Ford GT Comes to Shanghai Auto Show as Ultimate Showcase of Ford Innovation

New Ford GT supercar makes China debut, showcases Ford innovation through performance with advances in light-weighting, aerodynamics and ultra-efficient EcoBoost engine
Ford GT features the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever – a new twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6 producing more than 600 horsepower
Technologies and engineering on display in GT reflect technologies and engineering available across Ford’s vehicle line-up – and innovations that will benefit future Ford models across the board.

SHANGHAI -- April 20, 2015: The Ford GT landed in Shanghai today in its Chinese debut, giving visitors to Auto Shanghai 2015 a rare chance to see Ford’s ultra-high performance car in the flesh.

A technology showcase for Ford Performance innovation and the technology and engineering expertise that goes into all Ford vehicles, the GT is one of more than 12 new Ford Performance vehicles coming by 2020.

“The Ford GT highlights the very best of what Ford can accomplish using our global expertise in design and engineering, and we’re thrilled to bring it to Shanghai,” said John Lawler, chairman and CEO, Ford China. “It’s more than just a halo car. It’s a showcase of how the technologies and engineering approaches we use in all of our vehicles can come together to create the ultimate, no-compromise ultra-high performance car.”

The all-new GT supercar features rear-wheel drive, a mid-mounted engine, and a sleek, aerodynamic, two-door coupe body shell. It is propelled by the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever – a next-generation twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 producing more than 600 horsepower.

The GT makes extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon fiber and aluminum – enabling outstanding acceleration and handling with improved efficiency.

Ford’s commitment to and capability in delivering technologies typically offered only in elite vehicles is evident in the GT. These include advanced active aerodynamics, such as a deployable rear spoiler, and a host of material and technology innovations to help better serve the driver, such as SYNC^Ž 3 – the latest version of Ford’s advanced connectivity system.

“What’s most exciting about the GT is how you can find the roots of the technologies and engineering expertise it displays in our existing product line-up, just taken to an extreme,” said Trevor Worthington, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. “Whether it’s advanced connectivity in the new Ford Focus or the painstaking aerodynamic work that went into the front undershield on the new Everest, all of our vehicles display something of the GT in them.”

Lightweight revolution
Few innovations provide a more wide-ranging performance and efficiency advantage than reducing weight. All factors of a vehicle’s capabilities – acceleration, handling, braking, safety, efficiency – can improve through the use of advanced, lighter materials, which is why Ford continues to implement the use of lightweight materials like ultra-high-strength steels across its product range.

Thanks to the broad application of structural carbon fiber elements, the GT will exhibit one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any production car.

Anchored by a carbon fiber passenger cell, the GT features aluminum front and rear subframes encapsulated in structural carbon fiber body panels. Carbon fiber is one of the world’s strongest materials for its mass – enabling an ultra-stiff foundation for chassis components, while creating a lighter overall package for increased dynamic performance and efficiency.

EcoBoost power and efficiency
Ford EcoBoost technology, available in Ford vehicles across Asia Pacific, uses direct fuel injection, variable valve timing and turbocharging to delivers the power of a larger, naturally aspirated engine, with improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

Based on race-proven engine architecture serving Ford’s endurance racing efforts, the next-generation twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 in the GT features a wide powerband with impressive time-to-torque characteristics.

The engine demonstrates remarkable efficiency – a key attribute of its endurance racing-derived powertrain, where exceptional performance combined with efficiency is a critical competitive advantage.

The GT features an all-new, port/direct dual fuel-injection setup to improve engine response, plus a low-friction roller-finger-follower valvetrain. The twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 will be paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle for near-instantaneous gear changes and exceptional driver control.

Extreme aerodynamic innovation
From wing mirrors on the Ford Escort designed to reduce wind throb, to careful tuning of the Focus RS to eliminate lift forces, careful aerodynamic engineering is a crucial to all modern Fords. The GT is no different, with a highly efficient design that actively reduces drag while aiding downforce and stability.

From its optimum tear-drop shape to its aircraft-inspired fuselage and visibility-enhancing curved windshield, every slope and shape is designed to minimize drag and optimize downforce.

Although each surface on the GT is functionally crafted to manage airflow, it also features fully active aerodynamic components to improve braking, handling and stability.

An active rear spoiler is keyed to both speed and driver input, reactively deploying and adjusting its height and/or pitch angle depending on conditions.

Designed for purpose
While it shares a legacy with classic Ford racing and performance cars, GT is a fully contemporary and functional shape that communicates modernity and pure beauty.

The state-of-the-art chassis is suspended by an active racing-style torsion bar and pushrod suspension, with adjustable ride height. The 20-inch wheels are shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup 2 tires featuring a unique compound and structure designed specifically for the Ford GT. Multi-spoke wheels encircle carbon-ceramic brake discs at all four corners.

The narrow-profile canopy reduces frontal area and caps a purposeful interior that provides state-of-the-art technology to ensure control, comfort and safety. The two-seat cockpit is accessed by upward-swinging doors, and features driver and passenger seats integrated directly into the carbon fiber passenger cell.

This configuration significantly reduces seating hardware and weight, and provides a consistent and direct sensory connection to the chassis. The fixed seating is combined with adjustable pedals and steering column to accommodate a very wide range of driver statures.

An F1-style steering wheel integrates all necessary driver controls, creating a stalkless steering column that allows uncluttered access to the transmission paddle-shift controls. A fully digital and configurable instrument cluster provides a wealth of driver-focused data. The display is configurable for multiple driving environments and different driving modes.

“By showing this ultimate showcase of Ford’s capabilities here in the world’s largest auto market, we hope to inspire a new generation of enthusiasts and demonstrate how we’re bringing innovation to our customers every day,” said Worthington.