What is it?
Ford GT40 Concept
What's special about it?
In 1963, Henry Ford II set out to dominate international racing and prove Ford Motor Company's engineering strength. His goal was realized in 1966, when the mid-engined GT40 sports car roared onto the track at Le Mans and finished in first, second and third place. The series of sports cars took a total of four Le Mans wins by 1969, cementing Ford into the annals of motorsport history.
Today, 36 years later, Ford finds itself again in need of demonstrating its engineering strength to prove that it can and does build some of the best cars and trucks the world has to offer. What better way to illustrate this than to turn the Living Legends design studio (responsible for the 2002 Thunderbird and upcoming Ford Fortynine) loose to create a reincarnation of the legendary GT40? This gorgeous concept supercar shows critics and fans of the marque alike just how capable the company is at fighting back and fighting back hard.
The GT40 concept is 100 percent original, sharing no dimensions with the Le Mans-winning mid-'60s racing car. Longer and taller than the first model, the composite-bodied concept GT40 is powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter 32-valve V8 engine making 500 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Cradled in an aluminum space frame, the engine features an aluminum four-valve head, forged crankshaft, H-beam forged rods and aluminum pistons. Functional cooling scoops just forward of the huge rear wheels keep the motor running cool.
Power flows to the ground through a six-speed manual transmission. Goodyear Eagle white lettered tires, sized 18 inches in front and 19 inches in back, stay glued to the ground thanks to a four-wheel independent suspension that makes extensive use of aluminum. Unequal-length control arms and longitudinally mounted damper struts allow for a short hood. Stopping is simple with six-piston aluminum Alcon brake calipers clamping down on ceramic-based brake pads and cross-drilled and vented 15-inch rotors. Other goodies include fiber optic headlamps, polished stainless steel header pipes and braided stainless steel fuel lines.
Inside, the driver is greeted with an array of analog gauges and toggle switches. The large tachometer is centrally located, the speedometer canted at an angle and peering out from the center of the dash. Ventilated seats help the driver keep his cool.
Why should you care?
Don't getcherself all worked up there, Sparky. This is a concept car, not something on which you can plunk down hard earned cash. What it does demonstrate is that Ford's Living Legends studio is immensely capable of translating classic Ford styling cues to a modern machine, which bodes well for the upcoming 2004 Mustang redesign. It also demonstrates that Ford knows how to build a proper Corvette and Viper competitor. The question is: When will the company do so? And what will it look like? — Christian Wardlaw
Ford GT40 Concept
What's special about it?
In 1963, Henry Ford II set out to dominate international racing and prove Ford Motor Company's engineering strength. His goal was realized in 1966, when the mid-engined GT40 sports car roared onto the track at Le Mans and finished in first, second and third place. The series of sports cars took a total of four Le Mans wins by 1969, cementing Ford into the annals of motorsport history.
Today, 36 years later, Ford finds itself again in need of demonstrating its engineering strength to prove that it can and does build some of the best cars and trucks the world has to offer. What better way to illustrate this than to turn the Living Legends design studio (responsible for the 2002 Thunderbird and upcoming Ford Fortynine) loose to create a reincarnation of the legendary GT40? This gorgeous concept supercar shows critics and fans of the marque alike just how capable the company is at fighting back and fighting back hard.
The GT40 concept is 100 percent original, sharing no dimensions with the Le Mans-winning mid-'60s racing car. Longer and taller than the first model, the composite-bodied concept GT40 is powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter 32-valve V8 engine making 500 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Cradled in an aluminum space frame, the engine features an aluminum four-valve head, forged crankshaft, H-beam forged rods and aluminum pistons. Functional cooling scoops just forward of the huge rear wheels keep the motor running cool.
Power flows to the ground through a six-speed manual transmission. Goodyear Eagle white lettered tires, sized 18 inches in front and 19 inches in back, stay glued to the ground thanks to a four-wheel independent suspension that makes extensive use of aluminum. Unequal-length control arms and longitudinally mounted damper struts allow for a short hood. Stopping is simple with six-piston aluminum Alcon brake calipers clamping down on ceramic-based brake pads and cross-drilled and vented 15-inch rotors. Other goodies include fiber optic headlamps, polished stainless steel header pipes and braided stainless steel fuel lines.
Inside, the driver is greeted with an array of analog gauges and toggle switches. The large tachometer is centrally located, the speedometer canted at an angle and peering out from the center of the dash. Ventilated seats help the driver keep his cool.
Why should you care?
Don't getcherself all worked up there, Sparky. This is a concept car, not something on which you can plunk down hard earned cash. What it does demonstrate is that Ford's Living Legends studio is immensely capable of translating classic Ford styling cues to a modern machine, which bodes well for the upcoming 2004 Mustang redesign. It also demonstrates that Ford knows how to build a proper Corvette and Viper competitor. The question is: When will the company do so? And what will it look like? — Christian Wardlaw
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