Porsche is doing it. So is Ferrari. It seems like all the supercar makers are going green these days. Ford has its own plans for hybrids, including the possible return of the Ford GT supercar…as a hybrid.
For those who don’t know, the Ford GT was a short-lived homage to the original GT40 race cars that trounced Ferrari (and everyone else) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Ford GT, with a price tag of $150,000, featured a mid-mounted supercharged 5.4 liter V8 engine making 550 horsepower and awful, awful gas mileage. But the Blue Oval is trying to remake itself as a leader in green cars and technology. So how can they consider bringing back the Ford GT?
It’s easy, ladies and gentlemen. Make the new Ford GT a super-fast hybrid. According to AutoExpress, the current plans call for a hybrid-electric vehicle that ditches the “retro” styling of the last GT for something more futuristic. A gas engine (perhaps a new version of the EcoBoost?) will drive the rear wheels, while the front wheels will be driven by electric motors. At a touch of a button, the electric motors can provide a horsepower boost, up to 600hp, or even drive the car a limited distance on zero-emissions electricity. A light, possibly aluminum body should keep weight under or around the 3,000 pound mark, and Ford has already mentioned bringing Start-Stop technology to its vehicles as well. Can a a Ford supercar manage to get 30 mpg with 600 horsepower?
Make no mistake though, this is going to be a performance car, through and through. There’s no reason hybrids have to be boring though, and hopefully the next-gen Ford GT sticks around a while to serve as a platform for showcasing the latest and greatest vehicles Ford has to offer.
Source: AutoExpress
Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMI’s. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.