V6-engined GT never intended, says Ford CEO

author: FutureCar Staff    

Ford CEO Jim Farley recently revealed that the V6-engined GT was never intended to be produced. The original plan was for a Mustang racecar to win the GT class at Le Mans in 2016, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Ford's first Le Mans victory. Ford partnered with Multimatic to create the Ford GT, which went on to win the LM GTE-Pro class and also became a production road car.

Surprisingly, the GT was not meant to be a reality. Farley disclosed that the intention was for the Mustang to win Le Mans in 2016. Ford had discussions with Multimatic and sanctioning bodies like IMSA about the feasibility of a Mustang winning the race. However, it became clear that the Mustang's silhouette would not be competitive enough, as it would rely too heavily on the ACO and French regulators.

Instead of pursuing the Mustang, Ford made a drastic change in direction. They collaborated with Multimatic and Larry Holt to design the Ford GT. Farley admitted that the original idea was never to create a new GT, but rather to achieve Le Mans victory with the Mustang. However, the GT project turned out to be a major success for Ford.

Despite not initially having a road car for sale, the Ford GT performed exceptionally well on the racetrack. Farley expressed satisfaction with the car's performance and sales. The GT became highly sought after, with examples now being sold for millions of dollars at auctions.

In conclusion, the Ford GT, with its V6 engine, was not originally intended to exist. The plan was for a Mustang to win Le Mans in 2016, but after realizing the limitations of the Mustang's silhouette, Ford shifted gears and collaborated with Multimatic to create the GT. The GT project turned out to be a great success for Ford, both on the track and in terms of sales.

FutureCar Staff