What's the news?
As if the thought of driving a Ford GT, with its 647hp twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine and carbon chassis, wasn't enticing enough, Ford has announced that it's developing a five-mode driving setup system, similar in concept to Ferrari's Manettino system, which will tailor the car's responses to your needs.
"We've focused on simplifying the experience," says Derek Bier, Ford GT manager. "Optimising this car for just about any situation was critical, because ensuring owners always enjoy driving it was a top priority."
So, there are five modes into which you can switch your GT, starting with 'Normal.' This is the popping-to-the-shops-for-bread mode, and raises the suspension a little to 120mm ground clearance to cope with potholes, speed bumps and so on. Traction and stability controls are switched on and cannot be switched off in this mode, while the extending rear wing is set to pop up at speeds above 145km/h. There's also a 'Comfort' suspension setting available in this mode, which softens up the dampers a little and the rear wing can deploy as an airbrake under hard braking.
Secondly, there's a 'Wet' mode, which is basically Normal but with the throttle dialled back a little.
Now, we get to the serious stuff. Sport mode sharpens up the throttle and engages the anti-lag system, while the stability and traction control systems, governed by the AdvanceTrac computer, are now driver-adjustable and allow you to slide and shimmy the car a little. The suspension stays at 120mm ground clearance, but the dampers are now locked in stiffer mode. "Driver-demand calibrations get more aggressive - where slight changes in throttle result in faster acceleration," said Nick Terzes, Ford GT engineering supervisor. "Gear changes are more rapid, while clutches disengage and engage very quickly for maximum acceleration. Drivers can use Sport mode at the track and expect the car to perform very well with this setup."
Then there's 'Track' mode, which Ford says is "optimised strictly for race conditions." The ride height drops by 50mm, springs and dampers are firmed up, the rear wing is permanently up, and the front air intakes close to help generate maximum downforce. You can only switch to Track when the car is stopped and the transmission in P, and it's not for road use. "This mode is for track use only," Terzes said. "Even coming from Sport, control is significantly different - dramatically so. In this mode, every aspect of the car is optimised for track use.
Finally, there's 'V-Max' mode, which is basically the same as 'Track' but with the rear wing stowed to make the car as slippery as possible. "Ultimately, V-Max mode is designed with a single objective; for the GT to achieve its fastest possible straight-line speed. It works," Terzes said. That top speed? Well over 330km/h, and there's launch control to help get you there even faster...