Vehicle Description
2018 Ford GT*ONLY 7 MILES*The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater
sports car manufactured and marketed by American automobile
manufacturer Ford for the 2005 model year in conjunction with the
company's 2003 centenary. The second generation Ford GT became
available for the 2017 model year.The GT recalls Ford's
historically significant GT40, a consecutive four-time winner of
the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1966?1969), including a 1-2-3 finish in
1966. At the 2015 North American International Auto Show and at the
unveiling of the 2015 racing video game Forza Motorsport 6, a new,
redesigned Ford GT was shown to the public with plans for
production in 2016. The car marked 50 years since the GT40 won the
1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and competed successfully in the 2016 24
Hours of Le Mans to better celebrate the anniversary, winning the
LMGTE Pro class. The development of the second generation GT at
Ford was a very secretive operation?according to design director
Chris Svensson, "a handful of twelve people, including some key
engineers.This secrecy was maintained inside Ford and to the press
until its 2015 unveiling at the North American Auto Show. The
design of the new GT began with its aerodynamics package, which was
closely related to the ultimate focus of the design team of
creating a successful Le Mans race car. Low downforce and
aerodynamic efficiency were of primary importance in the
development of the exterior of the car, and this drove designers to
pursue a 'teardrop profile' as often seen in LMP1 cars. The
powertrain of the new GT, therefore, became a secondary criteria to
the external design and aerodynamic performance of the car.
Although a V8 and even a V12 engine were both considered, it was
ultimately decided to use Ford's EcoBoost V6 engine due to the
degrees of freedom that the compact engine gave designers. The
intent behind the design was for the overall look of the second
generation GT to be recognizable as a part of the GT line, which
meant, for example, a cut back front nose piece, circular tail
lights, and raised twin exhaust pipes. There was no explicit
requirement for luxury or practicality in the design of the road
car, which is the reason behind the car's negligible cargo space
and spartan interior. The interior seating position was fixed to
provide additional space for the bodywork and teardrop exterior
shape. The car is powered by a 3,496 cc (3.5 L; 213.3 cu in)
twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6 engine rated at 647 hp (482 kW;
656 PS) and 550 lb?ft (746 N?m) of torque. For the 2020 model year
and beyond, this power output rating was increased to 660 hp (492
kW; 669 PS). The engine shares many components with the F-150's 3.5
L V6 engine including the cylinder heads, block and dual fuel
system. Notable differences include larger turbochargers, an
aluminum intake manifold, a custom dry sump lubrication system,
unique camshafts and higher strength rotating and timing drive
components. The engine is paired to a Getrag 7DCL750 7-speed
dual-clutch transmission. Underpinning the new GT is a carbon fiber
monocoque bolted to aluminum front and rear subframes covered in
carbon fiber body panels. The windshield of the vehicle is made of
Gorilla Glass manufactured by Corning, which is also used for
manufacturing smartphone screens. The Gorilla Glass is used to
reduce the weight of the vehicle by allowing for a thinner
windscreen with the same strength as a normal glass windscreen. The
GT employs a four-stage external dry sump oil pump and has an oil
capacity of 15.3 US quarts The new GT has a claimed top speed of
216 mph (348 km/h), and has a power to weight ratio of 0.43 hp
(0.32 kW) per kilogram. In steady-state cornering on a skidpad, the
GT can achieve 1.11 g of lateral acceleration, and the car is
capable of braking from 70 mph (113 km/h) to a stop in 145 ft (44
m). Independent acceleration figures are provided below.[36] 1/4
mile (402 m): 10.8 seconds at 134 mph (216 km/h)0-60 mph (97 km/h):
3.0 seconds0-100 mph (161 km/h): 6.2 seconds0-130 mph (209 km/h):
10.1 seconds0-150 mph (241 km/h): 14.5 seconds0-170 mph (274 km/h):
21.4 secondsAt the Willow Springs International Raceway, Motor
Trend test driver Randy Pobst achieved a hot lap time of 1:23.69 in
a 2017 GT, which at the time made it the fourth-fastest road car
tested between the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder (1:23.54) and the 2017
Porsche 911 Turbo S (1:24.26). After suffering from mechanical
issues during an earlier test by automotive magazine Car and
Driver, racing driver Billy Johnson set a lap time around Virginia
International Raceway of 2:38.62 in a 2017 GT. This places it third
overall in Car and Driver's testing history at the circuit, between
the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (2:37.3) and the 2018 Porsche 911
GT2 RS Weissach (2:37.8).
