FORD Motor Co. introduced a series of new powerful vehicles, including a new GT supercar at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), which runs until January 25 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan.
Aside from the GT, the Shelby GT350R Mustang made its comeback and the new F-150 Raptor showcased the company’s innovation through performance lineup.
The GT, which will be produced starting in 2016, made a triumphant entrance at NAIAS. The supercar will feature a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost with more than 600-hp engine, believed to be the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever made. The GT is a rear-wheel drive vehicle with track-proven torsion bar; pushrod suspension with fully active in-board dampers; carbon ceramic brake discs; 20-inch wheels; and made from aluminum and other lightweight materials.
“The GT was developed last year by a small group, in a small room in the basement of the Product Development Center in Dearborn,” said Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of the Americas for Ford Motor Co. “The hidden entrance was only accessible by a few people.”
According to Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr.,“Ford will make a limited number of GTs for sale in the second half of 2016. It will be a global car but the first sales will be in the US.
The GT350R is powered by a 5.2-liter flat plane crank V8 engine that produces more than 500-horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.
The Raptor uses the same 3.5-liter EcoBoost as the GT, but it is 6 inches wider than the standard F-150 for improved stability off-road.
“When we created the first Raptor, we set out to prove vehicle performance isn’t just measured on the street or at the track. Off-road can be even more fun,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “The original Raptor, plus enhancements on the all-new F-150 set the bar for us to make the all-new Raptor better in every way.”
Acknowledging the company’s commitment to vehicles that make people’s hearts pound, Ford will introduce more than 12 new performance vehicles to its global lineup over the next five years.
The GT, Raptor and Mustang are among the 12 new Ford performance vehicles which will be launched by 2020 as the automaker has reorganized its regional performance divisions into a single global unit. Ford wants to take advantage of a 70-percent increase in performance vehicle sales in the US and a 14-percent increase in Europe, as well.
Furthermore, Ford featured performance at the show through an Enthusiasts’ Gallery that showed vintage photos depicting great moments in Ford racing history, historic Ford race engines and memorabilia from multiple racing series.
“Across Ford’s lineup, from Fiesta to F-150, examples are featured of technologies tested and proven on paved and dirt racetracks, and then built into vehicles customers want and need,” said David Tillapaugh, Ford global auto show operations manager.
The Innovation Park at the Ford stand invited visitors to explore how Ford researchers are making advances in the use of organic materials, reducing waste and other environmentally sensitive technologies.
The display included water and plant elements that showcased Ford’s efforts to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and water usage.
“Ford chose the park theme to showcase its innovation efforts because they are beneficial for customers—providing the latest generation of affordable and attainable safety, convenience, connectivity and comfort features within the full-Ford vehicle lineup—and because they are good for the world,” Tillapaugh said.Trees, perennials, soils and water features from the Henry Ford Fairlane Estate created a relaxing atmosphere for visitors. Benches offered guests a place to recharge their own batteries, as well as their cell phones.
Visitors became part of the action with overhead cameras that swoop through the display to capture images and video which appear on LED screens surrounding the park.
All seven of Ford’s fuel-saving EcoBoost engines were displayed inside a blue oval at the heart of the Ford stand.
The exhibit highlights the variety in driving and vehicle-performance experiences Ford EcoBoost technology provides, with displays on the 1.0-liter EcoBoost-equipped Ford Focus, 2.0-liter EcoBoost Focus ST, 2.3-liter EcoBoost Ford Explorer and 3.5-liter EcoBoost Explorer Sport. Guests were invited to play racing games designed around “Eco” and “Boost” themes. One rewards players for efficiency in maneuvering around a course, while the other encourages players to set the fastest time for racing miniature Fiesta cars around a track.