FORDGTMkII
byJORDANKATSIANISAt the Mk II’s core, the carbonfibre-tubbed
chassis, aluminiumsubframes and composite
bodywork are all shared with boththe road car and
racer. However, the 3497cc twin-turboV6 engine
has been liberated from its BoP shackles and now
produces 700bhp– 200bhpmore than the race car,
and 53bhpmore than the road car. The extra power
is courtesy of an electronic overhaul,and the fi nal
fi gure demonstrates just how heavily reined in the
LMGTE-Pro version is.
To keep the powertrain cool, the outboard
air-to-air charge-coolers now feature an atomised
water vapour injection system, whilethe racer’s
roof-mounted scoop addsto the updated cooling
package, not to mentionthe Mk II’s aesthetic.
A recalibrated version of the seven-speed Getrag
dual-clutch transmission from the road-going GT is
used, rather than the six-speed Ricardo sequential
’box from the racer, and the 394mmfront and
360mmrear carbon-ceramicBrembobrakes have
also been taken from the road car.
The wheels are new forged 19-inchitems. The
road car’s optionalcarbonfibre rims won’t be
offered due to the muchhigherloads generated
by the Mk II’s standard MichelinPilot SportGT
race slicks. The transverse pushrod suspension
is derived from the road car’s set-up, but where
that has electronically adjustable dampers and
springs, allowing changes to the ride stiffne ss and
heightfrom withinthe cabin, the Mk II has a simpler
arrangementwith fi ve-way-adjustable Multimatic
DSSV dampers and a low, fi xed ride height.
The aero package takes its inspirationfrom the
racer and is centred arounda new static dual-
elementrear wing.This replaces the active unit
from the road car but produces more downforce
than the fi xed item on the racer. To balance this
out, Ford has also redesigned the front splitter and
supplemented it with new dive planes and vented
front wheelarches. The result is a huge 400 per cent
increase in total downforce compared to the road
car, whichin combinationwith those slick tyres
gives a lateral grip peak of 2G.
The already snuginterior is mostly unchanged,
save for a new Sparco racing bucket seat and six-
pointsafety harness. A passenger seat is optional.
The standard dials have also been replaced by a
Motec data display, whichdoubles as a screen for
the reversing camera – now essential with that roof
snorkel blockingthe view rearwards. Weight savings
throughout, not least the removal of the road car’s
complex adjustable ride-heightsystem, see the
Mk II tip the scales at 1356kg with fl uids – that’s a
saving of over 100kg compared to the road car.
Just 45 examples of the GT Mk II will be produced,
with prices starting at $1.2million(£946,000). Each
car will have its initialconstruction take place at
the mainFord GT plantat MultimaticMotorsport
in Ontario, Canada,before fi nal assemblyand
calibrationat a specialist facility on the same site.
This type of ultimate supercar, one not
homologated for eitherroad or race applications,
may seem like a tiny sliver of a market to aim for,
but just as the originalGT40 took on and, in 1966,
eventuallybeat Ferrari at la Sarthe,so a track-only
supercar could be seen as a threat to the Prancing
Horse’s similarcreations.A head-to-head between
the Ford GT Mk II and Ferrari’s P80/C soundslike the
perfect way to settle it...
Below left:roll-caged interior is stripped back to the race-car basics.
Above:rear wingcontributesto a 400 per cent increase in downforce over the standard GT