Photo: Ford
Power plays second fiddle when it comes to how nice a car can be to drive. It is weight that’s the enemy of drivability, and Ford knows it too now that the GT has spawned a lighter variant.
Introducing the 2017 Ford GT Competition Series, a model that recently leaked on the Internet thanks to the owner’s manual for the regular GT. Engineers worked their best to shed down a few pounds here and there, though Ford keeps the lid on exactly how much weight was eliminated.
What the Blue Oval is willing to let us know, however, is that the diet made the center of gravity shift lower down. This improves handling on the track and on the road. On the powertrain front, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with two turbos has 647 horsepower (656 PS) and 550 pound-feet (746 Nm) to offer. Indeed, those are the same figures as the EcoBoost in the regular-spec GT.
The Perspex acrylic engine hatch cover, manual latch, and two-piece carbon fiber prop rod reduce the weight near the roof. As for the bulkhead glass, engineers went with half as thigh Gorilla Glass for the same reason. Once you hop in, you’ll notice a slightly more spartan cabin than usual, with Alcantara for the seats and exposed carbon fiber nearly everywhere you look.
Offered in six exterior colors (Triple Yellow, Liquid Grey, Liquid Blue, Frozen White, Shadow Black, and Ingot Silver), the 2017 Ford GT Competition Series furthers the lightweight treatment with a gloss carbon fiber go-faster stripe, plus exterior trim of the same variety on areas such as the side mirror caps, A-pillars, and lower body. The carbon fiber wheels, titanium lug nuts, and titanium exhaust all come as standard equipment in the Competition Series.
“The Ford GT has racing in its blood,” commented Raj Nair, executive vice president of global product development and CTO at Ford. “The Competition Series was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match.”
What the Blue Oval is willing to let us know, however, is that the diet made the center of gravity shift lower down. This improves handling on the track and on the road. On the powertrain front, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with two turbos has 647 horsepower (656 PS) and 550 pound-feet (746 Nm) to offer. Indeed, those are the same figures as the EcoBoost in the regular-spec GT.
The Perspex acrylic engine hatch cover, manual latch, and two-piece carbon fiber prop rod reduce the weight near the roof. As for the bulkhead glass, engineers went with half as thigh Gorilla Glass for the same reason. Once you hop in, you’ll notice a slightly more spartan cabin than usual, with Alcantara for the seats and exposed carbon fiber nearly everywhere you look.
Offered in six exterior colors (Triple Yellow, Liquid Grey, Liquid Blue, Frozen White, Shadow Black, and Ingot Silver), the 2017 Ford GT Competition Series furthers the lightweight treatment with a gloss carbon fiber go-faster stripe, plus exterior trim of the same variety on areas such as the side mirror caps, A-pillars, and lower body. The carbon fiber wheels, titanium lug nuts, and titanium exhaust all come as standard equipment in the Competition Series.
“The Ford GT has racing in its blood,” commented Raj Nair, executive vice president of global product development and CTO at Ford. “The Competition Series was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match.”
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