Performance figures have been released for the 2017 Ford GT. We dissected them all, including the top speed and horsepower, to see how it compares with the likes of the McLaren 675LT and Ferrari 488 GTB.
The original Ford GT is one of the most loved cars of all time and so every sequel fills us with trepidation. What if it sucks? Luckily the 2017 Ford GT’s predecessor was an absolute beast, a real fire-breathing monster that offered 5.4-litres of supercharged V8 lunacy.
Unfortunately very few journalists have had a go in the new car (although we hear that will soon change), but Ford has at least been kind enough to provide the US specification of the 2017 GT. That means we have a better idea what it will be like – and brutally fast appears to be the answer.
“The Ford GT is all about performance, Ford executive vice president, global product development and chief technical officer Raj Nair explained.
“We achieved considerable weight savings with the carbon fibre architecture. We then reinvested some of that savings into where it counts most – performance, specifically, the active dynamics. The result is an even faster car,” he added.
Where it counts, indeed. So what is the top speed, horsepower, power-to-weight ratio and just how fast it is the American around a track? Glad you asked – here is the US specification.
1) 2017 Ford GT: How many horses are we talking?
647hp. That is what the 3.5-litre EcoBoost generates at 6,250rpm, while peak torque of 550lb/ft kicks in at 5,900rpm if you feed it the recommenced 98 RON fuel. 90 per cent of peak torque kicks in at a mere 3,500rpm, so it will pin you to your seat with ease. For engine geeks, the twin-turbo V6 features twin independent camshaft timing and a low-friction roller-finger-follower rocker arms.
2) 2017 Ford GT: Performance figures?
The mid-engined 2017 Ford GT supercar may be less powerful than the Ferrari 488 GTB, which has 661bhp and 560lb/ft of torque, and the McLaren, which manages 666hp and 516lb/ft, but its top speed of 216mph has them both bettered by 9mph. Autobahn in Germany, here we come.
3) 2017 Ford GT: What about power to weight?
The 2017 Ford GT, final assembly of which takes place in Ontario of Canada, has a dry weight of 1,385kg and a weight of 1,439kg (3,173lbs) when all fluids are included except whatever fuel is in the 57.5-litre tank. That gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 1hp per 2.14kg. A Ferrari 488 GTB weighs around 1,475kg before fluids, while the McLaren 675LT is 1,352kg (2,982lbs).
4) 2017 Ford GT: What about cornering?
Just about everything attached to the 2017 Ford GT is there to ensure it can annihilate in a track setting, echoing the mantra of its predecessors. According to Ford, the 2017 GT managed a lap of 2.09.8 at the Calabogie Motorsports Park in Canada during development in 2016. Ford claims it could only manage 2.10.88 in the McLaren 675LT and 2:12.9 in the Ferrari 458 Speciale. Even with all cars driven by the same driver in identical conditions and given new fluids, fresh and identical tyres.
5) 2017 Ford GT: Will it be difficult to drive?
Hard to say, but then Ford promises various active dynamic systems, designed to control the suspension and aerodynamics, work hard to make the 2017 Ford GT as fast as it can be, even if you are anything but a race driver. Although we can see a few Lewis Hamilton wannabes finding out the hard way why cars of this power need to be respected.
2017 Ford GT: What about the 0-62mph and quarter-mile times?
Absolutely no idea, unfortunately, and until we can get our hands on a test drive or receive word from Ford it is likely going to stay that way for the time being. But it does 216mph and has serious horsepower and torque – how slow can it really be? Our biggest concern is whether it sounds good because the 2.3-litre EcoBoost in the Focus RS didn’t quite hit the spot.
2017 Ford GT: How thirsty is that EcoBoost engine?
By the sounds of things the 2017 Ford GT is thirstier than its Italian and British rivals, but then who buys a supercar to save money? Its US figures suggest 11mpg in the city and 18 when actually able to stretch its legs, while the 675LT and 458 Speciale boast a claimed 15 and 16mpg, respectively and 22mpg on the highway.
Leave a Reply