New Ford GT Mk II
04.07.2019
D The Ford GT has now left the great European long-distance stage. The racing car with a 3.5-liter V6 biturbo contested its last 24-hour race at Le Mans. After four appearances at the Sarthe, Ford lets the GT project run out as planned. It started with the class win in 2016 and ended in June 2019 with fourth, fifth and sixth in the LMGTE Pro and a disqualification.
The last race on the Sarthe was not to the taste of the US manufacturer. There's better news for that at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Ford puts on a hardcore version of its super sports car. One that is not bound by any regulations like the racing GT for Le Mans. And one that doesn't care about rules and regulations for the street. Noise and exhaust emissions? Don't itch him. The Ford GT Mk II may only be driven on race tracks. 'Track only' is what it means in English.
Gregor Hebermehl
The chocolate side: large wing, powerful diffuser.
Small series with monster rear wing
The key data: The GT MkII develops 700 hp, is over 90 kilograms lighter than the street model, is aerodynamically pimped and sinfully expensive. Ford produces 45 units and plans to sell them for $ 1.2 million. That is 1.06 million euros. The road GT costs half.
Ford started production of the GT in late December 2016, early 2017. Originally, the plan was to produce 250 models each over four years of production. In the meantime, Ford has extended the construction to six years until 2022. By then, not 1,000 but 1,350 road GTs should be produced. And on top of that, the hardcore version that is being presented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The small series impresses with the large roof snorkel, which supports the cooling of the engine, clutch and transmission, and its fixed onesRear wing. Two elements that the street legal supercar lacks. Two goosenecks grow out of the trunk lid of the Ford GT Mk II, which support the two-part wing mechanism with the large end plates. Two floors below, a diffuser with seven vertical metal sheets and pronounced outer edges sucks the air from the sub-floor.
Gregor Hebermehl
The interior: a passenger seat has to be ordered.
Weight down by 90 kilos - by omitting it
Ford promises an output gain of more than 400 percent compared to the road version . But you can't just saddle up in the rear. A large front diffuser divides the air at the front. To do this, two flaps on each side direct the airflow. The air flows through the front wheel arches. The air exits through fins on the top. This increases the contact pressure.
The weight saving of over 90 kilograms compared to the approximately 1.5-ton street sports car is mainly due to omission. Ford clears out the electronics, throws out the system for adjusting the vehicle height and the various driving modes. The GT Mk II was generally set lower, the chassis from partner Mulitmatic was further improved. For better road holding on the racetrack, the Americans have fitted their flagship model with 5-way adjustable DSSV shock absorbers and put Michelin racing tires on them.
The racetrack version is captured by a carbon ceramic brake system. Ford saddles on the drivetrain. In the street model, the double-charged 3.5-liter V6 engine develops 656 hp. The new hardcore sports car tickles 700 hp from the six combustion chambers. That is why a new transmission set-up for the seven-speed double clutch and improved cooling are required. Ford achieves this through the roof snorkel. And via a large intercooler, which is sprayed with atomized water in high temperature situations - i.e. under long-term full load.
In the interior, the driver sits on a Sparco racing seat and is held in place by a six-point seat belt. The buyer has to order the passenger seat as an option. In the race for the most powerful Ford, the GT Mk II is left behind. The number 1 in terms of performance remains the Shelby GT500771 hp. Ford is not only talking about its lighthouse project at Goodwood, but also driving the 1.86-kilometer mountain route. With the new Focus ST, the Shelby GT500, the racing GT from Le Mans, the Fiesta WRC from the World Rally Championship, a Nascar and the 1980 Ford Zakspeed Turbo Capri.
