Ford developing 40 mpg GT40

Ford GT40.mpg

The Ford GT is set to make another return – this time as GT40 again, but the 40 in deference to it’s miserly fuel consumption rather than it’s height.

There have been several fuel sipping supercars launched of late – BMW’s Vision ED, Porsche’s 918RS and Jaguar’s C-X75 among them, not to mention Audi’s e-Tron, the electric Mercedes SLS and a swathe of zero-emissions flyers. And now it seems Ford is getting on that low emissions supercar bandwagon too.

Ford is busy honing its most advanced available technology into the next GT40 – likely to recall the name in recognition of it being a car capable of not only conquering Le Mans but also being able to return 40 miles per gallon – or 5.9 liters per 100 kilometers. That means a supercar capable of emitting just 140 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer while likely chalking up sub-4 second 0-100km/h acceleration and 320km/h-plus top speed.

The new GT40 will probably be considerably smaller than the most recent Ford GT to pitched it against the likes of Ferrari 458 Italia, McLaren MP4-12C, Porsche 911 Turbo, Lamborghini Gallardo and Audi R8 but boasting a definite retro Ford GT appeal in a look that one will not mistake as a Ford GT on the road albeit in a sharper, more modern solution.

After all, if saluting a legend in the first place, the newcomer should be endowed with all the great hallmarks it is aspiring to as suggested in our sketch on this spread, no?

So expect GT40mpg to share similar overall proportions and the mid-engined configuration of the great original GT40-inch to ensure supercar balanced handling to match or beat it’s hallowed future rivals, but under the skin it’s set to be all new.

GT40mpg will be powered by a latest generation direct petrol injected small capacity supercharged V8 aided and abetted by a button-activated e-motor driving the front wheels for not only a significant F1 KERS-like power boost, but also as an interesting means of on-demand all-wheel drive.

GT40mpg will incorporate stop-start and will be able to run on electricity for brief periods as it showcases Ford’s green credentials in a 400kW 40mpg supercar good to win Le Mans.

GT40mpg will be built around a lightweight all-aluminum chassis clad in composite body panels to help shave 200kg off the old GT’s mass for a 1400kg curb weight and a 285kW per tone power to weight ratio to enable that sub-4 0-100 and 320km/h top end.

Typically of a Ford, while GT 40mpg won’t come cheap, it certainly should undercut its rivals to ensure a squeaky-clean supercar bargain.