Ford GT an Innovation Showcase, Fields Says

DETROIT – Ford CEO Mark Fields says the introduction of the new GT supercar is not a sign the automaker is straying away from its core mission of building fuel-efficient vehicles. Rather, the new model is meant to serve as a showcase of innovations taking place within Ford.

“We’ve been working on EcoBoost performance, lightweighing, aerodynamics and technologies we have in the vehicle,” he tells WardsAuto today at the North American International Auto Show  here. “It’s representative of all this innovation we’re driving through the business.”

Ford has yet to announce details on the GT, including pricing and whether it will enter any racing competitions. The automaker does reveal the car will have a mid-mounted engine and a sleek, aerodynamic, 2-door coupe body shell.

The GT will be propelled by the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever, a next-generation twin-turbocharged V-6 producing more than 600 horsepower, Ford says.

The car also will feature advanced active aerodynamics, including a rear spoiler that automatically deploys and adjusts its height and/or pitch angle depending on conditions.

“Aerodynamics is an important part of this vehicle to improve efficiency and give it a striking design,” Fields says.

Fields says the supercar was developed over the past year and lessons learned from the program will be used on mainstream production cars.

“We put a very focused team on it to build on the building blocks of innovation,” he says. “We challenged the team. We’re a company around challenging custom and questioning tradition, and using technology where we can.”

The GT makes extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum, including a carbon-fiber passenger cell, aluminum front and rear subframes and structural carbon-fiber body panels. Ford today announces a joint venture with DowAksa, a 50-50 joint venture between Dow Chemical and Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii, to develop carbon fiber for mass-market applications.

The car’s chassis is suspended by an active racing-style torsion bar and pushrod suspension, with adjustable ride height, while the 20-in. wheels will come shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup 2 tires featuring a unique compound and structure designed specifically for the Ford GT, which is scheduled to launch late next year.

Ford today also introduces two other performance vehicles, the Shelby GT350R Mustang and the new F-150 Raptor off-road pickup.

The Shelby GT350R Mustang will be powered 5.2L V-8 engine with a flat-plane crankshaft making more than 500 horsepower and more than 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque.

To improve aerodynamics the car features a hood vent for heat extraction and lift reduction, underbody belly pans front and rear, a diffuser, vented wheel wells and turbulence-reducing fender vents, wheel air curtains and side skirts.

The limited-production Shelby GT350R will be available in the U.S. and Canada later this year.

The new Raptor boasts a high-strength steel frame and an aluminum-alloy body. It will be powered by a second-generation 3.5L EcoBoost engine rated at 411 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. (588 Nm) of torque.

The engine will be paired with an all-new 10-speed transmission for improved efficiency.

An all-new all-wheel-drive, torque-on-demand transfer case with an advanced, easier-to-use version of off-road-mode driver-assist technology, is designed to enhance trail performance, Ford says.

The new Raptor will be built at Ford’s Dearborn, MI, truck plant and go on sale in fall 2016.

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