RE: Ford unveils drop-top GT

RE: Ford unveils drop-top GT

Wednesday 2nd November 2005

Ford unveils drop-top GT

Convertible recalls Ford's racing heritage


Ford unveiled a drop-top version of the GT at the recent Los Angeles SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show. Dubbed the GT X-1, limited numbers will be produced sometime next year.

Ford GT X-1
Ford GT X-1
The GT X-1 retains the look of the hard-top but adds a pair of scoops above the engine bay, plus fairings behind the cabin occupants to act as wind deflectors. The four roof panels are removable and stow inside the car, so you can run it as either a hard-top, targa or full convertible.

It was designed by US coachbuilder Gennadi Design, who pulled in a number of accessory and aftermarket suppliers for items such as the wheels, audio system, Sparco seats and Brembo brakes. It includes a Ford Racing/Borla exhaust system, Pirelli tyres and Valencia yellow paint with tungsten silver striping, according to one report.

The car is inspired by Ford's history -- the original GT40 was itself inspired by the 1962 Mustang open-top concept and, in 1965, Ford built a handful of GT roadsters. One raced at Le Mans, while two had experimental aluminium chassis and were dubbed X-1.

According to Autocar, you'll need to stump up for a GT first -- that's £85,000 (US list price equivalent) to you, sir -- plus another £21,000 for the conversion.

Time to sell the Fezza?

Author
Discussion

4WD

Original Poster:

2,289 posts

238 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Since when was a GT 85k?

chassis 33

6,194 posts

289 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Wasn't the GT40 more of a development of the Lola Mk6 that Ford aquired when they failed to buy Ferrari?

"The car is inspired by Ford's history -- the original GT40 was itself inspired by the 1962 Mustang open-top concept"
Sounds as if the marketing department are re-writing history to suit their current advertising needs personally.

Regards
Iain

>> Edited by chassis 33 on Wednesday 2nd November 10:18

dinkel

27,178 posts

265 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Answers.com: "The design for the Lotus Europa began in 1963 with drawings by Ron Hickman, director of Lotus Engineering, for their bid on the Ford GT40 project. That contract ended up going to Lola instead, and Lotus went on to use Hickman's aerodynamic body (with a drag coefficient of .29) in their replacement for the famous Lotus 7: The Europa."

Lovely Lola btw.

PH:
Captain Chaos said:

Actually you have to give all the styling credit (and the rest of the car) to us brits. The GT40 started out as a Lola MK6, and Eric Broadley who owned Lola was tempted to Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough. There the team developed it into the GT40 Mk1 and then Broadley left as he'd had enough of Ford bureaucracy.

Hughesie2

12,592 posts

289 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
4WD said:
Since when was a GT 85k?


Like it says in the add, at the current exchange rate you can get one for £85k but need to buy it in the US and Import, i think its about £120k for a UK spec one at the moment...


So JT, you gonna upgrade then ??

Podie

46,645 posts

282 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
chassis 33 said:
Wasn't the GT40 more of a development of the Lola Mk6 that Ford aquired when they failed to buy Ferrari?




chassis 33 said:

"The car is inspired by Ford's history -- the original GT40 was itself inspired by the 1962 Mustang open-top concept"
Sounds as if the marketing department are re-writing history to suit their current advertising needs personally.


Sounds dubious, doesn't it.

The original GT (not "GT40" was a development of the Lola Mk6. The current GT was spawned from the "Living Legends" programme... which features several other cars including the Forty-Nine...

arcbeer

485 posts

270 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Probably being stupid here but I can't see how four roof panels work?

kingb

1,153 posts

233 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
That is awsome looking thing. Is it an official ford conversion though or is it just an external company modifying a standard GT. If its just a conversion could we see mr clarkson change his?? Looks nicer than the F430 but that lambo spyder i keep seeing pic of is still rather nice. Bet its more reliable than the lambo though

speedychrissie

2,994 posts

246 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all


the different roof design for some reason reminds me of the koeniggggggsseggg(sp).

anyone else?

chris

burriana

16,556 posts

261 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Bugger who designed it first ... this one's bloody gorgeous

Oh, don't you just love those Cortina rear lights on the Lola

annodomini2

6,913 posts

258 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Article said:
According to Autocar, you'll need to stump up for a GT first -- that's £85,000 (US list price equivalent) to you, sir -- plus another £21,000 for the conversion.


Hughesie2 said:
4WD said:
Since when was a GT 85k?


Like it says in the add, at the current exchange rate you can get one for £85k but need to buy it in the US and Import, i think its about £120k for a UK spec one at the moment...


So JT, you gonna upgrade then ??



I thought there were a limited number and were sold by allocation due to the interest? Unless Ford changed their minds (again!)

Sonic Nonsense

282 posts

232 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Holy crap, that's on beautiful car! How on Earth could the same people that made that make the Focus!?!?!!?!

Gorgeous wheels too!



www.sonicnonsense.com

>> Edited by Sonic Nonsense on Wednesday 2nd November 13:55

dinkel

27,178 posts

265 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all

klassiekerrally

2,543 posts

262 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Wheels are gorgeous, as is the whole car...
If I could choose between the Audi (sorry, couldn't resist) Gallardo and this...

guydw

1,651 posts

290 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
fabulous !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I want one ....



jason360hasgone

289 posts

262 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Hughesie2 said:
4WD said:
Since when was a GT 85k?


Like it says in the add, at the current exchange rate you can get one for £85k but need to buy it in the US and Import, i think its about £120k for a UK spec one at the moment...


So JT, you gonna upgrade then ??


Hmmmmm, as a purist, I prefer coupe's although the pic of it with the roof panels on looks ok at first viewing......
I wonder how Ford have managed to get around those potential problems of "leaky and squeaky" on targa type roofs.
My priorty expenditure is for a couple of mods (decent sounding exhaust and power upgrade) rather than upgrading to a targa top!








>> Edited by jason360hasgone on Wednesday 2nd November 15:59

>> Edited by jason360hasgone on Wednesday 2nd November 15:59

skint_driver

125 posts

259 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
arcbeer said:
Probably being stupid here but I can't see how four roof panels work?


There is a bit stuck to each door, so that when the door is open a chunk of the roof is missing, making it easier to get in and out.

That leaves an I shape section. Careful study of the pictures shows a shutline that runs from the top of one door section to the other, splitting the I in two across the middle of the car.

Guess

94 posts

230 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
jason360hasgone said:
Hughesie2 said:
4WD said:
Since when was a GT 85k?


Like it says in the add, at the current exchange rate you can get one for £85k but need to buy it in the US and Import, i think its about £120k for a UK spec one at the moment...


So JT, you gonna upgrade then ??


Hmmmmm, as a purist, I prefer coupe's although the pic of it with the roof panels on looks ok at first viewing......
I wonder how Ford have managed to get around those potential problems of "leaky and squeaky" on targa type roofs.
My priorty expenditure is for a couple of mods (decent sounding exhaust and power upgrade) rather than upgrading to a targa top!


This is just a concept for the SEMA show JT (think of it as a US custom car show). The design was done by Kip Ewing (Ford SVT engineer)in his spare time and executed by Genaddi Design, a private (non-Ford) company. The "leaky squeaky" bits probably haven't been addressed at this stage. Don't forget that the GT coupe is a monocoque, and they'll also have to do something dramatic to make up for the lack of rigidity once the roof panels are off - and I guess this is where Kip and the boys did the most beavering.

Borla is offering a sports exhaust & 600PS is but a chip away. The wheels are 6061 Alloy Corporation 19" at the front and 20" at the back.





>> Edited by jason360hasgone on Wednesday 2nd November 15:59

>> Edited by jason360hasgone on Wednesday 2nd November 15:59

4WD

Original Poster:

2,289 posts

238 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
It doesn't seem right to make a boulevard cruiser out of, what's supposed to be, a race car. Looks good, but it's the wrong car to base it on.

Hughesie2

12,592 posts

289 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
jason360hasgone said:
Hughesie2 said:



So JT, you gonna upgrade then ??


My priorty expenditure is for a couple of mods (decent sounding exhaust and power upgrade) rather than upgrading to a targa top!


and some driving lessons ??



Twincam16

27,646 posts

265 months

Thursday 3rd November 2005
quotequote all
'inspired by Ford's racing heritage' and 'the prototype Mustang'.

They've obviously got the wires crossed at Dearborn. The Mustang prototype had a mid-mounted V4 from the Corsair/Taunus. It never went racing and was never intended to.

Ford's racing heritage? Well, the two cars related to the original GT40 are the aforementioned Lola and the Lotus 30, which was almost like Colin Champan's take on the GT40 - pared down even more, with no roof and a little 'fly screen' wind deflector in place of a windscreen.

Now if they'd pared the new GT down Lotus-style I'd have been impressed, especially if they'd got the balls to put it into limited production as it would attract the racing cognoscenti.

But this, no matter how good it looks, is yet another case of 'the coupe was really successful so we'll chop the roof off and stick a higher price tag on it and build even less of them'. In this case I can't see how losing the roof makes the GT a better car, sorry.

Come to think of it, are Lotus, with reference to the Elise and Exige, the only company to charge more for the structural rigidity benefits of a fixed roof? Surely that's racing heritage in action!