GOODWOOD, UK, Jul. 4, 2019 – Ford and Multimatic today reveal at the Goodwood Festival of Speed the Ford GT Mk II, a limited-edition, track-only GT that represents the next stage in Ford GT performance.

With a 700 horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, race-proven aerodynamics and competition-oriented handling, the GT Mk II has been co-developed by Ford Performance and Multimatic based on competitive learnings from Ford’s successful FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaigns with the Ford GT race car yet GT Mk II is engineered independent of race series rules, regulations and limitations.

“The GT Mk II unleashes the full performance potential of the Ford GT without any artificial performance limitations dictated by racing sanctioning bodies,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford chief product development and purchasing officer. “It’s the closest GT owners can get to the Le Mans-winning performance and exhilarating feeling of crossing the finish line in the Ford GT race car.”

Limited to just 45 vehicles, with a starting MSRP of $1.2 million, the GT Mk II joins the GT race car that won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Ford GT supercar.

“The true off-the-hook performance capability of the GT hasn’t yet been fully showcased,” said Multimatic’s Chief Technical Officer, Larry Holt. “The road car is obviously limited by the many global homologation requirements that it must comply with, and the race car suffers from the restriction of the dreaded Balance of Performance, resulting in it being 150 horsepower down to the road car. The Mk II answers the regularly asked question of how would the car perform with all the limitations lifted: the answer is spectacularly.”

Built in Markham, Ontario, the Mk II begins life at the main Ford GT plant before being transferred to a specialist facility at Multimatic Motorsports where it is crafted into the Ford GT Mk II.

The Best of Both Worlds

The Ford GT Mk II is focused around aerodynamic and engine improvements and shares key features with both the street-legal GT supercar as well as the GT race car. Many of its components have been track-proven in the world’s most challenging endurance racing events.

The large dual-element rear wing exceeds what the Ford GT race car offers in terms of downforce. An all-new front racing splitter and diffuser have been incorporated along with new fender louvres and dive planes, which help balance out the extra rear downforce.

These aggressive aerodynamic changes enable the GT Mk II to generate over 400 percent more downforce than the Ford GT while fixed aerodynamic elements along with its race-proven suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport racing tires enable the car to pull more than 2Gs of lateral grip.

GT Mk II is also lighter and more agile. The street car’s adjustable ride height and drive modes have been removed, providing a weight savings of over 200 pounds while 5-way adjustable DSSV shock absorbers work with a lowered and fixed ride height to improve handling and keep the Mk II as aerodynamically efficient as possible.

The Ford GT Mk II features the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine that powers both the Ford GT race car and the road car but since the Mk II is not limited by any racing sanctioning body it is able to generate 200 horsepower more than the race car, making the Mk II the most powerful version of the Ford GT. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost is paired with the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission from the Ford GT but specially calibrated for this track-exclusive application.

To add stamina to power, the GT Mk II adds innovative engine cooling technology, including a high capacity air-to-air outboard mounted charge air cooler with water spray technology. The water spray automatically activates in high temperature situations to provide cooling by applying atomized water on the charge air cooler allowing the Ford GT Mk II to maintain a consistent level of power at high temperatures.

A roof-mounted intake reminiscent of the race car engine air intake has been added for the Mk II to feed auxiliary engine, clutch and transmission coolers, giving the Mk II optimal cooling for the most extreme track day duty.

Increased engine power is paired with improved stopping power. The Mk II features braking performance beyond that of the GT race car by utilizing the street car’s carbon ceramic brakes, including 15.5-inch front and 14.1-inch rear Brembo brakes. Unique forged aluminum 19-inch wheels cover the massive brakes with race-proven Michelin Pilot Sport GT tires.

The front fascia and hood of the Mk II are similar to the street car as well as the stylized Ford GT headlamps with signature running lights.

Interior changes include a bespoke Sparco racing seat with a six-point racing harness and an optional passenger seat. A full MoTeC data acquisition system has also added to provide vital information for a track racer, which also doubles as a display for the rear camera.

Latest GT Family Member

The Ford GT production car, which made its first Goodwood appearance in 2017, is the most advanced and exclusive Ford road car ever, limited to volumes of no more than 250 a year, globally.

Built for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, the Ford GT race car has been a great success for Ford, winning the GTE Pro class at Le Mans on its first attempt in 2016, exactly 50 years on from the first of four successive Le Mans victories for the Ford GT40 at Le Mans.

Ford ended its competitive GT racing program in the FIA World Endurance Championship at the 2019 Le Mans in the GTE Pro class.  The Ford GTs will continue to race through the remainder of the IMSA season which culminates at Road Atlanta in October.

The BMW M4 GTS gives BMW M GmbH a new and exclusive technological showpiece which elevates the potential of the BMW M4 Coupe to another impressive new level. With its powerful, motor sport-inspired looks and high-performance technology, the BMW M4 GTS has its sights set squarely on the race track. A lap time of 7.28 minutes around the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife, the world’s most exacting race circuit, is a clear statement of this special-edition model’s exceptional abilities. At the same time, the sharpest BMW M4 of all – like its BMW M stablemates – can also hold its own on public roads. BMW M GmbH is launching the BMW M4 GTS in a special edition limited to 700 units to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the BMW M3, which has been in production since 1986. In so doing, it is highlighting the innovative flair of the BMW M engineers in developing trailblazing M technologies on the powertrain, chassis and lightweight construction front. The first high-performance special edition in the M3/M4 model range will also be available for the first time in the important North American market.

“Special-edition models like the BMW M3 GT, BMW M3 CSL, BMW M3 GTS and BMW M3 CRT have a decades-long tradition in our mid-size line-up – and that continues with the BMW M4,” says Frank van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “They sharpen the character of the BMW M brand and embody an emotionally rich and exclusive driving experience. We’ve taken a radical route with the set-up of the BMW M4 GTS to create a sports machine for the race track that delivers top-end dynamics and inspirational performance. It allows us to demonstrate what is possible today with a road-legal car. Owners can drive their BMW M4 GTS to circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps, the Nürburgring or Laguna Seca – for clubsport events, for example – and then set lap times there that raise the bar to extremely high levels for road-legal cars.”

Performance boost courtesy of innovative water injection. 
At the heart of each and every BMW M model is its engine. The BMW M4 GTS uses the multi-award-winning six-cylinder in-line turbo engine from the BMW M3/M4, but adds innovative water injection technology to give the 3.0-litre unit a substantial power boost. The water injection system raises the engine’s output significantly – to 368 kW/500 hp – and increases torque to 600 Nm (442 lb-ft), yet still keeps fuel economy and CO2 emissions at the level of the BMW M4 Coupe (8.5 litres per 100 km* [33 mpg imp], 199 g/km*). This makes the BMW M4 GTS the most agile, radical and dynamically potent model in the range. It races from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mere 3.8 seconds and hits a limited top speed of 305 km/h (189.5 mph).

Lightweight design extends into the details. 
Intelligent lightweight construction allows the BMW M engineers to limit the car’s DIN kerb weight to 1,510 kilograms (ECE kerb weight: 1,585 kg). Its outstanding weight-to-power ratio of 3.0 kg/hp provides the perfect platform for a highly dynamic driving experience. The rigorous weight-saving measures extend through both the interior and exterior of the car. Inside, carbon-fibre bucket seats, a lightweight centre console, the lightweight construction of the rear seat panelling and boot area partition, and special lightweight door and side panel trim, including door pull loops in place of solid door handles, are clearly visible indications of the designers’ commitment to weight-saving. The rigorous application of lightweight design can also be seen in details that are out of view. The instrument panel bracing tube is made from lightweight carbon fibre. And on the outside of the car, the newly designed bonnet, roof and adjustable front splitter are also constructed from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). The adjustable rear wing, too, is cut from this light but extremely durable high-tech material. It rests on intricate, CNC-machined aluminium mounts fixed to the CFRP boot lid which likewise demonstrate how every detail, no matter how small, has been honed to minimise weight. Teaming up with the diffuser – again, made from carbon fibre – below the rear bumper, the rear wing optimises the flow of air and reduces lift at the rear axle. The exhaust system has a titanium muffler, which allows a weight saving of 20 per cent. Its emotionally rich soundtrack fits the M profile perfectly and envelops the inside and outside of the car in the ambience of the race track.

Performance-maximising equipment features. 
The standard-fitted seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) selects the optimum ratio for every driving situation with no interruption in the flow of power as it makes its way to the rear wheels. The driver can also select gears manually using either shift paddles on the steering wheel or the selector lever. The Drivelogic shift programs and Launch Control have been retuned to the engine’s increased output. The weight-minimised, exclusive M light-alloy wheels in star-spoke 666 M Styling are forged and polished, and come in Acid Orange. They are fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (front: 265/35 R19, rear: 285/30 R20) which are adapted specifically to the BMW M4 GTS and therefore play a role in the car’s outstanding mechanical traction and feedback through corners.

The three-way M coilover suspension specially tuned for the BMW M4 GTS can be adjusted to individual tastes and therefore also to the demands of different race circuits. The lightweight M carbon ceramic brakes offer a well-defined pressure point and ensure outstanding deceleration even under sustained heavy loads, such as at the limit on the race track.

World-exclusive OLED technology, brilliant LED light. 
The familiar two sets of twin circular headlights with four corona rings ensure the best possible illumination of the road surface. They combine cutting-edge LED (light-emitting diode) technology with BMW Selective Beam (dazzle-free high beam assistant) and Adaptive Headlights.

The L-shaped rear lights are just as distinctive as the design of the headlights. Indeed, innovative OLED rear lights will make their series-production debut in the BMW M4 GTS. OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) are a new kind of light source that light up over their full surface with a very homogeneous effect – unlike LED units, which emit their light in the form of points. The flat design of OLEDs (they measure just 1.4 millimetres in height) and the ability to trigger individual light modules separately open up fresh possibilities for lighting concepts and exudes the presence of exceptional precision. As such, the tail lights underline the width of the rear end, lend the car an even more eye-catching and powerful appearance and ensure it cuts a stand-out figure in both the light and dark.

The interior – focused, exclusive and committed to motor sport. 
The carbon-fibre M bucket seats for the driver and passenger stick firmly with the lightweight construction theme inside the pure-bred, exclusive interior. They weigh around 50 per cent less than the sports seats in the BMW M4 Coupe, enable an ideal seating position and offer compelling long-distance comfort to go with their unbeatable levels of support. The exclusive Alcantara/Merino leather seat covering along with M stripes in the backrests, three-point seat belts and door pull loops highlight the profile of the BMW M4 GTS as a high-performance sports machine as well as the car’s standalone character. The M4 GTS is fitted with different bucket-style M sports seats (including lightweight backrests with cut-outs) for the North American market, in line with local registration requirements.

The exclusive material Alcantara is also used for the M sports steering wheel, whose “12 o’clock” marker underlines the racing character of the BMW M4 GTS. In place of a rear seat bench, the BMW M4 GTS features a glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP) shelf and a rear panel in carbon-fibre sandwich construction. Both are covered in Alcantara, and together they enable a weight saving of around 40 per cent.

The optional Clubsport Package can further enhance the affinity of the BMW M4 GTS with the race track. It includes a roll bar in Acid Orange behind the front seats, a race-specification six-point harness** and a fire extinguisher.

SHELBY GT350R MUSTANG: MOST TRACK-CAPABLE PRODUCTION MUSTANG EVER BUILT COMING TO U.S., CANADA LATER THIS YEAR

“This is the pinnacle of performance Mustangs today,” said Dave Pericak, director, Ford Performance. “The Shelby GT350R Mustang lays the groundwork for a story that will play out for years to come on the track and the street.”