cars news 10: Ford GT Production Expanded to Four Years

To fill some of the backlog of orders for the Ford GT, the automaker announced it will make the carbon-fiber supercar for four years. That’s two more years than planned and means there will be 1,000 satisfied customers instead of only 500.

For those potential buyers on a waiting list, it means they need to update their application to purchase when the order window opens again in early 2018. It is a long wait—but better than learning they missed out on a car that is back in production after being discontinued after the 2006 model year.

The new time frame also jibes with the decision by Ford Performance to race the Ford GT in both IMSA and World Endurance Championship series for four years. The team is still reveling in its 24 Hours of Le Mans victory in June.

“While we can’t build enough Ford GTs for everyone who has applied, we are going to produce additional vehicles in an effort to satisfy more of our most loyal Ford ambassadors,” says Dave Pericak, global director for Ford Performance. “We want to keep Ford GT exclusive, but at the same time we know how vital this customer is to our brand.”

The mid-engine two-seater is almost hand-built with the carbon-fiber body made by a coachbuilder in Canada. The GT has a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 that will generate at least 600 horsepower. Buyers will spend more than $400,000 when deliveries begin late this year. And even with the extended production run, only a fraction of the more than 7,000 applicants will get one.

Ford last made the GT for the 2005 and 2006 model years. It was priced at $150,000 and only about 4,000 were built. Previous owners, celebrities, and social media influencers top the list of those getting the 2017 through 2020 model-year GTs.

Ford is building 250 GTs a year, so many would-be customers who applied to buy one were disappointed to receive a letter saying they would miss out on the allotment. The third year of production will fill the orders of some of those on the wait list. The fourth and final year of production will fill the orders of those who were told they had not made the cut or who had missed the initial deadline to put their name in. These customers will need to update their request when the application process reopens in early 2018.

“The road car and race car will live on, side-by-side, for the next four years – providing ample opportunity to test and prove innovative new technologies both on and off the track,” said Raj Nair, head of global product development and chief technical officer.