Inside information on 2017 Ford GT

Steve Makowski · Mar 16, 2016

I was at a wedding last Saturday and several Ford employees were in the house. To say the least everything about the program is very confidential and everyone is tight lipped. But a little information I did get from a person working on part of the project is that it is going to be a six year run with "changes" the third, fifth and sixth year. For all my digging that is all I could get and believe me I tried.

nautoncall · Mar 16, 2016

I'll be surprised if they really do a 6 year run....but maybe so.

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w.a.nelson · Mar 16, 2016

6 years is a LONG run in today's Supercar technology.

Bullitt2065 · Mar 16, 2016

If they plan a run that long, I wonder if they'd have a planned higher-performance "Stradale/Speciale/Superleggera/etc." version in the works. By 2022, what the GT is now will be ancient and way behind the times, so a higher performance version would be welcome.

dbk · Mar 16, 2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_F40

Bullitt2065 · Mar 16, 2016

DBK said:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_F40

True, but technology and performance are accelerating at a much faster pace than they did in the 80s. I feel like a Ford GT that would be world-beating in 2017 would be mince-meat by 2020. The heritage and history of the GT going back to the GT40 will only take it so far. If it doesn't perform (and continue to perform), I suspect it'll wind up being seen as yesterday's news.

BAT · Mar 16, 2016

Bullitt2065 said:
True, but technology and performance are accelerating at a much faster pace than they did in the 80s. I feel like a Ford GT that would be world-beating in 2017 would be mince-meat by 2020. The heritage and history of the GT going back to the GT40 will only take it so far. If it doesn't perform (and continue to perform), I suspect it'll wind up being seen as yesterday's news.

I understand your point but I would rather drive a 996 GT3 around the track than a Nissan GTR that would kick my ass. I am guessing the vast majority of NFGT owners really don't care too much about performance comparisons to other super cars.

Bullitt2065 · Mar 16, 2016

BAT said:
I understand your point but I would rather drive a 996 GT3 around the track than a Nissan GTR that would kick my ass. I am guessing the vast majority of NFGT owners really don't care too much about performance comparisons to other super cars.

But I'd imagine Ford probably does...

texas mongrel · Mar 16, 2016

A lot of us at Rally ten heard that it would be a five year run, 250 per year. In terms of getting outdated, Ford can go the same route as McLaren - periodic software upgrades that tweak horsepower, suspension, shifting etc to keep the car competitive

FENZO · Mar 16, 2016

GTs are like butter.. mo butter mo better.. let's hope for mo GTs.

DBK said:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_F40

Now that is a hell of a car related trivia question - How long was the F40 in production? NINE YEARS?
Didn't see that one coming.

Steve Makowski · Mar 16, 2016

I was surprised at the six year run information myself. All I can say is it seemed to be very credible source. I did ask if anyone could help me get an advantage on the application process. The response I got was they weren't sure if Martha Ford could help me get any advantage. I am a current GT owner and they encouraged me to fill out the application for purchase. The folks closest to project told me they are going to look for a "mix" of buyers, and geographic locations. Not all VIP's or celebrities or people that have owned nothing but Fords and have 10 GT's. It was new family so everyone was polite but I think they were getting tired of me asking GT questions.

Awsum GT · Mar 16, 2016

veddy interesting...

Vince H · Mar 16, 2016

I think Ford is doing this the right way. It will be perfect if they select me as one of the very fortunate to own one. :lol

Vince H

LOVE CHP · Mar 16, 2016

texas mongrel said:
A lot of us at Rally ten heard that it would be a five year run, 250 per year. In terms of getting outdated, Ford can go the same route as McLaren - periodic software upgrades that tweak horsepower, suspension, shifting etc to keep the car competitive

I agree! I have a 2013 12C Spider, they have since come out with the 650S, the 675, a 570 and more in the works. But my 12C is as much fun to drive now as when I purchased it! Of course, my 06 GT is always the one that gets the "looks"! The Ford team will do what is right for us.

STORMCAT · Mar 16, 2016

Oh man ... I thought with this title " Inside imformation on 2017 Ford GT " we were going to get some details on interior of the car .. :biggrin

Awsum GT · Mar 16, 2016

Vince H said:
I think Ford is doing this the right way. It will be perfect if they select me as one of the very fortunate to own one. :lol

Vince H

Vince... I talked to my fellow team members on the selection team... they said you will get one of the cars in year 7!

Sinovac · Mar 16, 2016

BAT said:
I am guessing the vast majority of NFGT owners really don't care too much about performance comparisons to other super cars.

Exactly. For many, me included, there will be no cross shopping. The only "supercar" I care about owning is a Ford GT. Had the '05-06 car never come along, I'd still be without a "supercar." This reminds me of the conversations I had with people back in 2005 about my intentions to buy an '05-06 car. Before these cars were considered modern classics by the masses, many people simply couldn't understand why someone would want a Ford over a Ferrari or some other exotic. The "look at me I'm a pony" crowd didn't get it and, for the most part, still don't.

There are many of us who have no interest in other exotics. Unless the Surgeon General determines the new Ford GT causes impotence or something equally as frightening, there will be plenty of buyers for the car during a 6 year run regardless of whether it retains a performance advantage.

Significantly, DBK didn't quash this "inside information." However, an extended run doesn't necessarily mean more cars will be made, but I hope so.

dbk · Mar 16, 2016

FENZO said:
Now that is a hell of a car related trivia question - How long was the F40 in production? NINE YEARS?
Didn't see that one coming.

The F40 is as close of an example as I can use. A very low production number (1,311 total) stretched over a number of years. I would also remind people we're talking about a 250 unit per year car max. They intended to build 4,500 of the 05/06 and we ended up with 4,038.

Ford has lots of flexibility with this car because of the volume and construction methods. With the last car, there was very little flexibility to make substantive changes. Should they see fit, they can do all kinds of fun things down the road with the new car. Production on the McLaren F1 also started in 1992 and ended in 1998, and during that period they produced things like the F1 LM to commemorate the LM victory, and the homologation special F1 GT. I still want a new GT LM with a big ass fixed wing, center bolts and (I know, not happening) bare carbon body.

Also, the longer a car is in production, the longer it can race. Clock is running from the minute production ends.

If anyone would be bummed about a slightly longer production run at a quarter of the volume of the last generation, please let me know so I can have your allocation. :lol

Cobrar · Mar 16, 2016

DBK said:
. I still want a new GT and (I know, not happening) bare carbon body.

What's that you say? You have a dream and it cannot be properly realized by the Ford Motor Company?? We certainly can't have that! You go ahead get your carbon body car, we'll finish it off-line for you at an incredibly outrageous amount of $$. I'll forward my bank routing number to you yet this afternoon!

Specracer · Mar 16, 2016

Hammer hits nail, square on the head, of my thoughts exactly.

Sinovac said:
Exactly. For many, me included, there will be no cross shopping. The only "supercar" I care about owning is a Ford GT. Had the '05-06 car never come along, I'd still be without a "supercar."

There are many of us who have no interest in other exotics. .
.

Inside information on 2017 Ford GT

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