Just days after we reported on a new Ford GT “Competition Series” that the Blue Oval might have had in the works, it’s here; Ford revealed the harder-core, lighter-weight variant of the Ford GT supercar earlier today in Daytona Beach, Florida, ahead of the 2017 Daytona 500.
“The Ford GT has racing in its blood,” says Ford Executive VP of Global Product Development and CTO Raj Nair. “The Competition Series was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match.”
The Ford GT Competition Series’ weight-saving measures include an engine hatch cover made of Perspex® acrylic with a manual latch and a carbon-fiber prop rod, and Gorilla Glass® bulkhead glass (behind the driver) that’s about half as thick as on the regular model. Some lightweight parts that are optional on other, less-focused models – such as carbon-fiber wheels, titanium lug nuts, and a titanium exhaust – are standard on the Competition model.
Meanwhile, basic creature comforts like the air-conditioning, audio system, storage bins and cupholders have been removed, but the active suspension and aerodynamic systems, as well as the FIA-certified steel roll cage, remain in place.
The Matter Of Aesthetics
Stylistically, the new Ford GT Competition Series dons an appearance fitting of its hardcore specification. The door mirror caps, the a-pillars, and even the racing stripe are all gloss-finish carbon-fiber weave. The special-edition car can be ordered in one of six paint colors: Shadow Black, Frozen White, Ingot Silver, Liquid Blue, Liquid Grey, or Triple Yellow.
Negotiate your way into the cabin, and you’ll be treated to more exposed carbon fiber, on the console, door sills, and HVAC registers. A red, anodized instrument panel badge and matching paddle shifters punctuate an otherwise muted color palette.
The new Ford GT Competition Series will be available through all four announced years of GT production – in North America, at least. Ford hasn’t yet revealed how much weight has been shed versus the “basic” variant of the supercar, but stay tuned.
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