RE: Ford GT: Review
Discussion
Krikkit said:
Streetrod said:
Interesting first drive video here from Steve Sutcliff. As a track weapon it looks great but not much of a street car. And look how cramped and low rent does that interior look for a £450k car.
Yes, look at all that carbon, leather and alcantara. What a s
thole.Streetrod said:
Sorry to be pedantic but how can it sell out six times over? It’s either sold out or not. Ford is not holding 6000 deposits hoping they are going to build more.
So I have watched all the reviews now and the conclusions are virtually the same. A great track car but very compromised as a streetcar.
I know Shmee150 has one coming, but would it be the kind of car you would chose to do a continental drive in, I suspect not. Just the noise would probably require ear protection for a sustained drive plus at 16mpg and a max 0f 150 miles per tank on a good day your mates are going to get very bored with you having to fill up at every opportunity.
So in conclusion I thinks it’s a very expensive one trick pony, I don’t think the likes of Ferrari and McLaren are going to be too worried by this upstart
So I have watched all the reviews now and the conclusions are virtually the same. A great track car but very compromised as a streetcar.
I know Shmee150 has one coming, but would it be the kind of car you would chose to do a continental drive in, I suspect not. Just the noise would probably require ear protection for a sustained drive plus at 16mpg and a max 0f 150 miles per tank on a good day your mates are going to get very bored with you having to fill up at every opportunity.
So in conclusion I thinks it’s a very expensive one trick pony, I don’t think the likes of Ferrari and McLaren are going to be too worried by this upstart
DELICIOUS Vitorio said:
tankplanker said:
I just love the way it looks, but I can't get over the engine choice in a $420k car. It would be a different car at $200k but even at that price point most of its rivals would still have a turbo charged V8. I can't see the engine choice impacting sales but I can see it impacting the long term appeal of the car.
This probably has little relevance for the road car, but i was at Spa last weekend, the Ford was easily the sttiest sounding GTE car out there, its just a loud drone compared to the scream/rasp/rumble from the 488/911/VantageFor the road car, the exhausts are rear-mounted.
MikeT66 said:
There is a small storage space, as shown in second photo. I’d have one of these over a Ferrari/Lambo/McLaren any day. Perfect.
The storage space is tiny (11litres) so hardly worth mentioning and there's absolutely no room in the cabin for anything either (apart from the obligatory cup holder to keep the Americans happy 
) so it can't be used as a GT.Dave Hedgehog said:
if any owner is not happy with their GT
i will take it of your hands
For how much? i will take it of your hands
It's very unlikely to be £420k (I wish it were) but that figure has been calculated on the current exchange rate for a basic car without options (which are pricey). It is also assuming that there are no extra charges for delivery/import fees/ European compliance etc, which we still haven't had any info on yet. Hence it is generally thought that whatever the cars are in the US in $ they will be in £ here, so that'll be >£500k!
A bit of a shock when we were initially told that it'd be around £280k. Brexit only accounts for a small percentage of that price rise.Daisy Duke said:
For how much?
It's very unlikely to be £420k (I wish it were) but that figure has been calculated on the current exchange rate for a basic car without options (which are pricey). It is also assuming that there are no extra charges for delivery/import fees/ European compliance etc, which we still haven't had any info on yet. Hence it is generally thought that whatever the cars are in the US in $ they will be in £ here, so that'll be >£500k! A bit of a shock when we were initially told that it'd be around £280k. Brexit only accounts for a small percentage of that price rise.
Not to mention that since they are sold out, they will command a good premium on top of list price in the secondary market.It's very unlikely to be £420k (I wish it were) but that figure has been calculated on the current exchange rate for a basic car without options (which are pricey). It is also assuming that there are no extra charges for delivery/import fees/ European compliance etc, which we still haven't had any info on yet. Hence it is generally thought that whatever the cars are in the US in $ they will be in £ here, so that'll be >£500k!
A bit of a shock when we were initially told that it'd be around £280k. Brexit only accounts for a small percentage of that price rise.It seems, to me, that this car is being ‘misread’ by a few people. It’s a Ford GT because of the GT category and the history of these models – taking the assumption that it’s ancestors are the GT40 and millennium GT. It’s not really been designed as a GT (Grand Tourer) – it’s a street-going race car. Not ideal for crossing the States on Route 66 or across Europe, but then neither is a Ferrari F40. For long distance touring (assuming I had the cash to fund a GT) I’d assume I’d have the money for something like a Bentley, anyway. To disparage the car for its small luggage space is odd – even the Veyron, at more than double the cost, has room for a soft bag only. In fact, as far as I’m aware the best packaged supercar remains probably the McLaren F1 – but you’d need a few more pennies than £420,000 for one of those these days, too.
Vitorio said:
Not to mention that since they are sold out, they will command a good premium on top of list price in the secondary market.
I can only hope so.MikeT66 said:
It seems, to me, that this car is being ‘misread’ by a few people. It’s a Ford GT because of the GT category and the history of these models – taking the assumption that it’s ancestors are the GT40 and millennium GT. It’s not really been designed as a GT (Grand Tourer) – it’s a street-going race car. Not ideal for crossing the States on Route 66 or across Europe, but then neither is a Ferrari F40. For long distance touring (assuming I had the cash to fund a GT) I’d assume I’d have the money for something like a Bentley, anyway. To disparage the car for its small luggage space is odd – even the Veyron, at more than double the cost, has room for a soft bag only. In fact, as far as I’m aware the best packaged supercar remains probably the McLaren F1 – but you’d need a few more pennies than £420,000 for one of those these days, too.
Unless you just want to use it purely for local events or racing, it is an issue though. I'm used to cars with not much luggage space (including the 05 FGT which is also very compromised, certainly more so than the F1 and Veyron) so I'm adept at packing lightly, however I won't be able to use this one in the same way as the old one for any event that requires an overnight stay eg for trips to LM or hillclimbing events in Scotland, as there's virtually no luggage space (particularly once essentials like first aid kit, warning triangle etc are packed). Of course I could take another car, but that rather begs the question of what the FGT will be used for, particularly if there are cars like the 720s that would be as much fun and are practical too.Ironically there isn't even anywhere to put a helmet so if you want to do a trackday with a passenger, either they have to have them on their lap, or you both have to wear your helmets to the track!
Daisy Duke said:
Unless you just want to use it purely for local events or racing, it is an issue though. I'm used to cars with not much luggage space (including the 05 FGT which is also very compromised, certainly more so than the F1 and Veyron) so I'm adept at packing lightly, however I won't be able to use this one in the same way as the old one for any event that requires an overnight stay eg for trips to LM or hillclimbing events in Scotland, as there's virtually no luggage space (particularly once essentials like first aid kit, warning triangle etc are packed). Of course I could take another car, but that rather begs the question of what the FGT will be used for, particularly if there are cars like the 720s that would be as much fun and are practical too.
Ironically there isn't even anywhere to put a helmet so if you want to do a trackday with a passenger, either they have to have them on their lap, or you both have to wear your helmets to the track!
Good points, DD – my comment wasn’t particularly aimed at you, btw, just lots of posts about noise/space, etc. I think really it just seems that Ford had a plan to return to GT racing and especially the 24hr Le Mans fifty years after that historic win. To do that, and up against established competition, they had to return to their history books and go back to how they did it in 66 – and build a potential winner from the ground up (hence the dismissal of the Mustang project). Things have moved on massively in the automotive world, of course, and especially in the motorsports world, so they really had to do something extraordinary.Ironically there isn't even anywhere to put a helmet so if you want to do a trackday with a passenger, either they have to have them on their lap, or you both have to wear your helmets to the track!
I would think it was a very conscious decision to battle in the GT category than the high-tech world of LMP1, as that would have far more relevance to their vehicle range than an LMP1 racer – they even had an appropriate and tested engine in the EcoBoost V6, whilst they had little/no knowledge of race-tech hybrid systems.
The problem was, I would think, that in order to hit the ground running the new car would have to be a challenger from the off – there would be little payback in racing for a few years with nothing to show (which is what happened in the 60s), as we live in a far more immediate world of media and ‘spin’.
So… the GT is, IMHO, seems a more extreme and pared-back car than even that original GT40. A compromised street car? Of course – it can’t be anything else, as it was built to race and built to win. They still had to build the road cars in order to compete, but this was clearly a lot further down the list of priorities this time around. Bizarrely, it seems they have almost listened to the sage advice of Eric Broadley after all, in that race cars and road cars don’t mix!
I’d still love one. I’ll admit to being a BIG fan of Ford and their amazing GT cars, and the company’s legacy in multi-discipline racing is second to none. The new GT, I think, fits with that perfectly.
I’d love a McLaren, too, actually, but I’ll leave the Italian stuff if I ever have enough money!
Oh, and I’m not jealous at all of that GT that you have… we can swap for a weekend if you like – my Puma is a great car… I’ll let you know if the GT matches it.
WCZ said:
GroundEffect said:
Surely most of these launch cars will be in PP spec anyway....
not sure how much the Ford GT Competition Series package was as an option or how many people have chose it but I would have. It's only available in the US anyway. jayemm89 said:
This review seems to tally with many others - great track car but not a brilliant road car. Personally I get enough people making snide remarks about the fairly ordinary 3.5L V6 in my Evora, I personally think putting the EcoBoost V6 in this car was a mistake but I am sure there are plenty of reasons. I've heard many such as a V8 wouldn't fit, or would be too thirsty. I suspect Ford also want to sell pickups by saying "its got the GT engine in it" rather than the Other way around.
Only one thing to note, the original GT40 was a pure race car. It was made with zero concessions for the road. They did make a road going version, the Mk3, but it was a total failure.
I do love the bold design of the thing, but I suspect very few owners are ever going to use them properly because I'm not sure there is even any storage in it? Kinda knackers you for a weekend away - something you can easily do in a Ferrari/McLaren/Lambo
Dude, the owners of this Ford GT will never drive it anyway. They will literally be trailered from the dealership to a comfortable space in some billionaire's warehouse and put in a bubble, so storage doesn't really matter, nor the way it drives or sounds to be honest. Only one thing to note, the original GT40 was a pure race car. It was made with zero concessions for the road. They did make a road going version, the Mk3, but it was a total failure.
I do love the bold design of the thing, but I suspect very few owners are ever going to use them properly because I'm not sure there is even any storage in it? Kinda knackers you for a weekend away - something you can easily do in a Ferrari/McLaren/Lambo
I thought smaller FI engines were supposed to be economical? this runs around under ECO-Boost banner doesn't it?....14-16mpg sounds rubbish if that's the case.
No, it's certainly dramatic and quick enough and by the looks of it beautifully engineered.... but I'm failing to get excited by it... Not helped by Angry Birds graphic from behind...
No, it's certainly dramatic and quick enough and by the looks of it beautifully engineered.... but I'm failing to get excited by it... Not helped by Angry Birds graphic from behind...
I don't understand the hate for it based upon poor road performance. 90s sportscar racing produced exactly this: a racecar converted for road use to be eligible to race. Now 911 GT1s are trading in the $millions and I've never heard anybody grumble about them being a "bit harsh" on the road! I see this as a hark back to halcyon days of racing.
Well done Ford.
Well done Ford.
McAndy said:
I don't understand the hate for it based upon poor road performance. 90s sportscar racing produced exactly this: a racecar converted for road use to be eligible to race. Now 911 GT1s are trading in the $millions and I've never heard anybody grumble about them being a "bit harsh" on the road! I see this as a hark back to halcyon days of racing.
Well done Ford.
It's certainly an interesting car. I guess I feel that such a performance focused race car homologation special should be a little faster around a circuit than supercars half the price. Well done Ford.
I'm betting a 720S or 488 would be faster around a lap, manage more than 150 miles before filling up, are considerably more comfortable and generally easier to live with.
In isolation the Ford is a cool car but for the price of a 720S and a 911 GT3 it just doesn't stack up.
But even ignoring the price, a car like this needs to be the ultimate performer and it doesn't 't look like it is.
Could be wrong though - bring on the group test!
cib24 said:
jayemm89 said:
This review seems to tally with many others - great track car but not a brilliant road car. Personally I get enough people making snide remarks about the fairly ordinary 3.5L V6 in my Evora, I personally think putting the EcoBoost V6 in this car was a mistake but I am sure there are plenty of reasons. I've heard many such as a V8 wouldn't fit, or would be too thirsty. I suspect Ford also want to sell pickups by saying "its got the GT engine in it" rather than the Other way around.
Only one thing to note, the original GT40 was a pure race car. It was made with zero concessions for the road. They did make a road going version, the Mk3, but it was a total failure.
I do love the bold design of the thing, but I suspect very few owners are ever going to use them properly because I'm not sure there is even any storage in it? Kinda knackers you for a weekend away - something you can easily do in a Ferrari/McLaren/Lambo
Dude, the owners of this Ford GT will never drive it anyway. They will literally be trailered from the dealership to a comfortable space in some billionaire's warehouse and put in a bubble, so storage doesn't really matter, nor the way it drives or sounds to be honest. Only one thing to note, the original GT40 was a pure race car. It was made with zero concessions for the road. They did make a road going version, the Mk3, but it was a total failure.
I do love the bold design of the thing, but I suspect very few owners are ever going to use them properly because I'm not sure there is even any storage in it? Kinda knackers you for a weekend away - something you can easily do in a Ferrari/McLaren/Lambo
BTW I think jayemm89 is correct about the use of the V6 - it's more about marketing than anything else. Afterall something similar was said about the display too ie that it would be rolled out to other models, which, whilst I understand the idea of a 'halo' model enhancing the rest of the range, may well upset an owner who has just spent £500k to have someone with a fiesta/mustang point out that their car has the same display!
Vitorio said:
CaptainRAVE said:
There are much better cars for that money.
Or equal cars for less money, the 488GTB starts at less then half, as does the Huracan and 720sYou could get a 488GTB, 911 Turbo and V8 vantage (i.e. the rest of the WEC GTE field, even if the 911 Turbo isnt a 100% match) for the price of a ford GT
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