Ford GT car review
Tired of your daily drive and ready for something that will put a little spice in your life? Want a car that won’t blend in with everything else on the street? One such prime candidate is the 2006 Ford GT that was inspired by a racing legend -- the 1960 Ford GT40. Let’s look at Ford’s latest version of the GT and break it down based on two categories. First we will look at all the features that get your juices flowing and remind you why this car is a legend. Then we will turn our sights on the more practical aspects of the car.
Forty years ago, Ferrari was the top dog when it came to winning the biggest European race of the day, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mr. Henry Ford II decided that Ferrari’s dominance of this race had lasted long enough and felt that he could produce a Ford that would compete -- and win -- against Ferrari’s top cars. It was then that he began working on what would become a legend: the Ford GT40. In 1966, Ford II took his GT40 to Le Mans and not only competed with Ferrari but won -- both that year and then again in ‘67, ‘68 and ‘69.
the luxury ride
To keep with the theme of combining a vintage look with modern technology, Ford has constructed the body of the GT out of super-plastic-formed aluminum. While not forgetting about the GT’s history, the 2006 GT keeps similar lines when compared with the original model from the '60s. And to finish off the look you can choose from two different paint schemes that were used on the 1960 version.
Another legacy feature for the 2006 GT is the design of the door panels. While they open normally, hinging toward the front, when the doors are closed they actually form the roof above the driver and passenger seats.
Once you sit down behind the controls you will feel transported back to 1966, passing one Ferrari after another on the track. The GT uses a wide gauge cluster, a metal shift knob and large toggle switches to keep the heritage look. It also combines a modern element into the mix with a magnesium center console with illuminated climate control, carbon-fiber seats and a large red start button.
The verdict
You will instantly fall in love with this
See how this ride scores on the practical side...
the practical ride
Before you decide that you must have this exotic car for yourself, let’s look at some of the practical features this racer has to offer the daily commuter. After hearing about the 550 horsepower coming from that lean, mean, aluminum V8 engine you have to wonder what kind of gas mileage the GT will get. The GT has relatively good gas mileage, getting 13 miles per gallon in the city and 21 miles per gallon on the highway. But "relative" is the keyword when compared to other exotic cars; the GT is actually one of the best, with the Lamborghini Gallardo getting nine miles per gallon in the city and 11 miles per gallon on the highway.
the practical ride
Before you decide that you must have this exotic car for yourself, let’s look at some of the practical features this racer has to offer the daily commuter. After hearing about the 550 horsepower coming from that lean, mean, aluminum V8 engine you have to wonder what kind of gas mileage the GT will get. The GT has relatively good gas mileage, getting 13 miles per gallon in the city and 21 miles per gallon on the highway. But "relative" is the keyword when compared to other exotic cars; the GT is actually one of the best, with the Lamborghini Gallardo getting nine miles per gallon in the city and 11 miles per gallon on the highway.
Another area of concern for most people regarding owning an exotic car is maintenance and availability of parts. The GT has another huge advantage here since it’s built by Ford parts, which are readily accessible. Also, Ford has dealerships throughout the country in just about every city or town that would be able to work on the GT.
When you look at buying an exotic car, functionality and price are not items of concern, but since we are looking into the practical aspect of owning the GT we need to take it into account. Cargo room hurts the GT in practicality, the most having just about two cubic feet of cargo capacity, which means that you have more room in the overhead compartment of an airplane than in the trunk of your car.
Another problem the GT has with functionality lies in the design of its doors. Since the doors form the roof when closed, they also have a large overhang when opened, causing problems for people to enter or exit the vehicle.
The last part of this category is price. The old saying “If you have to ask how much it is, you can’t afford it” isn’t necessarily true with the GT. Compared to European exotic cars the GT is priced to sell at $149,995. That might be a little highly priced for your everyday driving car.
The verdict
Overall, the Ford GT does a pretty good job with practicality considering it’s a street-legal race car, designed to be on the track more than on the road.
Practicality score: 40/50Overall, the Ford GT does a pretty good job with practicality considering it’s a street-legal race car, designed to be on the track more than on the road.
and the total is…
The Ford GT gets high marks for performance and average marks for practicality. If you are in the market for an exotic car that will get you noticed and you are not willing to spend the typical amount for a European exotic car, then take a look at the Ford GT. You can't beat this ride for performance and pricing in this market. Even though the cargo area might be small, you can still fill it up with the money you saved by purchasing it over other exotic cars. If any Ferrari owners start to give you problems about owning an exotic American car, just remind them of the Le Mans races in ‘66, ‘67, ‘68, and ‘69.
By Michael Broch
