Putting another 500 miles on the Ford GT in the last three days makes one thing abundantly clear -- it really is a "GT." The term "GT" comes from the Italian acronym for "Gran Turismo," which translates to grand touring. The official definition of a "Grand Touring" car varies depending on whom you ask, but I've always thought a "GT" car should possess the ability to travel at a high rate of speed for an extended period of time, all while maintaining a high level of driver/passenger comfort. Using this definition as a guideline, the Ford GT easily lives up to its namesake. The car simply devours superslab (2,000 rpm equals 80 mph in top gear), yet it remains comfortable and relatively quiet at those speeds for extended periods (some types of pavement will get the Goodyear F1 rubber roaring). The best part of the GT's "GT-ness" shows up when you exit the freeway and jump on a narrow, twisting road like Carmel Valley Ranch Road, just southeast of Carmel...
Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief, Edmunds.com @ 5,672 miles
hondacura4 says:
04:35 PM, 09/17/06
Im not a Ford fan but I absolutely love the Ford GT. Its my second favorite behind the other GT, the Carerra. I just wish Ford had used a more "exotic" drivetrain.
editor_karl says:
12:21 PM, 10/ 3/06
Me too. If there's a "rudimentary" element to the car, it's the rather boat-anchor-like (it weighs over 900 pounds!!) drivetrain. Thankfully, it's a mid-engine design, so the effect of all that weight is minimized in terms of handling dynamics.