Ford GT Supercar Outperforms Ferrari and McLaren Rivals

Ford Motor Co. says its all-new GT supercar outraced McLaren 675LT and Ferrari 458 Speciale supercars during track testing at Canada’s Calabogie Motorsports Park near Ottawa.

It took the GT just under two minutes and 10 seconds to navigate the 3.1-mile course, which features 20 turns. With the same driver at the helm, the McLaren and Ferrari models required one and three seconds more, respectively, to complete the circuit. All three vehicles had fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and ran under similar weather conditions, according to Ford.

The carmaker says it has achieved similar results with the GT against rival supercars at other tracks. No details about those tests were provided.

Ford says the GT’s twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 generates 647 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. The car’s top speed of 216 mph is a record for a Ford production vehicle.

The Ford V-6, which is mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, outguns the Ferrari’s 4.5-liter V-8 (597 hp and 398 lb-ft) and the McLaren twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 (666 hp and 516 lb-ft). The GT’s 3,050-lb dry weight makes the car slightly heavier than the two rivals.

Ford also touts the GT’s active aerodynamics and suspension design. The aerodynamics system features a movable rear spoiler that adjusts for downforce and can act as an air brake. The suspension uses an inboard torsion bar springs and multi-mode (normal, track and comfort) shocks.

Multimatic Motorsports began building the GT on a contract basis for Ford last month at its Markham, Ont., facility. Production will be limited to 250 units per year. Pricing starts at more than $400,000.