Automobile All-Star


dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/2018-all-stars-winners/

Who Says Racing Doesn’t Matter?

Road racing’s popularity in the United States is a long way removed from its all-time high decades ago, and that’s a real shame in our collective opinion. It’s also a bit bizarre when you consider how many sports cars and supercars this country’s affluent purchasers snap up annually—cars that produce their astounding performance thanks to technologies and engineering lessons learned on racetracks around the globe. Regardless of whether you’re a race fan, the good news for enthusiasts is that manufacturers continue to push the motorsports envelope, leading to ever more impressive offerings for the street.

Make no mistake, Ford’s latest GT is a modern homologation special created first and foremost to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a feat it accomplished in 2016. Its competition-bred roots are apparent immediately in the road-going version—but not everyone appreciates them right away. Some of our staff even initially declared the car a bit of a disappointment, relatively speaking, on the street, as the dual-clutch gearbox isn’t as slick and smooth as some others on the market. And although the twin-turbo EcoBoost’s 647 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque are nothing to mock, neither do they make the GT as brain-bendingly quick as something like the McLaren 720S. Of course, that really says more about the amazing state of the performance car world when a machine capable of running from 0 to 60 mph in a tick less than three seconds is no longer automatically considered mind-blowing in the acceleration department.

The car’s carbon-fiber monocoque construction is a piece of race-proven hardware, but simultaneously the no-frills cockpit’s motorsports-influenced design and trim give you a bit of that old kit-car feeling. But we knew from our experience driving the GT last year that initial impressions don’t tell anywhere close to the full story. As Noordeloos noted while making it clear the GT didn’t blow him away on the street, “It feels like it’s dying to go to the track.”

Some of us smiled knowingly, as once the GT hit the Speedvegas road course, any lingering doubts about it disintegrated within the first lap or two. Suddenly the engine that sounded a bit agricultural at low rpms on the street began to spit and hiss all manner of turbo and induction sounds, snorting, popping, and screaming its way through corners faster than anything else on site as its monster midrange torque proved massively impressive. Previous grumbles from taller drivers about a lack of headroom disappeared as they suddenly and happily found a way to shoehorn their helmet-clad skulls into the left seat, grinning the entire time. The GT’s steering, braking, and suspension setup are all phenomenal, allowing you to attack apex curbs with an aggressive I-will-own-you style that seemingly rewards drivers more the harder they push.

On top of all the mechanical goodness, the more experienced and skilled drivers among us repeatedly mentioned the GT’s aerodynamic performance. “Without doubt it has the most downforce and generates the most lateral g’s on the track, especially when using the suspension in the ultra-low Track mode,” Pilgrim said. “It’s definitely the best-handling car in the field.” Indeed, where other cars required a throttle lift to make it through certain sections of the circuit, the GT dug in and rocketed itself off of corners with no issues. The chassis balance and grip it provided in Speedvegas’s quicker turns—none of which qualify as truly high-speed—and the corresponding confidence it inspired had several of us dreaming about running the car somewhere more wide open, like Road America or Road Atlanta or Spa-Francorchamps.

So then, the 2017 Ford GT proved itself as one of the best, most track-capable production cars of all time, which led to our stable of drivers rethinking its character on the road as well. It won’t feel familiar to drivers of Porsches and Ferraris and Lamborghinis, as its overall design philosophy is far more results-based than comfort- and luxury-oriented. In other words, exactly what Ford Performance intended from the outset. As a group, we were wholly unprepared for this car’s capabilities. It’s a zero-compromises speed master, and if you drive it, you don’t have to give two cents of a care about road racing—but you’ll understand instantly why it still matters. This is easily one of the most intriguing cars of the past decade and then some. After all, almost no one builds them like this anymore.
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
Perfect summary.

Declared All-Stars were FGT, 720S, Carrera GTS, Civic Type-R, AMG GT-R, LC500, Volvo V90 and Accord 2.0T Sport. Surprised they didn't pick Performante too, given that they had one there.
 

Apollo

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 5, 2006
2,499
Pahrump, NV
Awesome. :thumbsup This is a great review, more in line with what the NFGT is all about. Seems like journalists have only been concentrating on a glory lap somewhere lately. This was really refreshing.
 
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DakotaGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 9, 2012
1,694
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Wonderful article! Nice to see the NFGT getting the praise it deserves.
 

Howard

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 26, 2007
1,135
Florida/North Jersey
I was at the Amelia Island Concours today where AUTOMOBILE Magazine announced their 2018 All Stars. There was really only one "Star"....and seven other cars.
 

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STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
like we didn't know... :biggrin:thumbsup
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
I don’t get the “kit car” dig about the interior. Why they equate minimalist to cheap in a car liike this is silly.
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
I don’t get the “kit car” dig about the interior. Why they equate minimalist to cheap in a car liike this is silly.

It's a Ford. They feel like they are expected to say it, so they say it. People relentlessly ragged the 05 interior as cheap when it came out too. Don't see that too often now. I can't remember which rag it was but someone said the AC controls in the new car wouldn't pass muster in a 90s rental car. They are milled aluminum. It's basically impossible to make a more expensive AC control. Whenever I hear the term "plasticky" about the new interior I laugh because there's literally almost no plastic in it at all. If by "plasticky" you mean "carbon fiber-y," ok.
 

THamonGT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Great Post Dave, I learn something about this spectacular Car every time I drive her. It is truly a Race Car For The Street. We are very fortunate Ford built this Race Car to Win and to be seen on the street! We are truly Blessed my friends.
 

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Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
I don’t get the “kit car” dig about the interior. Why they equate minimalist to cheap in a car liike this is silly.


But somehow when you plant their butt in the cockpit of a 1957 Ferrari Testarossa, magic happens and things seem alright. Talk about minimalist. :lol
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
It's a Ford. They feel like they are expected to say it, so they say it. People relentlessly ragged the 05 interior as cheap when it came out too. Don't see that too often now. I can't remember which rag it was but someone said the AC controls in the new car wouldn't pass muster in a 90s rental car. They are milled aluminum. It's basically impossible to make a more expensive AC control. Whenever I hear the term "plasticky" about the new interior I laugh because there's literally almost no plastic in it at all. If by "plasticky" you mean "carbon fiber-y," ok.

But somehow when you plant their butt in the cockpit of a 1957 Ferrari Testarossa, magic happens and things seem alright. Talk about minimalist. :lol

It seems the people who write that nonsense are idiots. I'm grateful that I get a damn knob to control the AC, rather than having to cycle through touch screens or use a mouse/joystick/dildo. I'm also grateful I don't get a seizure looking at the GT's interior.
 

ByeEnzo

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Dec 10, 2005
2,283
Fort Worth, TX
Nice review. I like the fact that the NFGT may be a bit "misunderstood" by a portion of the automotive world and car guys in general. Over time, this will only add to its mystique and desirability. Like with the Carerra GT, real aficionados and drivers will "get it".
 

Triheart7

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 3, 2007
2,576
Northern California
Great review Dave.
 

GKW05GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 28, 2011
2,755
Fayetteville, Ga.
Nice the writer countered all the previous reported "faults" with positive comments not that anyone here cares.
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
What I thought was plastic, the speaker grill that holds the tweeter and the door lock / unlock button, turns out its an aluminum skin over a plastic frame.

Whenever I hear the term "plasticky" about the new interior I laugh because there's literally almost no plastic in it at all. If by "plasticky" you mean "carbon fiber-y," ok.
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
It's a race car with a license plate. We get it! I wish the rest of the world world get it!

Ed
 

PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,268
Kalama, Free part of WA State
It seems the people who write that nonsense are idiots. I'm grateful that I get a damn knob to control the AC, rather than having to cycle through touch screens or use a mouse/joystick/dildo. I'm also grateful I don't get a seizure looking at the GT's interior.

Give me tactile analog knobs and switches any day. You don't have to take your concentration off the road to use them. Touch screens do not belong in a car that demands your attention. Which is any car, when you think critically about it.
 

Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
Great read. As you said, nailed it.

Vince H
 

GTMD

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 4, 2011
957
NorCal
Yup, all I have to say is "hell yeah!"
 

Tomcat

GT Owner
I was at the Amelia Island Concours today where AUTOMOBILE Magazine announced their 2018 All Stars. There was really only one "Star"....and seven other cars.

I was there too and heard the announcement BUT missed seeing the car in person. :-(
However, there was a white street driven McLaren F1 in front of my hotel (Omni)...so all was not lost!