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Ford GT40 Returning to LeMans?


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#1 AustinF1

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 15:16

Is Ford building a new GT40 to race at Le Mans?

 

http://www.motorspor...race-at-le-mans



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#2 aditya-now

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 16:34

Is Ford building a new GT40 to race at Le Mans?

 

http://www.motorspor...race-at-le-mans

 

All for it - I hope for a glorious return and also, that Ford gets back the legendary "GT40" name. Concerning the chances in Le Mans 2016 - it won't be 1966 anymore, but still, if they's send over 8 GT40s, that would be quite a sight.

 

Thanks, AustinF1, for the news!



#3 BRG

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 19:35

Unless it was a LMP1 hybrid GT40, it wouldn't be in the running to win Le Mans.  Would Ford want to be just competing for GTE honours and getting very limited coverage into the bargain.?  I doubt it.

 

Incidentally, who is the British company that owns the GT40 name?



#4 Cacarella

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 19:39

Great article.

 

Ford to re-enter Lemans!!!   ... or not

 

Building a new GT-40 specifically for it!!  .. or not

 

 

I could write for that website all day long...



#5 Gilles4Ever

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 19:40

... or not.

#6 Amphicar

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 19:54

Unless it was a LMP1 hybrid GT40, it wouldn't be in the running to win Le Mans.  Would Ford want to be just competing for GTE honours and getting very limited coverage into the bargain.?  I doubt it.

 

Incidentally, who is the British company that owns the GT40 name?

According to the Wikipedia entry on the GT40 it was the British Safir Engineering, then (at the time the Ford GT road car was launched in 1995) an American company, Safir GT40 Spares -  but is now a South African company, Hi-Tech Automotive::

 

A British company, Safir Engineering, who made continuation GT40s in the 1980s owned the GT40 trademark at that time, and when they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small American company called Safir GT40 Spares based in Ohio. Safir GT40 Spares licensed the use of the GT40 trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car, but when Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations between the two failed, and as a result the new Ford GT does not wear the badge GT40. Safir GT40 Spares asked $40 million for the rights, which Ford declined.[17][18] Bob Wood, one of three partners who own Safir GT40 Spares, said: "When we talked with Ford, they asked what we wanted. We said that Ford owns Beanstalk in New York, the company that licenses the Blue Oval for Ford on such things as T-shirts. Since Beanstalk gets 7.5 percent of the retail cost of the item for licensing the name, we suggested 7.5 percent on each GT40 sold."[19] At the then-estimated $125,000 per copy, 7.5% of 4,500 vehicles would have totalled approximately $42,187,500.[19] Later models or prototypes have also been called the Ford GT but have had different numbering on them such as the Ford GT90 or the Ford GT70. The GT40 name is currently licensed to Hi-Tech Automotive in South Africa, the manufacturer who builds Superformance.


Edited by Amphicar, 16 December 2014 - 19:56.


#7 Anja

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Posted 16 December 2014 - 19:55

From what I hear, if they return indeed, it will be with a GTE car which will also have a limited production street-legal version. The rumours are increasing but there's no word coming out from Ford - no confirmation but no denial either. Would make sense as supposedly they want to have it as a big surprise and "win" Detroit Motor Show.



#8 AustinF1

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 17:48

Confirmed: Ford to build new sports car, race it at Le Mans in 2016

 

http://www.motorspor...-in-2016-459802



#9 jonpollak

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 18:59

TCGR....!!!
Jp

Edited by jonpollak, 18 December 2014 - 19:00.


#10 Imateria

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 22:41

Anybody know if Autoweek are particularly reliable?



#11 AustinF1

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 23:24

Anybody know if Autoweek are particularly reliable?

They've been pretty reliable for as long as I've been paying attention to them, imho. On the manufacturing side of things, they're pretty much top-notch, so this is probably right up their alley.


Edited by AustinF1, 19 December 2014 - 04:40.


#12 S3baman

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Posted 19 December 2014 - 04:29

Well, WEC is present at the Detroit Auto Show. Since the new GT40 will be the highlight of the event, I don't see any other reason for them to schedule a conference. Nissan has already been known to enter, the rumoured Ferrari LMP1 project is just that, rumours.



#13 427MkIV

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Posted 12 January 2015 - 15:15

http://www.bloomberg...html?cmpid=yhoo



#14 Richard T

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Posted 12 January 2015 - 16:31

Looks like the love child of mr. Lotus Evora and mrs. LaFerrari

#15 Anja

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Posted 12 January 2015 - 17:01

Best looking supercar I've seen in a while, can't wait for the racing spec.



#16 Lemans

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Posted 12 January 2015 - 17:09

What a mess.



#17 paulb

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Posted 12 January 2015 - 18:00

Interesting and not as unattractive as the Vette.



#18 kissTheApex

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Posted 13 January 2015 - 13:32

Looks like the love child of mr. Lotus Evora and mrs. LaFerrari

My exact impression upon a first glance.



#19 Tombstone

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Posted 13 January 2015 - 13:52

And most importantly, the wrong sort of engine.



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#20 Widefoot2

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 04:52

And most importantly, the wrong sort of engine.

Seems like the right sort for the Le Mans class they want to run - GTE...



#21 Chubby_Deuce

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 05:37

And most importantly, the wrong sort of engine.

 

What is it supposed to have?



#22 jcbc3

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 06:31

V8

#23 Chubby_Deuce

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 07:34

Oh I see, it's a retro car so it needs to be the same exact car.



#24 jcbc3

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 07:50

Yes, if they design the car to resemble the old car they might as well make the pastiche as close to the original. What else would be the purpose of the design? If they wanted to showcase the new technology why are they looking in their back catalogues for styling inspiration.

I for one, wasn't impressed by the GT of 2005 design philosophy and I am certainly not impressed by this one. In the same vein I couldn't see any reason for the gull wing doors on the Mercedes SLS and think it's an infinitely more interesting car after it morphed into the GT (even if they now take Porsche cues rather than their own).

All IMHO, of course.

#25 Brother Fox

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 08:00

Christ! Here as well as everywhere else on the Internet


It's not a V8! Waahhhhhhh!!!!

Join the present luddites

#26 Chubby_Deuce

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 08:05

You've never heard of a car company using a historically significant marque and styling in order to sell a much more technically sophisticated and up to date vehicle? The GT40 used a V8 because it was the most advanced and best suited design that Ford had at the time. Now we have things like turbos which allow smaller engines to do more work while saving weight and fuel.

This car is actually a pretty incredible feat of engineering, appearing to be on par with the European supercars. When was the last time you could say that?



#27 Brother Fox

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 08:13

The best I read today was as people were pointing out that a 600hp v6 turbo should be lighter than a 600hp v8 and consequently (all things being equal) faster and more fuel efficient this intellectual giant came out with

"Fuel efficiency isn't important in racing"

I felt dumber for having read it.

#28 jcbc3

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 08:43

Christ! Here as well as everywhere else on the Internet


It's not a V8! Waahhhhhhh!!!!

Join the present luddites


Wouldn't the present be something else again? Inline 4 hybrid drivetrain?

Listen, I don't really give a flying f.. how Ford market or sell their supercars. I just think it's unimaginative to sell new wine on old bottles.

#29 Brazzers

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 10:03

This car isn't going to be bought with fuel economy in mind, it is an enthusiast car and rumours of only 100-300 being produced per year is going to charge big bucks $$$. Last GT was around $150,000MSRP and I'm certain this one will be priced a bit more than that maybe around 200k-250k range. Other estimates I've read have said around $500k which imo won't sell many, especially with that engine.

 

Nothing beats the enjoyment of a naturally aspirated motor that loves to rev, nobody that buys this sort of car will ask about the fuel mileage. The V6 might actually hurt the sales when the competition has better engine offering and this might be unfavourable opinion but better quality too imo.

 

Other than that it basically seems like the LaFerrari and Aventador got it on last night and made this.



#30 maverick69

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 11:07

Pretty brave of Ford to drop a V6 turbo in there.

 

The last people to do that with a car of that ilk were Jaguar with the XJ220....... and that totally bombed....... despite it being batshit fast at the time.



#31 Disgrace

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 19:36

The difference, however, is that Jaguar initially teased prospective buyers by lumping a V12 into the concept car. The only perceived broken promise by Ford is the result of nostalgia.



#32 maverick69

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Posted 14 January 2015 - 20:46

The difference, however, is that Jaguar initially teased prospective buyers by lumping a V12 into the concept car. The only perceived broken promise by Ford is the result of nostalgia.

 

True. They promised 4wd too. Obviously TWR was happy that they could make a few quid with the XJR-15 as a result..........

 

But sticking a blown six-banger in any full-on supercar is a brave decision - no matter what the era.

 

I would cite the 911 GT1 as the only success.... but it was soooooo exclusive - it doesn't really count..... Plus its big brother, who had serious pedigree, lent it an engine  :smoking:

 

It will be fascinating to see if they can change perceptions through an LM/Enduro/Sportscar assault.


Edited by maverick69, 14 January 2015 - 20:47.


#33 Nathan

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Posted 19 January 2015 - 19:07

I don't really think this GT resembles the GT40 very much.  It has a few styling cues, which is understandable, but this isn't retro like the '05 model.

 

Is a turbo 6 the way to go for Le Mans and GT racing? All the others have gone atmos, which in racing much produce better fuel economy?

I'm glad is doesn't have an 8 because all these diehard domestic fans are now tied in knots :clap:  Times change boys..
 



#34 BRG

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Posted 19 January 2015 - 20:17

Is a turbo 6 the way to go for Le Mans and GT racing? All the others have gone atmos, which in racing much produce better fuel economy?

 

Porsche seem to do OK with a turbo 6.....



#35 Dick Dastardly

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Posted 19 January 2015 - 20:53

This...Ford returning to Le Mans with their new GT...was briefly mentioned in yesterday's Sunday Times.

Got me thinking...M-Sport run Ford in Rallying [OK, they used to until Ford as a manufacturer withdrew]...and they're gaining experience of GT Racing with Bentley, so should Ford decide to return, they'll be ideally placed to run the team....


Edited by Dick Dastardly, 19 January 2015 - 20:53.


#36 Imateria

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Posted 19 January 2015 - 22:32

Might be a bit too early for M Sport, you'd think it would have to wait until the new facility is built before they'd have the capacity to take on another major project like a GTE car.

 

I'm pretty sure the Porsche flat 6 is an atmo, and none of the other manufacturers involved have a suitable turbo engine in their range as far as I know.Ford are obviously using the v6 turbo ecoboost engine for marketing reasons but I don't know of any reason why a turbo wouldn't be competitive at Le Mans.



#37 F166

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Posted 19 January 2015 - 22:53

Multimatic are supposedly running the Le Man program.

The ecoboost engine has been used in the Ford Daytona,  won some races in TUSC last season I think. Should be very competitive in GTE.



#38 Nathan

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Posted 19 January 2015 - 23:51

"Porsche seem to do OK with a turbo 6....."

 

Not since 1998.....

I don't think a turbo engine would be uncompetitive under the current regs, but I do think an atmos has more advantages.

I was hoping Ford was going to use a dry-sumped and stroked 5.5 liter Coyote.


Edited by Nathan, 20 January 2015 - 00:06.