PHOTOS & TEXT: CHRIS CHRISANTI
The 15th Annual Volo Museum Ford and Mustang Show was held September 3rd.
99-0008 S281 Supercharged (Tony Brodzeller), 02-0333 S281 Supercharged (Paul Letarte) won 1st place in the 1994-2004 class, 2007 S331 Supercharged won 3rd place in class and 98-0075 S281 Cobra.
This will be the final Ford and Mustang Show held by Volo do to museum expansion plans.
[Source: Chris Chrisanti]
Jan 12, 2015 | Detroit
Ford today unveiled the all-new GT, an ultra-high-performance supercar that serves as a technology showcase for top EcoBoost® performance, aerodynamics and lightweight carbon fiber construction.
The GT is one of more than 12 new Ford Performance vehicles coming by 2020. It joins Focus RS, F-150 Raptor, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT350R in the growing Ford Performance lineup.
Beginning production late next year, the GT hits the road in select global markets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford GT race cars placing 1-2-3 at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“As we at Ford drive innovation into every part of our business, it’s worth remembering that our first innovation as a company was not in a laboratory, but on the racetrack,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and chief executive officer, referring to Henry Ford’s win of a 1901 car race that inspired financial backers to invest in his company. “We are passionate about innovation through performance and creating vehicles that make people’s hearts pound.”
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® 3 – the latest version of Ford’s advanced connectivity system.
“The GT is the ultimate execution of an enthusiast supercar,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “GT includes innovations and technologies that can be applied broadly across Ford’s future product portfolio – another proof point that Ford continues raising the performance bar while ultimately improving vehicles for all of our customers.”
Carbon fiber innovation
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.
The all-new GT features advanced lightweight composites, which will help serve Ford’s entire product lineup moving forward. With 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.
Most powerful production EcoBoost ever
Ford EcoBoost technology is available in every new Ford car, utility and light-duty pickup in North America beginning this year.
EcoBoost engines power a growing number of Ford performance models, including the new Mustang, just-announced F-150 Raptor, as well as Fiesta ST and Focus ST.
Based on the same race-proven engine architecture serving Ford’s IMSA Daytona Prototype 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.
Ford’s twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 raced to three wins in its first season of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in 2014, including a win in the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring, along with seven podiums over more than 15,000 endurance racing miles.
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.
Aero innovation gets active
Aerodynamic efficiency is at the heart of the GT design, actively reducing 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.
“While we hope enthusiasts rejoice about this all-new GT, all Ford customers will benefit from the ultimate performance Ford and its new-generation innovations,” said Nair.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 189,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.
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Start planning for the 2012 Carlisle Ford Nationals!
June 1st through the 3rd.
By: MICHAEL HALL on January 18, 2012
Original Article: BRUNSWICK NEWS, THE (GA)
Jan. 18 – Mike Murphy is something like a parent who is asked which is his favorite child. He loves his Kia dealership in Glynn County, but he always wanted a Ford dealership, too.
Now, like a parent with a son and daughter, he has both.
“I have always wanted to be a Ford dealer, I just never thought I would actually be a Ford dealer,” Murphy said while walking across the parking lot of his new store, Mike Murphy Ford at Darien.
He likes trucks — which Kia does not have — and has always been impressed with the cars Ford makes, so when the opportunity developed to buy Lilliston Ford, he jumped at the chance.
“Ford is a great brand. The best. I love the technology and the quality of the cars they make,” Murphy said.
In addition to offering the cars and trucks he has longed to sell, Murphy’s wife Delores, a former commercial real estate agent, saw the property where Lilliston Ford sat as a jewel. She liked its visibility from Interstate 95 at exit 49, the ample space on the lot and the building on it. For her, it was the logical next step for a growing business.
Buying a well-established business also had its perks, Murphy said. A full staff of employees was on hand, with more knowledge of the product than he had.
“At Kia, we have seven models. Ford has 14 models and an almost infinite number of options. These guys already know everything they need to know,” Murphy said.
Expanding the product line further is the high-performance Saleen Mustang his Ford store is certified to sell. Each sales person and mechanic at Mike Murphy Ford is qualified to sell or service the super car, a carryover from the Lilliston Ford days.
Don’t expect to see any new Kia models on the lot in Darien, Murphy said, but pre-owned cars from both brands will be available at both locations.
He hopes that by diversifying his product line and expanding his business to be able to fill a niche for discounted automobiles.
“I plan on being a price leader with Ford, just like I have been with Kia,” Murphy said.
For you Saleen fans who also enjoy the Ford GT, tomorrow is the Ford GT get-together at Cars & Coffee at Ford’s PAG/Mazda facility across the North side of Irvine Spectrum (at Alton & Irvine Center Drive/5 Freeway)
See you there, from 7-9 a.m. — but you might want to get there early!
March 22, 2005 – The most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang in history will take to the street next year, following a unique collaboration between performance car legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT).
Ford took the wraps off the 450-plus horsepower Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 show car at the New Year International Auto Show March 23. Designed in the unmistakable image of Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s, the Shelby Cobra GT500 melds SVT’s modern engineering with the big-block performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road.
“The all-new 2005 Ford Mustang is one of the hottest cars in many years,” says Phil Martens, Ford group vice president, Product Creation. “Its chassis was engineered from the beginning to be the basis of a high-performance, world-class sports car from SVT, and the Shelby Cobra GT500 is it.”
Carroll Shelby lends his support to SVT, adapting his earlier role as a senior adviser on the “Dream Team” that was assembled to develop and build the 2005 Ford GT. “I’ve worked with the SVT guys for several years now, and I know they have the guts, the talent and the passion to deliver the best performance Mustangs ever,” says Shelby.
A production version of the GT500 will go on sale in 2006, continuing the high-performance lineage of the SVT Mustang Cobra model line. It will be followed by a steady stream of performance products developed by SVT, possibly including a version of the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin, the industry’s first performance sport-utility truck.
“SVT led the modern-day factory performance trend with the Mustang Cobra and the industry’s first high-performance truck, the F-150 Lightning,” says Hau Thai-Tang, director, Ford Advanced Product Creation and SVT. “Today, we’re building on that pioneering vision with vehicles like the Ford GT, Shelby Cobra GT500 and Sport Trac Adrenalin – great performance machines that connect with enthusiasts in a way no other companies or vehicles can match.”
The production GT500 will be the first in a string of specialty Mustangs that SVT will help deliver. This will create Ford Motor Company’s – and one of the industry’s – broadest product portfolio, stretching from under $20,000 for the V-6 Mustang coupe to the 450-plus-horsepower GT500, each offering performance and value.
The GT500 and the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin teaser accelerate the wave of momentum at SVT since the launch of the 2005 Ford GT supercar. SVT also now will develop non-SVT branded Ford Division performance vehicles – including heritage-based performance Mustangs in the spirit of the 2001 Bullitt GT and 2003 Mach 1 – as it becomes more directly integrated into Ford’s mainstream product development process.
Shelby Cobra GT500’s supercharged 5.4-liter DOHC V-8 produces over 450 hp
Just as the original Shelby GT500 was the “step up” to big-block power from the GT350, the new Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 steps up to Ford’s 5.4-liter “MOD” V-8. The result? The GT500 is the most powerful factory Mustang ever. Its supercharged 5.4-liter, 32-valve V-8 evolves from SVT’s experience with supercharging the “MOD” engine to deliver more than 450 horsepower and 450 foot-pounds of torque.
The cast-iron-block, four-valve engine is force-fed an air-and-fuel mixture via a screw-type supercharger at 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. Aluminum cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings sourced from the Ford GT program bring a high level of proven durability to the drivetrain, while upgraded cooling components promise longevity. “Powered by SVT” camshaft covers are the finishing touch to the engine.
“This version of the 5.4-liter V-8 has a higher horsepower rating than any other factory Mustang in history,” says Jay O’Connell, SVT chief vehicle engineer. “It really delivers on the essence of two great names in Ford performance – a mix of SVT’s modern-day experience with supercharging and the Shelby GT500’s heritage of big-block power.”
The engine has been further tuned from its first application in a Mustang, the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, a limited edition model of 300 units.
Helping to put the power of the GT500’s supercharged V-8 to the pavement is a T-56 six-speed manual gearbox. The evenly spaced gears mean less stirring is needed to find the “sweet spot” in keeping the revs “on cam” for power to pass, while at the same time making the most of the engine’s broad torque curve. The heavy-duty transmission has proven itself a willing companion to V-8 power in Mustangs in both road and track environments, including the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, 2004 SVT Mustang Cobra and the new race-winning Ford Racing Mustang FR500C.
Great power requires great control
The great Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s were anything but one-trick ponies. They earned their stripes on twisty roads and race tracks across America and Europe. The Shelby Cobra GT500 show car continues that legacy of all-around performance.
The GT500 starts with the solid 2005 Mustang underpinnings. The all-new Mustang’s platform was designed from the beginning with performance derivatives in mind, providing an exceptionally rigid, well-engineered starting point for SVT chassis engineers.
Using real-world experience gained during more than 12 years of building great-handling SVT Mustang Cobras, SVT engineers retune and upgrade key chassis components. Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the GT500 stop and turn with the same authority as it goes.
The GT500 features a MacPherson strut independent front suspension with “Reverse L” lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle.
This rear suspension design has been validated on the track by Ford Racing. The race-prepared Ford Racing Mustang FR500C was purpose-built from the base 2005 Mustang body structure and suspension geometry to run in the Grand-Am Cup series, a class of road racing for production-based cars. Competing against the best from Germany and Japan, a Mustang FR500C competed in and won its first ever race in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February 2005.
“SVT and Ford Racing will be working closer than ever as we go forward on future projects, especially Mustangs,” says Thai-Tang, a Ford Racing alumnus who served as the race engineer for the Newman-Haas Racing team in 1993. “The Mustang FR500C racing program is an exact demonstration of the capability we engineered into the mainstream Mustang to be capable of. Now, we have both a Daytona victory and the return of the Shelby Cobra GT500 to showcase Mustang performance possibilities.”
To match this power and handling ability, SVT fitted some of the biggest brakes in the business to the GT500. Fourteen-inch cross-drilled Brembo rotors up front and 13-inch discs in the rear continue SVT’s legacy of great-braking Mustangs. Secure footing is provided by 19-inch wheels wrapped in high-performance tires.
The snake is back – Legendary looks with SVT function
The Shelby Cobra GT500 combines the dramatic design genes of the all-new Mustang with Carroll Shelby’s legendary performance image to create an SVT Mustang that broadens the power brand’s design approach and appeal.
“The restrained, performance-oriented SVT design theme has become instantly recognizable to enthusiasts without brash styling cues,” says Doug Gaffka, design director, Ford SVT vehicles. “The GT500 takes a huge leap forward by combining the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance look to expand SVT’s reach to a much bigger audience.”
The 2005 Mustang design team drew inspiration from classic Shelby Mustangs, the models that transformed the mild-mannered pony car into a muscle car with attitude. Envisioning an SVT model, the team tested GT500 design cues on the Mustang GT coupe concept that was unveiled at the 2003 North American International Auto Show. In 2004, designers further developed the GT500 look on the Mustang GT-R, a race-bred concept with the dual purpose of foreshadowing SVT’s Mustang design direction and Ford Racing’s plans to return Mustang to road racing.
The GT500 now comes into full light, punctuated by the classic LeMans-style white stripes that race along the top of the show car’s “SVT Red” paint from nose to tail. The stripes recall the Shelby Mustangs that marked another
important 1960’s Mustang transition when Ford put it on the track to becoming a racing legend. The GT500 nomenclature is prominent in the lower bodyside racing stripe, another cue from the classic Shelby Mustangs.
“The new Mustang has classic design cues from some of the best-looking Mustangs of all-time, including the Shelbys,” says Keith Rogman, Mustang senior designer. “The design of the GT500 has been at the forefront of our minds since the outset of the entire Mustang program.”
The Shelby design elements alone are enough to tell the GT500 story but are not the only visual cues that set this Mustang apart. The reworked front fascia features a functional air splitter and the unique hood has heat-extraction ducts, combining to provide improved airflow and aerodynamics. Revised headlamp insets offer a more aggressive look and result in symmetrical upper and lower grilles with large air openings, creating a visual connection to vintage Shelby Mustangs.
The unique rear fascia features strakes inspired by the Ford GT’s integrated rear airflow diffuser, and a rear spoiler reminiscent of a classic GT500. To mark the collaboration of two Mustang performance icons, the GT500 features Shelby and SVT badging.
Continuing the snake logo tradition of past-generation SVT Mustang Cobras, as well as late-model Shelby Mustangs, the fenders each feature an updated design of the Cobra. For the first time on any SVT Mustang, the front grille features an off-center snake in place of the standard running horse. “GT500” is emblazoned inside the side rocker stripes, and the name “SHELBY” is prominently featured across the rear deck. The SVT logo can be seen on the wheel center caps, a signature SVT location, as well as on the doorsill plates. To top if off, the “gas cap” medallion between the taillights reads “Shelby GT500” centered on the Cobra image.
The interior is completely wrapped in ebony black leather, including the top of the dash, door panels and center arm rest. Also wrapped in ebony leather are the shift lever, shift boot and parking-brake handle. SVT Red leather seat and door panel inserts provide a marked contrast to the rest of the leather-trimmed cabin, surrounding the performance enthusiast with luxury and comfort. Snake logos embroidered into the seat backs finish the package.
“We’ve taken leather design trends to a new level by using it on almost every exposed surface in the GT500,” says Rogman. “Leather has long been a performance fashion accessory for enthusiasts, from jackets to racing gloves, so it perfectly matches all the other driving oriented cues.”
The Shelby GT500 script and Cobra image are repeated on the steering wheel cap. Behind the wheel are titanium-faced gauges swapped in location so that the tachometer is dominant visually for the driver. The chrome accessories inside the cabin have been replaced with a satin aluminum finish, including the aluminum shift lever knob that is nicely positioned for quick, positive shifts of the six-speed transmission.
SVT and Shelby: The Legends Grow
With the look and legend one would expect from Carroll Shelby and the kind of power and performance enthusiasts have come to expect from SVT, the GT500 show car points to a brand new era in Ford Motor Company’s performance future. “Carroll Shelby is truly a living automotive legend, a Ford performance legend,” says Martens. “It’s a dream come true to be able to put the Shelby name on a Mustang again.”
Carroll Shelby first put his name on a Mustang back in 1964 when he was asked to inject some high performance into the brand-new pony car. The result was the GT350R, a lightweight, handling-focused race car that earned the Mustang its first performance credentials. Subsequent Shelby Mustangs included a street version of the race car, the GT350, and what was known as the “rent-a-racer” Mustang, the GT350H, a joint project with the Hertz rental car corporation.
The ultimate Shelby Mustang of the era was the GT500KR, or “King of the Road.” Powered by a big block 428-cubic inch “Cobra Jet” V-8, the GT500KR was one of the most powerful, and memorable, muscle cars of that period. Shelby Mustang production ceased in 1970 with a total volume of 14,559 units.
The Ford Special Vehicle Team brought performance back to Mustang in 1993. After 12 years and with nearly 80,000 high-performance Mustangs on the streets, and a total SVT vehicle production nearing 145,000 vehicles, SVT is primed for growth with the GT500 serving as the foundation for other performance Mustang projects.
By bringing together Carroll Shelby and Ford SVT, the company’s commitment to performance becomes as powerful as at any time in its history – including the famed “Total Performance” days of the 1960s. From the Ford GT supercar, the GT500, to a rejuvenated Ford Racing Performance Parts program – performance and racing adds luster to its proud brand heritage.
“SVT has been and will remain the leader in performance vehicle engineering and marketing,” says Martens. “SVT remains unique in offering the total performance experience. The return of Carroll Shelby to our performance family only strengthens our firepower.”
