Ford unveiled a new GT supercar at Detroit with an output of more than 600bhp generated by a twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 engine.
The carbon-fibre body sparkled like a blue gem as executive chairman Bill Ford and chief executive Mark Fields announced that it would go into production next year.
Ford plans to return to Le Mans as well, according to people within the company. Ford said it developed the car in just a year, which is fast for an industry that typically takes three years to bring a car to market. “This car literally is a showcase for all the innovation and technology we put in across our product line,” Fields said. “In the car business, it’s about making people’s hearts pound.”
Ford also unveiled a new F-150 Raptor and the Shelby GT350R at the Detroit auto show. The company said it will offer 12 performance vehicles by 2020. Fields was the driving force behind the new GT and it is the car that heralds the return of the brand to Le Mans next year on the 50th anniversary of Ford’s historic win at the legendary European endurance race.
While a GT would sell in small numbers, the impact on Ford's image for styling and engineering could be large. "Ford wants to put some pizazz in its product line," Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst with AutoTrader.com, said. "It's a reflection of the mood of the market. The economy is better, people have money and it's OK to consumer conspicuously again." Ford's last GT stopped selling in 2006 and sold just over 4,000 models in two years on the market.
- Bloomberg