Ford GT Supercar Gets Super Software, Lightweight Materials

Ford Motor Co.'s upcoming GT supercar will be one of the most electronics-intensive vehicles on the road when it bows in late 2016.

The car will utilize 28 microprocessors and 10 million lines of computer code about five times the code of an F-35 fighter jet to control tire pressure, door latches, engine and throttle management, ride height, stability control, suspension and torque vectoring. The microprocessors use information from more than 50 sensors that generate as much as 100 gigabytes of data per hour.

Ford describes the mid-engine, two-seater as its most modern and sophisticated car ever. The company says all of the electronics and software are critical to the car's performance.

Powered by a 3.5-liter, V-6 engine, the new GT generates more than 600 hp. The twin-turbo, EcoBoost engine gets custom pistons, rods and cams.

The car rides on front and rear aluminum subframes with carbon-fiber-reinforced body panels. Other lightweight materials include glass fiber composite springs, aluminum brake rotors and carbon fiber wheels.

The seats are integrated into a carbon fiber tub, which Ford says enables a lower and more aerodynamic profile. The steering wheel and pedals can be adjusted by about eight inches to accommodate different-sized drivers.

Due to tight packaging requirements, the car's air vents are located on the doors instead of the dash.

The GT also is Ford's first production model to have a rear wing that will automatically move depending on driving characteristics to create "active aerodynamics."

Reporters this week toured the basement room at Ford's Product Development Center in Dearborn where a small, dedicated team created the GT in secret in just 14 months. To speed development time, the team used a combination of scale models and milled, full-size foam models rather than clay models. Aerodynamic testing was done digitally.

The car, which was unveiled in January at the Detroit auto show, will be sold in select global markets at a starting price in the U.S. of about $400,000. Production will be limited to 250 cars per year.