Let Me Tell You About The Ford GT

"Victorious Secret" (victorioussecret)
09/15/2013 at 12:04 • Filed to: None

Well, what is there to say?

Rather, where do you start with such a car?

It is a slice of America made to make the Europeans look bad. How bad? Pretty bad.

In performance, design, interior layout; this car still feels ahead of its time and exceptionally refreshing to see and use. What comes close to this for me? That is harder to answer. I don't know what comes close to it.

It is such a frighteningly simple package. Bulletproof transmission, nuclear grade engine, hilariously massive rear tires that will chirp in 4th, back breaking ingress and egress and a low slung design that only encourages people to get the hell out of your way.

Its menacing in any aspect yet its equally approachable and even more loveable. This need to be a car present in everyones collection at one point or another. That is how good I think it is. Thats how much attention it draws. Doesn't matter that this particular thing is almost a decade old. You couldn't tell, it has aged gracefully.

It is a descendant of a time honoured tradition of America rising up and putting the Europeans in their place. How can you hate it? Take most cars on sale today at all, they still tend to bow down to this slice of...perfection? Can I say that? Perfection?

The rumour mills on a GT successor are silent and its a little sad that Ford has no genuine plan to make a new one. What is the GT? It is the Zonda of America. It is a car that was executed so perfectly that you struggle to create a follow up. Its hard to. Its hard to convince the public to leave the old one behind. Hell, we didn't even get the smattering of special edition GTs like we did with Zondas, at least those still stubbornly live on.

Should Ford make a new one? Yes. Can they? Yes. How will they do it? I'm all for bringing back the same car, slapping in the 5.8L V8 and because all the cool kids are doing it slap some HY-KERS components to drive the front wheels for more POWAAAAA.

Or don't. I'll stick with the V8 alone if thats alright.

DISCUSSION (16)

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 12:09

inb4handlingbylotus

Victorious Secret > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
09/15/2013 at 12:10

GT40? Sure.

GT? No.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 12:14

The FGT's the one with the handling by Lotus, the GT40 had its handling done by Lola.

Victorious Secret > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
09/15/2013 at 12:22

Lola and Lotus were both on the GT40.

Neither on the GT, unless you're referencing sources I've never come across before.

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 12:27

I still can't belive Jezza sold his GT. I think he is a little mad at himself. He could have sold it now for a lot of money.

Victorious Secret > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
09/15/2013 at 12:29

Oh the increase in value is absurd.

Production car to collector status in under a decade. Its not like the owners I know baby their cars either, some are true DDs for these guys.

That and Clarkson had to go install aftermarket piles of crap on his car that caused all his issues.

IDDaVo - Now has a Toy Yoda > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 12:32

I agree.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 12:35

AFAIK, Lotus did negotiate with Ford for what would become the GT40 project, but at the end Lotus wanted naming rights and walked away after those were refused, leaving the path clear for Lola.
I had heard frequent discussions in the Pistonheads forums about the FGT's handling having been developed by Lotus, which led me to believe so. However, now that I actually go and look for credible sources for such, I can't find anything.

Victorious Secret > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
09/15/2013 at 12:38

From what I remember, Ford was already doubting Lotus's ability to handle a project of such magnitude as the GT40.

To the FGT, I can't find a single thing that points to anything ever having come out of the house of Chapman and into the FGTs assembly lines. Everything was in house.

Interesting question though, I'll have to bring this up the next time we meet.

Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
09/15/2013 at 12:56

This is the story of Clarkson's car collection, though. The same thing happened to him with his 3.0 CSL, his Escort Cosworth, his 355 (although on a lesser scale). It'll probably happen to him with this CLK Black too.

Justino6969 > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 13:16

They were what, $150,000 new? I saw one yesterday for sale for $214,992.

Victorious Secret > Justino6969
09/15/2013 at 13:18

Yea, average MSRP would be around there.

The cars, even with decent mileage, are slowly starting to be all above 200k in value. Heritage GTs even more so.

I can't blame the owners, they know what they own is valuable and till the day a new one is released it will only get better for them.

Justino6969 > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 13:33

Unfortunately all of my dream cars are always killed. First it was the GT, now the Gumpert Apollo. I need a lotto ticket, stat.

$kaycog > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 13:42

Lovely write, VS, absolutely lovely!

///M3 Track Car > Victorious Secret
09/15/2013 at 16:37

Kinja'd!!!

That's the photo I took when I drove one several years ago. It was before I was into racing and I drove it on one of our bigger tracks in a light rain. It was an absolute beast. There was nothing else like it.

There are only two American cars that really get me excited, the GT for many reasons (more so the GT40, but still) and track prepped Corvettes. Every time a real driver brings a well prepared Corvette to the track it's like the laws of physics get temporarily suspended.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Victorious Secret
09/17/2013 at 04:56

The GT is one of my favorite cars. It feels special in a way few cars do, it had a very short run and all the cars were exactly the same because they were perfect. No special editions needed. I hope they try to do another one, with 700+ hp v8 and no hybrid system. I don't think they can make a better Ford GT though.