Ford returning to Le Mans with the new Ford GT

Stingray · 06-12-2015, 10:25 AM

From AUTOWEEK:

The headline a few days ago definitely caught our eye: “Ford to Announce Significant Performance News this Week.” The Ford of Europe release went on to say no less than Bill Ford, president and CEO Mark Fields and product development group VP Raj Nair would host an event at 9 a.m. Eastern Friday, June 12 “regarding Ford Performance.”

The long-awaited announcement? The blue oval is returning to Le Mans.

We’ve been following the Ford-back-to-Le Mans rumors since mid-December 2014, a month before the Detroit auto show, where Ford showed its GT successor as a production car.

At that time, sources close to the program told Autoweek an announcement was coming -- in addition to the street car, Ford is working the GT into a full factory-backed racing effort in 2016, including two cars in the Tudor United SportsCar Championship and, significantly, next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and the full 2016 World Endurance Championship series. Making the announcement on the eve of this weekend’s Le Mans race made perfect sense.

IndyCar, NASCAR and Tudor Series Chip Ganassi Racing (of secret testing tunnel fame) is anchoring the two-car assault, starting with the ‘16 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Since Ganassi is Ford’s lone Prototype-class rep in U.S. sports-car racing, campaigning a Riley-Ford EcoBoost Daytona Prototype, this too makes perfect sense. Ganassi was on hand at Le Mans for the announcement and is also the team on the WEC effort.

Word is that Multimatic Motorsports is building the racers. Ford’s worked with Multimatic for more than 20 years. Ganassi said “we’re not prepared to announce a driver lineup yet,” but word has it that veteran Californian driver Scott Pruett is leading the car’s on-track development. Pruett and Ganassi have won five championships in Grand-Am’s Daytona Prototype class and Pruett is also a former Le Mans winner -- in 2001 he drove a Chevrolet Corvette with Johnny O’Connell and Ron Fellows. We wouldn’t be surprised if Joey Hand was in the mix with Pruett, so Ford has a top-notch all-American lineup in at least one car in France next year. Other GT drivers remain to be determined. “There’s quite a line outside the door,” Ganassi said.

Running Le Mans in ’16 is no coincidence, coming as it does 50 years after Ford’s GT40 Mk. II won the world’s biggest sports-car race with Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon piloting the winning car. They lead a GT40 sweep of the top-three finishing positions and capped Henry Ford II’s well-documented feud with Enzo Ferrari. Ford’s first Le Mans try was 1923.

So as the new Ford GT supercar program gears up to battle the GTLM class’ Porsches, Chevys, Ferraris, Astons and BMWs globally, there’s arguably no better way for Ford to re-establish itself as a serious performance-car player.

It’s certainly a great way to celebrate 2016’s 50th anniversary of the company’s first Le Mans overall win.

shaffe · 06-12-2015, 10:30 AM

Looks awesome!!!! Loving the red white and blue

FenwickHockey65 · 06-12-2015, 10:33 AM

Paint scheme looks great!

BaylorCamaro · 06-12-2015, 10:40 AM

Sweet looking ride!

xc_SS/RS · 06-12-2015, 10:41 AM

The diffuser looks crazy. Also, smiley face on the rear of the car

Stingray · 06-12-2015, 11:09 AM

The rear instantly reminded me of Angry Birds' nemesis... them bad piggies!

Quote:

Originally Posted by xc_SS/RS

The diffuser looks crazy. Also, smiley face on the rear of the car

xc_SS/RS · 06-12-2015, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray

The rear instantly reminded me of Angry Birds' nemesis... them bad piggies!

Lol so true. Kinda funny looking.

Ragnar · 06-12-2015, 12:38 PM

Top view looks awesome with that paint scheme!

GretchenGotGrowl · 06-12-2015, 12:50 PM

I so what to see a GT in person.

StigsAmericanCousin · 06-12-2015, 12:56 PM

This is like a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to the face wrapped in an American flag.

chain777 · 06-12-2015, 03:17 PM

Number 3 · 06-12-2015, 06:44 PM

How are they getting around homologation? The car won't be in production but doesn't appear they are running in the prototype class. Giving Ford a pass?????

xc_SS/RS · 06-12-2015, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 3

How are they getting around homologation? The car won't be in production but doesn't appear they are running in the prototype class. Giving Ford a pass?????

They have to build 100 units which should be fairly easy for Ford to do.

shine2013 · 06-12-2015, 08:01 PM

Wow. Here's hoping it does well. Gotta support Americana.

06-12-2015, 10:25 AM	#1
Stingray just can't get enough Drives: a bunch of fast toys... Join Date: May 2012 Location: SoFla Posts: 3,598 View My Garage	Ford returning to Le Mans with the new Ford GT From AUTOWEEK: The headline a few days ago definitely caught our eye: “Ford to Announce Significant Performance News this Week.” The Ford of Europe release went on to say no less than Bill Ford, president and CEO Mark Fields and product development group VP Raj Nair would host an event at 9 a.m. Eastern Friday, June 12 “regarding Ford Performance.” The long-awaited announcement? The blue oval is returning to Le Mans. We’ve been following the Ford-back-to-Le Mans rumors since mid-December 2014, a month before the Detroit auto show, where Ford showed its GT successor as a production car. At that time, sources close to the program told Autoweek an announcement was coming -- in addition to the street car, Ford is working the GT into a full factory-backed racing effort in 2016, including two cars in the Tudor United SportsCar Championship and, significantly, next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and the full 2016 World Endurance Championship series. Making the announcement on the eve of this weekend’s Le Mans race made perfect sense. IndyCar, NASCAR and Tudor Series Chip Ganassi Racing (of secret testing tunnel fame) is anchoring the two-car assault, starting with the ‘16 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Since Ganassi is Ford’s lone Prototype-class rep in U.S. sports-car racing, campaigning a Riley-Ford EcoBoost Daytona Prototype, this too makes perfect sense. Ganassi was on hand at Le Mans for the announcement and is also the team on the WEC effort. Word is that Multimatic Motorsports is building the racers. Ford’s worked with Multimatic for more than 20 years. Ganassi said “we’re not prepared to announce a driver lineup yet,” but word has it that veteran Californian driver Scott Pruett is leading the car’s on-track development. Pruett and Ganassi have won five championships in Grand-Am’s Daytona Prototype class and Pruett is also a former Le Mans winner -- in 2001 he drove a Chevrolet Corvette with Johnny O’Connell and Ron Fellows. We wouldn’t be surprised if Joey Hand was in the mix with Pruett, so Ford has a top-notch all-American lineup in at least one car in France next year. Other GT drivers remain to be determined. “There’s quite a line outside the door,” Ganassi said. Running Le Mans in ’16 is no coincidence, coming as it does 50 years after Ford’s GT40 Mk. II won the world’s biggest sports-car race with Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon piloting the winning car. They lead a GT40 sweep of the top-three finishing positions and capped Henry Ford II’s well-documented feud with Enzo Ferrari. Ford’s first Le Mans try was 1923. So as the new Ford GT supercar program gears up to battle the GTLM class’ Porsches, Chevys, Ferraris, Astons and BMWs globally, there’s arguably no better way for Ford to re-establish itself as a serious performance-car player. It’s certainly a great way to celebrate 2016’s 50th anniversary of the company’s first Le Mans overall win.

06-12-2015, 10:33 AM	#3
FenwickHockey65 General Motors Aficionado Drives: 2023 GMC Canyon, 2023 Expedition Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 37,375 View My Garage	Paint scheme looks great! __________________ 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation 2023 Ford Expedition SSV (State-Issued)

06-12-2015, 10:40 AM	#4
BaylorCamaro Track > 1/4 Mile Drives: 2016 C7 Z51 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: League City, TX Posts: 6,072 View My Garage	Sweet looking ride! __________________ Automotive YouTube Channel / Texas World Speedway / MSR Houston

06-12-2015, 10:41 AM	#5
xc_SS/RS Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: somewhere in MD Posts: 4,883	The diffuser looks crazy. Also, smiley face on the rear of the car __________________ 2010 2SS/RS Z/28 intake, NW, FAST 102, speed engineering LT's, some exhaust, ATI -10% pulley, GM flex fuel injectors, DSX flex fuel sensor, MGW shifter, HP Tuners, some suspension work, stickers and a little weight loss. 12.63 @113.53

06-12-2015, 12:38 PM	#8
Ragnar Destroyed by flooding Drives: Wife's car Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 4,672	Top view looks awesome with that paint scheme! __________________

06-12-2015, 10:30 AM	#2
shaffe Drives: 21 Bronco Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Carol Stream Posts: 6,043	Looks awesome!!!! Loving the red white and blue

06-12-2015, 12:50 PM	#9
GretchenGotGrowl Drives: 11 F150 EB/13 Sonic RS/15 Z06 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 7,127 View My Garage	I so what to see a GT in person. __________________ New Ride -- 2015 Z06 2LZ (stock) -- Journal Old Ride -- 2012 Camaro 2LT/RS (647 RWHP & 726 RWTQ) -- Build Thread

06-12-2015, 12:56 PM	#10
StigsAmericanCousin Drives: Fast, Fun and Loud Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Kommunist Kalifornia Posts: 32	This is like a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to the face wrapped in an American flag.

06-12-2015, 03:17 PM	#11
chain777 Drives: Slow Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Chicago,Illinois Posts: 560

06-12-2015, 06:44 PM	#12
Number 3 Hail to the King baby! Drives: '19 XT4 2.0T & '22 VW Atlas 2.0T Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 12,301 View My Garage	How are they getting around homologation? The car won't be in production but doesn't appear they are running in the prototype class. Giving Ford a pass????? __________________ "Speed, it seems to me, provides the one genuinely modern pleasure." - Aldous Huxley

06-12-2015, 08:01 PM	#14
shine2013 Drives: 2008 Mustang GT Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Memphis Posts: 378	Wow. Here's hoping it does well. Gotta support Americana. __________________ For Marvel movie news, DC movie news, anime discussions, and Transformers movie news sub to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoJ...XIINWm1ooc3rLg