► It’s the last track-only version of the GT
► Pays homage to original 1967 Ford GT race car
► Ford is targeting ‘more than 800 horsepower’
Ford has unveiled the final track-only edition of its GT supercar – and it’s shaping up to be an absolute corker. It’s called the GT Mk IV, as an homage to the Le Mans-winning 1967 Ford GT Mk IV racer. Just 67 examples will be built, each costing a whopping $1.7 million (almost £1.4 million).
The first deliveries are expected to arrive in late spring 2023, so Ford is still being rather secretive with the GT Mk IV’s performance specifications. So far, the company has said the track car will be powered by a ‘specially engineered twin-turbo EcoBoost engine’ with ‘more than 800 horsepower.’
We expect the engine will be a more highly strung version of the twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 unit found in the standard Ford GT. Ford has already built a 700bhp track-only version of that engine for a previous special edition GT called the Mk II, so there’s obviously some headroom available.
One of Ford’s business partners offered a hint about the mystery engine. The GT Mk IV’s dampers were designed by the Canadian engineering company Multimatic – and its executive vice president Larry Holt hinted the track car will have a ‘unique larger displacement engine.’
So, it’s possible that Ford has bored out the GT Mk II’s V6 engine, then added a few more pounds of boost and some bigger injectors to increase its output by another 100bhp.
To complement the massive hike in performance, the Mk IV features a racing gearbox, more aggressive aerodynamics and a carbon fibre bodyshell. Ford has also designed a new chassis with a longer wheelbase to help keep the car stable at track speeds, just like the original 1967 GT racer.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports commented on the project, saying: “The original GT Mk IV held nothing back for max track performance, and the new Ford GT Mk IV brings it in the same way.
“With an even higher-level of motorsport engineering and performance, plus a completely new carbon fibre body that is functional and striking, the Mk IV is the ultimate send-off of the third-generation supercar.”
