Description
This is lot number 138 in the Bonhams Bonmont Auction on June 30th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
• Beautifully-made supercar
• Performances worthy of a race car
• A single owner from new
• Only 102 km from new
• Cancelled Swiss registration document
Ford and the GT is a long and enchanting story of passion. The third interpretation of the legendary GT40, or the second generation of the GT, was not only designed as a simple celebration of the 50th anniversary of the marque's historic victory over Ferrari in the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours. No, it was also destined to reiterate that feat, and that is just what it did.
Entered by the Chip Ganassi Racing team, the new GT snatched four top ten spots in the LM GTE class in 2016, including first and third and - once again - edged out its opponent from Maranello. The story made perfect sense. The GT emerged from a skunkworks led by Raj Nair, Ford's executive vice president, Product Development, and chief technical officer. As part of this autonomous team, a small group of enthusiasts pulled from the ranks of Dearborn, he set himself the tough goal of creating an all new supercar capable not only of winning on the circuit, but also of being built and sold as a road car, in order to be homologated for the GTE class.
For the engine, the team chose to use the Ford V6 EcoBoost as a base, a powerful, compact unit that had already been modified to produce 450 hp in the renowned F-150 Raptor, a distant cousin of the GT, which also came out of Ford Performance. The engineers added the further 197 horsepower by using turbochargers of a larger diameter and a new manifold. Of course, they mounted the engine in the central position and used a dry sump system for optimal lubrication on the track. When the Sport, Track and V-Max modes are selected, the GT activates an anti-lag system, which keeps the large turbochargers turning, ready to spring into action at any moment. Worthy of a race car!
The transaxle-mounted gearbox is a Getrag seven-speed dual-clutch, with shifts made using aluminium paddles on the steering wheel. It can also be left to shift gears as it sees fit. When launch control is activated, the GT can reach 60 mph in just 3. 2 seconds. Just like the first new retro GT in 2005, this GT Mk II is made up of a central unit and structural coachwork panels in full carbon fibre, with an aluminium subframe at the front and rear.
The independent suspension at each of the four wheels is worthy of a Formula One vehicle, with the wheels connected to torsion bars, anti-roll bars and shock absorbers via pushrods and bellcranks. The spring rate varies depending on the drive mode. In Track mode, the suspension lowers the car by two inches, helping to minimise airflow under the coachwork; in V-Max mode, with all systems optimised for maximum speed on a straight, it can reach up to 216 mph!
An active rear spoiler can be deployed, changing its height and pitch angle, and even its shape, depending on speed and on the driver's demands on it. The flaps situated on the nose of the car open and close to direct airflow as needed, thereby ensuring continuous equilibrium between front and rear downforce. Braking, handling and stability are thereby improved.
In terms of style, the lines of the GT are a meeting point of form, function and heritage. Each air intake, each panel of the coachwork contributes to its aerodynamic performances, nothing is left to chance just because it looks good. The distinctive, cathedral-inspired flying buttresses at the rear of the car channel air around the rear windshield and above the rear spoiler, thereby creating a path between the intercoolers and the engine's intake plenum. Superb! The positioning of the rear exhaust outlets with their endurance GT look is a key component of the car's style. The general design, while acting as a reminder of the original GT40, is still fresh and modern. It includes numerous touches of untreated carbon fibre, notably for the front keel and rear diffuser, the wheel rims or wing mirrors, the engine bay or the rear bonnet with their remarkable finish.
The functional interior, while elegantly presented, puts performance over luxury. As in many racing machines, the two-person passenger compartment includes carbon fibre seats to shave off weight. The steering wheel and pedals can be adjusted for the driver's comfort. The instrument cluster is digital and fully adjustable.
Production started in December 2016 at Multimatic Engineering in Markham, Ontario, with a target of 1, 000 cars to be produced over four years, later raised to 1, 350 due to high demand. It should be noted that potential purchasers were not entitled to sell their GT for 48 months.
Ford GT number J037 was delivered new and registered on 13 March 2018 in Switzerland in the canton of Valais to a leading figure in the automotive world. Its first and current owner ordered it with a fully black, sober configuration, including the wheel rims and interior, embellished with two dark orange bands running along the length of the car, as well as red brake callipers. With only 102 km on the clock, this GT has had just one owner and has in a way found itself back in the state in which it was delivered. Today it is offered with a cancelled Swiss registration document, its original documentation, its Ford Performance charger for the original lithium battery, the original and never-assembled anti-theft wheel nuts, a red made-to-measure interior cover and the original compressor/ tyre pump.
