The new Ford GT, America’s most anticipated new supercar, has just become a contender in the lightweight super-exclusive market that has, until now, been dominated by the likes of the Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini. And from the looks of things, the competition has a lot to be afraid of.
Ford unveiled, by way of their car configurator, a whole new classification for their newly developed GT. It’s called the Competition Series, and it aims to make the already powerful GT even more nimble by employing the simple yet effective tactic of adding lightness.
According to Ford, the Competition Series is the “highest performing version of the Ford GT road car and the closest one can get to experiencing the car that won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
The way they accomplish this is with an abundance of sheer minimalism. The heavy-ass air conditioning and sound systems are gone, as is the glass engine hatch cover, which was replaced by perspex and a manual latch.
The front bulkhead glass, instead of your standard automotive-grade laminated affair that weighs more than most children, is made from Gorilla Glass, the same glass on the screens in many of the smartphones on the market today. This addition should be great in case your Ford GT falls out of your pocket accidentally.
The wheels, usually constructed out of lightweight aluminum, are instead made with wafer-light carbon fiber and the even the lug nuts are made from titanium, to save the equivalent of a heavy pair of socks from the car’s unsprung weight.
The carbon fiber shenanigans don’t end there, as the dashboard and door sills are made of exposed carbon fiber, and the stripe that makes the look of the GT is laid in bare carbon, as opposed to the painted versions on the heavier Heritage Series GTs.
The instrument panel and bezel is unique and differs from the standard car, although it was unspecified by Ford as to exactly how. My money’s on a fancy logo and different colors adorning the readout when in motion.
Perhaps red would be the standout color for the multifunction cluster, as it’s the universal color of fast, and also the matching color of the Competition Series-only anodized bits that make up the spartan interior.
The rest of the interior is made of lightweight dark alcantara, which should be right at home for cars in this unique market.
Although no power figures have yet been released by Ford, I expect that even at the stock 647 horsepower power figure, the GT Competition Series will be one hell of a thorn in the side of any Porsche owner that thinks their GT3 RS is the last word in lightweight, supercar-killing performance around a race track.
Pricing, availability, and exclusivity have also not been disclosed yet, but expect this model to be the one to get by those lucky enough to have bank account balances that look like social security numbers.
Now, please excuse me while I make a mad dash to the corner store, there are several lottery tickets with my name on them.
(UPDATE: Changed pictures to reflect Ford’s updated Car Configurator)