It was a secret bunker – until Ford opened the gates to a group of journalists that is. The place in question is the workshop where the heir of the legendary GT40 took shape.
Skunk Works was the term given to the secret team that worked on the stealth project at Lockheed in the eighties. The team produced aircrafts that were invisible to radar, giving the American armed forces an incredible competitive advantage over the Soviet Union during the Cold War. History and wars aside, today, auto manufacturers work in a similar manner – in secret laboratories that is. Alfa Romeo, for instance, created a similar kind of working atmosphere with as many as 200 engineers while developing the Giulia. And Ford has done much the same with its GT project.
At Dearborn, where the Blue Oval’s headquarters are located, there’s a hidden basement. For over 15 months, a confidential group of privileged men and women – a total of just twenty people between designers and engineers – got access of this facility to work on their latest project. Given the high-stakes investment, this extreme caution was warranted. And that’s because the outcome of this mysterious endeavour was very special indeed. It was, of course, the new GT – the latest heir of the legendary GT40. The original was a racer that, against all odds, took the fight to Ferrari and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 (this year is its fiftieth anniversary), as well in ‘67, ‘68 and ‘69. The latest incarnation represents the third iteration, after its remake in 2004.
Ford unveiled the new GT last year at the Detroit Motor Show, accompanied by an impressive spec sheet – its architecture incorporates aluminium and carbon fibre, the 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost motor pumps out more than 600bhp, and a 7-speed double-clutch transmission releases all of that furiously to the rear tyres. Now, one year after it was first showcased, once the dust has settled, Ford decided to open the security doors to the bunker where its latest sports car project was conceived. And we were one of the few lucky ones to enter the facility!
ONLY 12 DESIGNERS OUT OF 600
The GT project was to remain hidden from prying eyes – not only from the outside world, but also from within Ford’s own workforce as well. Only three-dozen people within the company knew about this project, including the 20 workers. They were also the only ones to have access to the laboratory – not through magnetic or electronic codes, but simply by using a metal key. Everybody could guess that something big was cooking inside, which inevitably meant exposing the group of these few privileged workers to collective envy. In fact, only 12 out of the 600 active designers were part of it, and the number of involved engineers were even less. But these men have been far more efficient than a larger group. Within 15 months, the new GT went from concept to production form. And that’s even more surprising considering the fact that this is a clean-sheet design. The previous model, in 2004, was nothing more than a reinterpretation of the original car from the sixties – thus it only required channelling the creativity of the designers within certain parameters. The latest version follows a completely opposite approach – there was more freedom from the very beginning. But, then, as a consequence, a lot more work was involved too.
The GT40’s heritage has clearly been used as a source of inspiration for the new project. And perhaps that’s why it’s also set to mark Ford’s return to Le Mans. And this meant engineers and designers had the challenging task of making an extremely light body – hence, a choice of materials that included magnesium and plastic reinforced by carbon fibre, as well as aluminium and also steel where required. Of course, aerodynamics also played a role in its development. This was done using plenty of computer simulations, in a sort of a virtual wind tunnel – since using a real one would have attracted prying eyes. To replicate the success of the original, Ford was aware of the importance of both efficiency and mechanical reliability in the new car, leading the engineers to choose a V6 EcoBoost over a thumping V8. The EcoBoost engine is no slouch though – it combines the advantages of turbocharging and direct injection. For road-holding, it has a push rod suspension setup (with horizontal springs and dampers), which has come straight from the racetrack. And the brakes, as expected, are carbon ceramic – allowing for greater stopping force and more resistance to fading.
ONLY 250 PER YEAR
The upshot of all this work is embodied by the prototype launched at Detroit in 2015, which is almost ready for production. The next step is series production – Ford suggests that cars will hit the streets in the US by the end of the year. On display, in the lab, are the clay concepts from 2015 and the final homologation version side-by-side. And seeing one alongside the other demonstrates just how little has changed from concept to production. Ford’s Design Director, Chris Svensson, explains, “What we did on the GT has been special work on a special car, as one would see in the case of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini.” And its exclusivity is further reflected by its limited production – only 250 samples will drive off the assembly line each year during the new GT’s five year lifecycle. That means, worldwide, there will be only 1,250 privileged buyers who’ll be lucky enough to own one of these legendary beasts. Speaking of which, more than 500 units have already been spoken for!
A view of the secret bunker where the GT was brought to life. The final version, in grey, has only a few aesthetic changes compared to the concept (which is in a white lacquered finish).
RETURN TO THE TRACK
The original GT40 tells a story that seems to combine myth with reality, which began with four victories at Le Mans – from 1966 to 1969.
1964
Henry Ford II desperately wanted to challenge, and beat, Ferrari at Le Mans – which led to the birth to the first GT40. His efforts were rewarded two years later when Ford trumped Ferrari in 1966 at Le Mans.
2004
Celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the GT40, 4,083 units of the 2nd gen GT were produced. It featured a 5.4-litre V8 generating 550bhp.
2016
Much more original, and featuring a V6 engine, is its latest edition. Shown here is the race car that will compete at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans this June.
In these photos, you can see some phases of the prototype manufacturing process. On the left is a milling machine that’s carving out the GT’s shape, while below you can see the dashboard being assembled.
A TIGHT FIT
Slightly tall or overweight? Forget about getting inside the GT – this car isn’t for you. Once on board, the space is very limited. The best way to explain the new Ford GT would be to say that it’s worn like a second skin, or a dress – a tight fit at that. Driver and passenger seats are virtually touching each other, and the steering wheel is tiny so you don’t hit your elbow on the door while manoeuvring the steering. The seat is fixed – only the pedal-board and the steering column can be adjusted (like in the previous-gen model) by about 20 centimetres. As you may have guessed by now, it’s quite ‘driver oriented.’ That also explains the sea of switches on the steering wheel, including the traction control and drive mode dials – similar to Ferrari’s manettino switch. In the most extreme setting, the GT is only 50mm off the ground. Inside, the dashboard is minimalistic and features limited distractions – the touch screen in the centre measures only 3.5 inches.
© Riproduzione riservata
Write your Comment