The ultra-high-performance Ford GT road car makes its Goodwood Hillclimb debut alongside the Ford Mustang GT4 race car on show in Europe for the first time, at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Ford racing drivers will take the wheel of the 216 mph (347 km/h ) Ford GT to tackle the challenging 1.16-mile (1.9-kilometre ) Goodwood Hillclimb course. All three drivers are fresh from competing at the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours in the sister Ford GT race car, where Priaulx, Tincknell and Pipo Derani grabbed the runner-up spot in the GTE Pro Class with the #67 Ford GT during a thrilling finish.
The track-ready Ford Mustang GT4 also is piloted by Billy Johnson, and Ford’s Le Mans stars are joined at Goodwood by drifting ace Vaughn Gittin Jr., returning with his bespoke Mustang RTR to participate in the festival’s first ever drift event.
Visitors to Ford’s Goodwood show stand also are able to experience for the first time in the UK or Ireland the all-new version of the country’s best-selling car; the Ford Fiesta. Ford also is showing for the first time the new Ford S-MAX ST-Line sports activity vehicle.
Ford GT hits the road
The ultra-high-performance Ford GT brings the driving experience of the Le Mans-winning Ford GT race car to the road, using innovative technologies.
Powered up the Goodwood Hillclimb for the first time by a 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine SAE rated at 647 horsepower and 550lb ft of torque in US specification, the Ford GT road car is the fastest Ford production vehicle ever.
Active aerodynamics change on demand to match different driving conditions, using moveable elements around the body, including special ducts in the front, and a large deployable wing. Hydraulic suspension can adjust ride height for optimal performance, and drivers can easily adjust the car’s settings for different scenarios with five unique Drive Modes: Normal mode, Wet mode, Sport mode, Track mode and V-Max mode.
The Ford GT’s carbon fibre construction delivers both weight savings and sleek body shapes that would not have been possible with steel or aluminium.