Ford Created the Ford GT Supercar to Test Technologies

The pioneers behind the Ford GT supercar designed it not only to win races but also to serve as a test bed for new technologies and ideas for future vehicles across the Ford line-up. “When we began work on the all-new Ford GT in 2013, the team had thre …

By: Ford | Photos Courtesy of: Ford

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The pioneers behind the Ford GT supercar designed it not only to win races but also to serve as a test bed for new technologies and ideas for future vehicles across the Ford line-up.

“When we began work on the all-new Ford GT in 2013, the team had three goals,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president of Product Development and chief technical officer. “The first was to use it as a training ground for our engineers as we develop future engine technology and stretch our understanding of aerodynamics. Then, to push the boundaries of advanced material usage, such as lightweight carbon fibre. Finally, we set out to win the Le Mans 24 Hours, referred to by many as the ultimate test of endurance and efficiency.”

Ford combined several of its performance teams – Ford SVT, Team RS, Ford Racing, performance vehicle parts and merchandise licensing – into a single group called Ford Performance. “Without this kind of integrated teamwork and combined organisation, it would have been impossible to deliver the all-new Ford GT in its current form,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “This kind of collaboration was critical to not only bringing Ford GT back to life but for experimenting with the kind of innovations needed to create the ultimate supercar.”

The 2005 Ford GT featured a lightweight aluminium alloy body that helped reduce weight to improve performance, which led to the innovative use of high-strength aluminium alloy in today’s Ford F-Series pickup trucks – shedding hundreds of kilograms of weight, while also improving capability, performance and fuel efficiency.

Tech for all

GT’s role as a technology test bed is evident throughout the supercar, with some innovations, such as carbon fibre lightweighting, serving as longer-term possibilities, while others are in production today.

Customised Drive Modes that help customers fit a vehicle’s performance to specific conditions is expanding. Ford GT’s Track mode, which is offered in the award-winning Ford Focus RS, will also feature on the all-new Fiesta ST for the first time next year.

Putting the dynamic in aerodynamics

The GT is designed to look fast standing still, and the team optimised every shape to make it as aerodynamic as possible.

A key goal was to reduce drag and optimise downforce – giving the supercar stability and grip on the track while accelerating, cornering and braking.

GT’s aerodynamics change on demand to meet varying driving conditions, thanks to moveable elements around the body, including special ducts in the front, and a large deployable wing. The flaps open and close depending on whether GT’s wing is up or down, so the car remains aerodynamically balanced from front to back at all speeds. When the wing is up, the ducts close to increase downforce; when the wing is down, the ducts open to decrease downforce.

The supercar’s wing includes all-new Ford technology – a patent-pending design that changes the shape of the aerofoil for maximum efficiency when fully deployed. The unique design also includes a small gurney flap which, when combined with the shape change, results in a 14 per cent improvement in overall efficiency.

The compact six-cylinder design of the car’s EcoBoost engine aids GT’s aerodynamics, and allowed the team to taper its fuselage to more efficient dimensions than a larger V8 configuration engine would have allowed. The low placement of the engine’s turbochargers and outboard placement of the turbo intercoolers ahead of the rear wheels help to taper the fuselage around the engine.

The GT’s aerodynamics produce positive downforce in all conditions. At high ride height, the downforce has a balance of 30 per cent front. In low ride height, the downforce balance is maintained at 29 per cent front.

Slimming down

Ford is working with partners, including Multimatic and DowAksa, to develop new ways to enable faster, high-volume production of carbon fibre parts in the future.

For example, GT’s iconic ‘flying buttresses’ that extend from the roof to the rear bumper would not be possible using steel or aluminium because of the limitations of conventional metal stamping. Yet, carbon fibre can be shaped into complex geometric designs because it is cut to a specific shape as a cloth and strengthened by curing at a high temperature.

Fuelling the GT engine – and beyond

The Ford GT’s 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine is the company’s most powerful EcoBoost ever, delivering 647 horsepower.* It was developed alongside the GT race engine and the 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine used in the F-150 Raptor high-performance off-road pickup, which shares almost 60 per cent of its parts with GT’s engine.

“We pushed the engine’s limits beyond what we might consider in traditional development programs, which is important as we continue to advance EcoBoost technology as a centerpiece of the company’s global lineup,” said Bob Fascetti, Ford vice president, powertrain engineering.

The team also created innovative anti-lag turbo technology that can help maximise the GT’s ability to power out of corners. This technology works by keeping the throttle open when the driver is not pressing the accelerator pedal. The fuel injectors are off, but turbo speed and boost are maintained for faster engine response and acceleration as soon as the driver hits the accelerator pedal.

To further improve engine performance, GT features an all-new port and direct dual fuel-injection setup to enhance engine response. The engine is paired with a responsive seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle for near instantaneous gear changes and exceptional driver control.

Get low

“All of the weight savings and engine advancements served a singular purpose – creating the fastest, most-efficient Ford GT ever,” Pericak said. “Once that was achieved, we reinvested some of those weight savings in truly innovative technology that made the car even faster and more fun to drive.”

These technologies include GT’s hydraulic suspension, which changes ride height with a turn of the knob that adjusts Drive Modes.

The suspension lowers the supercar from Normal mode into Track mode – a 50mm difference the driver can see and feel. Track mode raises the wing and closes the front splitter ducts, delivering optimal downforce for spirited, closed-course driving.

When the GT changes modes from high to low ride height, changes in spring rates, matching damper settings, and active aerodynamics, come together to create two unique cars in one.

Another feature of the hydraulic suspension – front-lift mode – helps GT clear speedbumps and driveways. The driver can raise the front of the car on demand at speeds below 25 mph. The system automatically returns to normal lower ride height when it reaches 25 mph.

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