What if there was a 2013 GT?


Joehand1

Joehand1

Tungsten GT Owner
Sep 20, 2007
602
Hattiesburg, MS, USA
I am looking at getting a Boss 302 next year as a daily driver, and noticed that its' Car and Driver VIR Lightening Lap time is only 2 seconds slower than the GT was in 04.

It is incredible to me that Ford makes a machine out of the box as fast as the Boss for around 42k these days.

I guess my question to you experts is just how fast would the GT be these days if the SVT team was allowed to continue development and what changes-upgrades would have been made?

I'm thinking ZR1 type brakes, 700 plus hp,upgraded tires, launch control, back up camera, sync computer, Penske type adjustable shock-suspension settings like the Boss??
Active suspension?? Lightening with more carbon fiber? (see Shelby's car)

I know many of these mods are on your cars, but which ones would be suitable for the average owner like me?


My guess the new car would be about the same lap time as a ZR1, which is faster than any production car other than the ACR Viper, which really is a race car.
 
You mean ACR-X...the non-street legal ACR!
 
FBA said:
You mean ACR-X...the non-street legal ACR!
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No, the regular ACR is faster than the ZR1, but about as comfortable as a bed of nails...
 
Every year since its introduction the Shelby GT500 has gotten bigger, faster, better, badder. I have no doubt that if the Ford GT had continued past the safety regs that would have made it 6' tall on a SUV chassis because of the razor front edge, it would still have been the best car on the road.
 
twobjshelbys said:
if the Ford GT had continued past the safety regs that would have made it 6' tall on a SUV chassis because of the razor front edge
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Curious Tony, how is it that there are a plethora of 2012 models legal in the states that have profiles every bit as razor edge as the Ford GT? How are they doing it and why couldn't Ford? Ford played it safe and wussed out! Have to hand to Gov't Motors I mean GM, they brought the ZR1 to market along with SRT and the Viper when Ford gave up years ago with a leading edge sports car. The Mustang is a beast but a live axle portly bulbous excuse for a supercar...
 
Luke Warmwater said:
Curious Tony, how is it that there are a plethora of 2012 models legal in the states that have profiles every bit as razor edge as the Ford GT? How are they doing it and why couldn't Ford? Ford played it safe and wussed out! Have to hand to Gov't Motors I mean GM, they brought the ZR1 to market along with SRT and the Viper when Ford gave up years ago with a leading edge sports car. The Mustang is a beast but a live axle portly bulbous excuse for a supercar...
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We'll always wonder about that. It's a "coullda woulda shoulda" dilemma. Personally, I think Ford went conservative. Ferrari, Aston Martin, McClaren, and others have figured out how to play in this market.

I wonder if Ford had continued with a Ford GT/ GT40 "continuation" if they might still have a shot at the 50th anniversary of the GT40 wins at LeMans. Like "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of". Regretfully, the privateers like Matach, couldn't find the funding or the drivers to do it.
 
Ford has never been interested in the long term building of Sports cars, let alone Supercars. The GT was an aberration. A significant departure, pulled together by some car loving, influential insiders to have for the company's 100 year birthday.

The Cobra and Pantera etc. were outside builders brought into the fold IMO because they selected Ford Powerplants and the relationships were Temporary. The Mustang is Ford's sportscar (whether it is or is not to certain people in the car guy club).

I don't think Ford ever seriously entertained the GT becoming a permanent production line so the regulations were moot. Ford is a Pick-up truck and family car builder first and foremost. The closest they came to being a permanent player was with Aston Martin and to a much lesser degree, Jaguar.

Of course this is all in my humble opinion. :old:
 
^^^ Agree with this humble opinion. Ford is on track to sell more than 600,000 F-series trucks in 2012. For argument's sake, let's assume Ford actually made a profit on the GT (which IMO could only have been done with some extremely creative accounting). Ford made about $2,800/vehicle in North America in 2011, much more on trucks, much less on econoboxes. Total profits on the GT would get lost in total sales rounding. What we call "decimal dust." Total headaches from highly specialized production lines, microscopic volume of specialized parts from a large number of small suppliers, yadda yadda = mega-migraine.

Back to the OP's points...the new number in the horsepower wars is 700. That's at least what we expect in the next Corvette. Now...it's incredible to me that our 10 year old design can meet that target with ease. Traction control, ZR1 brakes, adjustable suspension have all been done. Other amenities? meh. It will be interesting to see how far Ray Hofman and the GT Guys take all this with the GT1S and GT3S.
 
If they made a new version I would appreciate if they added a bigger fuel tank, BETTER GAUGES THAT WORKS EVEN IF YOU PARK THE CAR ONE HOUR WITHOUT CHARGING IT, well working brakes (like the ZR-1/GT2) and a solid and trusted transaxle cooler and the most important
thing engine cooling that works even if we tracked the cars on a SUPER HOT TRACK DAY. Well we can do all these stuff today with our cars by adding coolers and bla bla bla but it would be nice to have a car like the Porsches where you can beat the shit out of them at the track and then drive home with a smile instead of crying your self to bed wondering what fluids will be on the garage floor the next day and what has been broken/damaged this time.

Any way, I hope they don't make a new version because these beauties are so unique today and it is a very nice feeling knowing that you are one of "10?" GT in the whole Scandinavia.

Cheers
 
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I think if the SVT guys would have had more time that the GT would be more track ready with oil coolers and such, set up like a 12 Boss or new Shelby.
 
^^^ Well, they did include mounting points for a transaxle cooler. It's a straight bolt in that looks factory. Most of us don't need it, but they made it easy to do.
 
Xcentric said:
^^^ Well, they did include mounting points for a transaxle cooler. It's a straight bolt in that looks factory. Most of us don't need it, but they made it easy to do.
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Wasn't it supposed to come with it originally but they shed it from the factor for price reasons?
 
GTSweden said:
If they made a new version I would appreciate if they added a bigger fuel tank, BETTER GAUGES THAT WORKS EVEN IF YOU PARK THE CAR ONE HOUR WITHOUT CHARGING IT, well working brakes (like the ZR-1/GT2) and a solid and trusted transaxle cooler and the most important
thing engine cooling that works even if we tracked the cars on a SUPER HOT TRACK DAY. Well we can do all these stuff today with our cars by adding coolers and bla bla bla but it would be nice to have a car like the Porsches where you can beat the shit out of them at the track and then drive home with a smile instead of crying your self to bed wondering what fluids will be on the garage floor the next day and what has been broken/damaged this time.

Any way, I hope they don't make a new version because these beauties are so unique today and it is a very nice feeling knowing that you are one of "10?" GT in the whole Scandinavia.

Cheers
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:frown Maybe a 360 or 430 would put things into perspective.

Porsche's business model is to sell track cars for street use. Ford builds F-150s.
 
GTSweden said:
If they made a new version I would appreciate if they added a bigger fuel tank, BETTER GAUGES THAT WORKS EVEN IF YOU PARK THE CAR ONE HOUR WITHOUT CHARGING IT, well working brakes (like the ZR-1/GT2) and a solid and trusted transaxle cooler and the most important thing engine cooling that works even if we tracked the cars on a SUPER HOT TRACK DAY. Well we can do all these stuff today with our cars by adding coolers and bla bla bla but it would be nice to have a car like the Porsche's where you can beat the shit out of them at the track and then drive home with a smile instead of crying your self to bed wondering what fluids will be on the garage floor the next day and what has been broken/damaged this time.

Any way, I hope they don't make a new version because these beauties are so unique today and it is a very nice feeling knowing that you are one of "10?" GT in the whole Scandinavia.

Cheers
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GTSweden,

As an academic exercise I know it's fun to imagine what might be possible. The Ford GT is an extraordinary car and was, and is now, a tremendously great buy. They don't depreciate. The radiator opening was limited to a close scale reproduction of the 60's GT40's. The car's cooling system is not the limiting factor, it's the beautiful GT40 body that doesn't let enough air get to the radiator. The GT Guy's have a new front end that solves the problem BUT....it isn't as sexy as the original. I do drive my car hard at the track on occasion and I never have fluids on my garage floor, and the brakes are pretty damn good but a 20K upgrade to CF brakes would of course be better. These retro exotic Ford GTs were never meant to be dedicated track cars. It would have been interesting to see what a non-street legal Ford Racing GT-S offered through Ford Parts departments (like the Boss 302-S) would have been like. But Ford GT Team Members have told us on multiple occasions that they had no idea that the GT fleet would be used as hard and enthusiastically as it has been. This is evidenced by the torrid pace that spare parts have been gone through and an accident attrition rate that is rapidly thinning the herd. The Ford or Cooltech transaxel coolers are very efficient but must be owner added. If it was produced for many years, it would have been refined and improved but an unlimited supply would have GT's depreciating like Corvettes. Any car can be made more expensive and more capable.

As you say, they are beautiful and unique and therein lies the GT's greatest appeal. Cheers.

Chip
 
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GTSweden said:
...and the most important thing engine cooling that works even if we tracked the cars on a SUPER HOT TRACK DAY.
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Do you have '05 or '06? I have talked to '05 owners who say their cars typically run at well over 200 F. My '06 only exceeded 200 while stuck in traffic on a 100+ degree F day with A/C on. It was so hot, the A/C heat protection circuit kicked in, but came right back as soon as I got some air flow. Even so, the engine was maybe 202 max. No different than my other vehicles.

The only difference, AFAIK, is the '06s and some late '05s do not have a grill.
 
2112 said:
:frown Maybe a 360 or 430 would put things into perspective.

Porsche's business model is to sell track cars for street use. Ford builds F-150s.
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Now that's funny...I'm ROTFLMFAO!
 
Xcentric said:
Do you have '05 or '06? I have talked to '05 owners who say their cars typically run at well over 200 F. My '06 only exceeded 200 while stuck in traffic on a 100+ degree F day with A/C on. It was so hot, the A/C heat protection circuit kicked in, but came right back as soon as I got some air flow. Even so, the engine was maybe 202 max. No different than my other vehicles.

The only difference, AFAIK, is the '06s and some late '05s do not have a grill.
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And my Z06 routinely hits 220 in traffic, so 200 would be a godsend!
 
ChipBeck said:
GTSweden,

As an academic exercise I know it's fun to imagine what might be possible. The Ford GT is an extraordinary car and was, and is now, a tremendously great buy. They don't depreciate. The radiator opening was limited to a close scale reproduction of the 60's GT40's. The car's cooling system is not the limiting factor, it's the beautiful GT40 body that doesn't let enough air get to the radiator. The GT Guy's have a new front end that solves the problem BUT....it isn't as sexy as the original. I do drive my car hard at the track on occasion and I never have fluids on my garage floor, and the brakes are pretty damn good but a 20K upgrade to CF brakes would of course be better. These retro exotic Ford GTs were never meant to be dedicated track cars. It would have been interesting to see what a non-street legal Ford Racing GT-S offered through Ford Parts departments (like the Boss 302-S) would have been like. But Ford GT Team Members have told us on multiple occasions that they had no idea that the GT fleet would be used as hard and enthusiastically as it has been. This is evidenced by the torrid pace that spare parts have been gone through and an accident attrition rate that is rapidly thinning the herd. The Ford or Cooltech transaxel coolers are very efficient but must be owner added. If it was produced for many years, it would have been refined and improved but an unlimited supply would have GT's depreciating like Corvettes. Any car can be made more expensive and more capable.

As you say, they are beautiful and unique and therein lies the GT's greatest appeal. Cheers.

Chip
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Very well said Sir :thumbsup

A Makers Mark toast to you :cheers
 
FBA said:
And my Z06 routinely hits 220 in traffic, so 200 would be a godsend!
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My modded C5 Z06 never goes over 200, even down in here in Arizona. get the same cooling mods that i have and you shouldn't get over 180 in Canada where you live....
 
A 160 thermostat? Was that what you did? What else?
 
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