. It works upon the theory of superplasticity, which means that a material can elongate beyond 100% of its original size.-Process:...
-formed aluminum body panels, roll-bonded floor panels, a friction stir welded
Friction stir welding
Friction-stir welding is a solid-state joining process and is used for applications where the original metal characteristics must remain unchanged as far as possible...
center tunnel, a "ship-in-a-bottle
Impossible bottle
An impossible bottle is a type of mechanical puzzle. It is a bottle that has an object inside it that does not appear to fit through the mouth of the bottle. The objects inside authentic impossible bottles must always go through the neck. The glass cannot be cut or blown around the objects.The ship...
" gas tank, a capless fuel filler system, one-piece door panels, and an aluminum engine cover with a one-piece carbon-fiber inner panel.
Brakes are four-piston aluminum Brembo
Brembo
Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
calipers with cross-drilled and vented rotors at all four corners. When the rear canopy is opened, the rear suspension components and engine are visible.
The mid-mounted 5.4 L Modular
Ford Modular engine
The Ford Modular engine is Ford Motor Company's overhead camshaft V8 and V10 engine family, which has been produced in 4.6L, 5.0L , 5.4L, and 6.8L variations. Contrary to popular belief, the Modular engine did not get its name from its design or sharing of certain parts among the engine family...
V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
is all-aluminum with a Lysholm twin screw-type supercharger. It features a forged rotating assembly housed in an aluminum block designed specifically for the GT program. A dry sump oiling system is employed, allowing the engine to sit low in the car's frame. The DOHC 4-valve heads are a revision of the 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R cylinder heads (with slightly increased wall casting thickness in the exhaust port). The camshafts have unique specifications, with more lift and duration than those found in the Shelby GT500 or 2003–2004 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra. Power output is 550 hp at 6500 rpm and generates 500 ft·lbf (678 N·m) of torque at 3750 rpm. A Ricardo
Ricardo plc
Ricardo plc is a British publicly listed company named after its founder, Sir Harry Ricardo and founded on 30 June 1927 in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. The company is a leading global multi-industry engineering provider of technology, product innovation and strategic consulting...
six-speed manual transmission is fitted featuring a helical limited-slip differential.
Performance:
- 0–60 mph0 to 60 mphThe time it takes to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph is a commonly used performance measure for automotive acceleration in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the rest of the world 0 to 100 km/h is used...
(0–96 km/h): 3.2 seconds, 3.6 seconds, 3.7 seconds - 0–100 mph (0–160 km/h): 7.4 seconds
- 0–150 mph (0–241 km/h): 16.9 seconds
- Standing 1/4 mile (402 m): 11.2 seconds @ 131.2 mph (211.1 km/h), 11.6 seconds @ 126.2 mph (203.1 km/h), 11.78 seconds @ 124.31 mph (200.1 km/h)
- Top speed: 205 mph (329.9 km/h)
Fuel consumption:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
mileage estimate for the GT is 12 miles per US gallon in city driving, and 19 miles per US gallon in highway cruising, for a combined 14 miles per US gallon.
Racing
- A highly-modified GT was raced in 2006 and 2007 in Super GT's GT300 class in Japan powered by a 3.5 L Ford Zetec-R engine produced by CosworthCosworthCosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
in the mid-1990s for Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
. - A Swiss team Matech ConceptsMatech ConceptsMatech Concepts was a auto racing development firm based in Geneva, Switzerland and founded by Martin Bartek in 2006. The company currently partners with Ford Racing to develop the Ford GT sports car for competition, and constructs the FIA GT1 and GT3 versions of the GT at a workshop in Mayen,...
had three Ford GT GT3s in the FIA GT3 European ChampionshipFIA GT3 European ChampionshipThe FIA GT3 European Championship is a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It is a championship derived from the international FIA GT1 World Championship, but meant to provide competition for more...
. The Ford GT Matech team won the title in 2008. - Atlanta-based Robertson Racing runs a Doran-built Ford GT-R in the American Le Mans SeriesAmerican Le Mans SeriesThe American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
GT class (formerly GT2). The team made its first 24 Hours of Le Mans24 Hours of Le MansThe 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
appearance in 2011, scoring 3rd in the GTE Am Class. - Black Swan Racing ran a Falken Tires-sponsored Ford GT-R in the GT2 class in the American Le Mans SeriesAmerican Le Mans SeriesThe American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
during the 2008 season.
Ford GT1
The Ford GT1 is a racing version developed by Matech ConceptsMatech Concepts
Matech Concepts was a auto racing development firm based in Geneva, Switzerland and founded by Martin Bartek in 2006. The company currently partners with Ford Racing to develop the Ford GT sports car for competition, and constructs the FIA GT1 and GT3 versions of the GT at a workshop in Mayen,...
to comply with FIA GT1 rules. The official race debut of the Ford GT1 coincided with the kick-off of the 2009 FIA GT Championship season
2009 FIA GT Championship season
The 2009 FIA GT Championship season was the thirteenth season of the FIA GT Championship for grand tourer cars competing in the GT1 and GT2 categories. The season began 3 May, and ended 25 October after eight races...
in Silverstone. For the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season
2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season
The 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season was the debut season of the FIA GT1 World Championship, a motor racing competition reserved for FIA GT1 cars. The championship was a replacement for the FIA GT Championship which was held from 1997 to 2009...
four cars will be fielded by two team: Matech Competition and Marc VDS Racing Team
Marc VDS Racing Team
Marc VDS Racing Team is a Belgian auto and motorcycle racing team founded by Marc van der Straten, although it is composed of several smaller teams all operating under the Marc VDS banner...
. Three GT1 Fords competed in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 78th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, also known as the Grand Prix of Endurance. The race took place on 12–13 June 2010 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . Fifty-six cars participated in the...
race, with two (the number 70 car run by the Marc VDS Racing Team and the number 61 car run by Matech Concepts) retiring early on. The third car retired later in the race. For the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season
2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season
The 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season was the second season of the SRO Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, an auto racing series for grand tourer cars complying with Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile GT1 regulations. The championship comprises two titles: GT1 World Champion for...
, Matech left the series which left Marc VDS running the four cars during the season, two under the Marc VDS Racing Team name and the other two cars under the name of Belgian Racing.
Ford GTX1
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
version of the Ford GT, was unveiled in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The Genaddi Design Group performed the US$48,000 aftermarket conversion. It included optional performance upgrades to the suspension, brakes, and aerodynamics, as well as an improved supercharger and exhaust line that increased power to 700 hp. Plans called for 600 cars, 500 GTX1 cars and 100 sema edition in the special valencia orange color, but only 38 in total were ordered and production ended in August 2008.