Ramblings/Thoughts on the 2016 Ford GT

"deprecated account" (savethei4s)
05/15/2015 at 18:02 • Filed to: RANT OF THE DAY, FORD GT

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Hello everyone,

I have a bone to pick with Ford’s marketing/placement of EcoBoost engines. I understand that smaller, turbo’d engines are the future and all, but (and we can actually say “thanks, Obama” on this one) they wouldn’t be if it weren’t for CAFE. While Obama didn’t implement CAFE initially, the raise of these standards (under his administration) is, in part, the reason for this trend. I’m all for “the future” and all that stuff, but the reason a GT like this is sacrilege is because it’s not what the GT is supposed to be like. People get angry when car guys talk about the new GT tarnishing the the GT name’s heritage. What’s so bad about heritage when that heritage won races (at least the GT40 did), and was loved by quite a few notable gearheads (Clarkson and $kay, just to name a few)?

Ford could have easily put the 2013-4 GT500 engine (modified, of course) in that body (which almost makes me forgive them because just look at it) with a 6-speed or, heck, even a 7-speed manual, but NOOOOOOOO! IT’S GONNA KILL THE POLAR BEARS AND ENVIRONMENT AND WHALES AND BLAH BLAH BLAH! And look what we get: a twin-turbo V-freaking-6 and a 9(???)-speed auto? I’ll pass. This isn’t an issue of the car’s appearance. I’m not saying they should have made it look exactly like the last one (In fact, I’m glad they didn’t), but if Ford wants this GT to appeal to the same people that liked the 2004-6 one, then they’ve failed. The thing that’s sad is: that’s not what they’re trying to do. Ford is using EcoBoost (Say EcoBoost again. I dare you. ) to pander to people that care about saving the whales and stuff like that, as opposed to catering to those who can actually afford a car like this. They can use EcoBoost those engines in economy/normal cars all that they want, but please, Ford, keep them out of real enthustist cars. Give us something exciting that we can be wholly enthusiastic about.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is the author of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . He divides his time between debating sensitive politico-automotive topics on the internet and pretending to have an actual social life. Also, he wrote this bio in a similar fashion to a certain Doug DeMuro.

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BTW, I’m not trying to start some huge political and/or brand loyalist circle-jerk here, just venting my thoughts. Please post your REASONED DISCOURSE in the comments section. Thank you.

DISCUSSION (23)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:00

I do not think the people buying the new GT will be polar-bear hugging hippies. They will be car guys, but not the sort of car guys that will demand only the purest, rawest of fire-breathing monsters. People like Jay Leno, who appreciate any car as long as it’s a good one. I know of one gentleman near me who has an ‘05 GT. And a MkII GT40. And a 427 Sheby Cobra. He can’t wait for this new one.

deprecated account > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/15/2015 at 18:02

Fair point.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:09

Kinja'd!!!

Here’s your V8.

deprecated account > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!
05/15/2015 at 18:12

/relevant

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GhostZ > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:18

I’m mostly here to point out how horrible it is to see Tyler Perry associated with a Tarantino movie quote.

I think it comes down to the fact that the Modular block the Coyote and Voodoo engines are based on are undersquare, limiting their power potential at high RPMs.

I’m guessing that the Voodoo engine wasn’t used mostly due to a rights and production debate between Ford proper and Shelby... and inability to get more power out of it without forced induction, which would make it heavier and rev lower and weigh more than the Ecoboost V6.

Really, at 8250 RPM and 5.2l, how the hell do you get more power without forced induction? You can’t increase the stroke without dropping the revs, you can’t increase the revs, and you can’t increase the bore without blowing a cylinder wall. No one was going to buy a 520 (or even 530) HP Ford GT.

This means that you needed a turbo Coyote, which was going to weigh more and rev lower than a turbo Ecoboost. From a performance standpoint, there’s no reason to go with the Modular engine. Why overstress an experimental engine that is harder to fit, weighs more, requires more redesign, gets the same power but is much rougher and less advanced? It’s not fitting for a Halo car.

If Ford had a 4+ inch bore OHV V8 like Chevy does, sure, they could easily put out a 600 HP N/A engine (probably 4x3.75, 6.2 liters, at 7500 RPM) but they don’t and they lack any block to build one out of.

deprecated account > GhostZ
05/15/2015 at 18:21

Who says ya gotta go turbo? The GT500 engine is supercharged, anyway. And, as far as the movie quotation, I apologize for my ignorance.

Birddog > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:25

Autoblopnik kinda hit the nail on the head with the new GT.

It really doesn’t mater what powers it. They’re all going to sit in sususpended animation for years.

deprecated account > Birddog
05/15/2015 at 18:26

Unfortunately, you are correct.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:27

RallyWrench > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:28

Hard to justify putting an old-hat V8 (amazing though it may be) in a brand new halo car, then justify a development and racing program if you’re not going to learn something from it with road car relevance across a wide range well into the future. The V6 is the only justifiable option, and I applaud them for it. We have to get more efficient and use less fuel, CAFE standards or not, period. Start at the top with the supercars, and every other model will benefit.

GhostZ > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:29

The GT500 engine is way too tall (height is a major restriction wit the GT’s design, I mean, look at it!) because of the added supercharger on top of the intake, and it weighs more.

Again, the goal here is not big power, it’s light weight. The GT is fast because it’s supposed to be around 3000lbs or so.

Why ruin your aero and add 100lbs to the car for an engine that is on its way out and has been used for years, when you have one that is both more modern and has a lot more life in its development?

I have no doubt in my mind they can hit 700HP with the 3.5l Ecoboost if they pushed it. The ecoboost line has been consistently underrated, and even the SHO models can hit 600HP with strengthened internals, higher octane fuel, and a turbo swap. Direct Injection is a powerful thing.

deprecated account > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
05/15/2015 at 18:31

Kinja'd!!!

GhostZ > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:36

What I would like to see is a V8 Ecoboost engine. Same dimensions as the V6 Ecoboost and you’d have a 4.8l engine that was capable of 13.5 psi minimum, giving it about 600HP in its most docile version. Crank the boost up to Ford GT levels and we’re looking at a 800HP engine.

deprecated account > GhostZ
05/15/2015 at 18:36

Didn’t think about the height issue. I guess there are a lot of issues I didn’t think about. It’s just so.... ughh. Fine.

deprecated account > GhostZ
05/15/2015 at 18:40

Kinja'd!!!

BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON’T CALL IT ECOBOOST! YOU HEAR ME, FORD???

GhostZ > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:45

Yeah the branding is fucking stupid. It doesn’t even make better MPG than most cars.

But then again, I’m certainly not going to complain about a factory engine that is massively underrated on power, but overrated on MPG.

deprecated account > GhostZ
05/15/2015 at 18:47

My brother wrote this awhile back about the lack of Eco in EcoBoost. It’s crazy that they don’t get slapped with a lawsuit like Hyundai did that time.

GhostZ > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 18:54

But then again, US companies are sort of known for giving stupid brand names to simple technology. Torqueflite? Positraction?

deprecated account > GhostZ
05/15/2015 at 18:57

Aaaaannndd then there’s Mercedes

Magic Sky control

4Matic

7G-Tronic

Air Scarf

Who comes up with this scheisse?

Hot Takes Salesman > deprecated account
05/15/2015 at 19:15

I'm just waiting for the GTE Le Mans win to validate the new GT

deprecated account > Hot Takes Salesman
05/15/2015 at 19:16

We shall see.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Hot Takes Salesman
05/15/2015 at 19:56

It doesn’t need to. Audi is winning for years with a V6. Porsche could win with a four cylinder.

Instead of going bigger, today is much better to go smarter. It’s only a matter of time before Toyota realizes that a smaller ICE unit leaves more power for the electric engines, requiring less fuel and less pit stops. Even if Toyota’s WEC V8 engine is miles ahead of what you can find in Corvette or Mustang.

Axial > deprecated account
05/16/2015 at 03:36

Why the supercharged 5.2 liter from the GT500 and not the flat-plane Voodoo engine from the new GT350?