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Long-Term Road Tests

2005 Ford GT

September 24, 2008

The Big List of Fuel Economy

gasstation pump numbers 555.jpg

I was thinking the other day (always a dangerous proposition, I know) and wondering how all the current (or really, really recently departed) Edmunds/Inside Line long-term vehicles stack up against each other in fuel economy, at least the fuel economy we've been recording during their time with us. So I made a list. For you and for me. In case we were both wondering.

The only current vehicles missing from my list are the Audi R8 and the Dodge Grand Caravan, and that's because no one has entered any fuel data into the tracking spreadsheet for those vehicles yet. The very top and the very bottom of the list aren't going to surprise anybody (I don't think), but the middle is kinda interesting. Seeing the Rondo and the WRX so close to each other made me raise my eyebrows. Ditto the Ford GT's spot above the Veracruz. Ready to check it all out? Follow the jump with me.

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August 1, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Windshield Replaced and Final Blog Post

Ford GT Windshield Repair.blog.jpgSince that first, nasty windshield "star" happened to the long-term 2005 Ford GT in December of 2006 it's picked up a few other love marks in the front glass. That's the bad news.

The good news is Santa Monica Ford has a company that can replace the windshield without removing the entire front clip. I know of another Ford GT owner who had this performed at the same dealership and the process was performed with no complaints or issues.

So this week the Ford GT was dropped off at Santa Monica Ford at about 7:45 a.m. to have the windshield replaced and the slight buzz in the driver's door panel (coming from the loose aluminum door panel trim ring) addressed. 

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July 25, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Reunion Road Trip -- Expect Perfection

Ford GT Mountains.jpgWhen I decided to drive the long-term 2005 Ford GT from Los Angeles to Denver for my high school reunion I had some expectations, assumptions and hopes. I expected it to provide a relatively comfortable and entertaining form of high-speed travel. I assumed it would prove fully functional over a 2,300-mile road trip. And I hoped it didn't suffer any mechanical maladies.

Turns out my plan was flawed; my expectations, assumptions and hopes skewed far too low. Not only did the Ford GT prove a flawless cross-country mount but it performed said duty at a level I didn't predict. I'd like to think Ford's exotic couldn't still surprise me after 13,000 miles, but it could and did.

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July 17, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Ventura County to Denver Road Trip

Ford GT Reunion Trip Chrysler 300.jpgIt only took 14 hours to drive from Ventura County to Denver in the long-term 2005 Ford GT, and that's pretty good considering it was a daytime run with plenty of traffic in and around Las Vegas. I give partial credit to this black Chrysler 300C with 20-inch wheels. The guy wanted to go fast between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which made him a perfect blocker as long as I stayed with him.

 

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July 7, 2008

2005 Ford GT: A Day of Washing. And Washing. And Washing. And...

Ford GT Washing.jpg

The only thing worse than 2,000 miles of road grime is 2,000 miles of road grime on non-waxed paint. As such, I spent about six hours yesterday washing and waxing the Ford GT's paint in prep for its journey though the Rocky Mountains. To do the job correctly you can't just wash it and dry it off, and you can't even just add a coat of wax. No, to do it right you much strip all the old/existing wax off and start from scratch.

So the first step was washing the car to remove all existing dirt and grime from the paint. The GT was still pretty clean from the last washing so this was relatively quick and easy.

First trip across GT's painted surface.

Ford GT clay bar.jpgNext I used a clay bar to remove any previous wax build up. Spraying each area with diluted Zaino Z6 provides a lubricant to help the bar slide across the paint. These clay bars can do amazing things, especially on paint with built up gunk and grime. The GT's paint was relatively grime free, but the process did remove some black spots in the painted white stripes over the top of the car. It was less effective on the dark scuffs in the vinyl tape stripes on the rocker panels.

Second trip across GT's painted surface.

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July 3, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Where the Rubber Meets the Open Road

Ford GT Tire Change.jpgWith a 2000-plus-mile road trip approaching in less than two weeks it was time to address the GT's tire status. It was clear the rears needed replaced. They seem to average about 7,000 miles, and the odo was at 13,400 on the second set. However, the fronts were original, and hadn't quite reached the wear bars.

Ford GT Jack Points.jpgAs with any tire work the first order of business is to get the car elevated, but the GT's underbody pans make that tricky. Jack the car up from the wrong points and you'll crunch the pans (I've seen and heard many stories of underbody damage from GT's being incorrectly lifted). The experts at Stokes Tire Pros in Santa Monica took a close look under the car, confirmed their lift couldn't reach all four points at once, and decided to life each axle separately.

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What's our Most American Car?

A Buffet of Americana. Pity about that Caravan.

On the eve of Independence Day, I thought I'd peruse our garage for the most American metal. Amongst the many long-termers presently in the long-term fleet, we have quite the selection of cars built by domestic makers. Some are excellent representives of this great land, others ... not so much. And that's not counting the pretty cool American cars that reside in our editors' own garages: Trans Ams, Challengers, Corvettes and Schmidt's big ol' F-150.

Of course, what constitutes an American car these days is up for debate given the Focus is hecho en Mexico and our Hyundai Veracruz is hecho en Alabama. But I'll leave those determinations up to you. And the nominees for our Most American Car are...

Buick Enclave

Cadillac CTS

Chevy Silverado

Dodge Caravan (oh dear god, I hope not)

Ford Edge

Ford Focus

Ford GT

Pontiac G8 GT

Saturn Aura

James Riswick, Automotive Editor

June 19, 2008

2005 Ford GT: iPod your Exotic

I've been wanting to add iPod support to the Ford GT ever since I picked up an iPhone last December. With all the other audio add-ons supplied by the JVC KDNX-5000 (Bluetooth, Sirius and Navigation) it was the only item left that could be added. I don't really need to listen to songs with my iPhone, as the head unit can play DVD-Rs that hold all my music with room to spare. But I hate having to decide between iPod charging and radar detector power, so charging the phone was my primary goal.

I picked up the appropriate iPod cable (JVC KS-PD100) at Best Buy, pulled the fuse box cover (in the passenger footwell) and plugged it into the Sirius unit. The whole job took less than an hour and now I can charge the phone and monitor incoming radar beams at the same time.

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June 7, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Cleanliness is next to sleekliness

Washing the long-term Ford GT isn't an easy or simple task. You can't just take it to the local "soap 'n rinse" without almost guaranteeing disappointment and/or damage. There's a lot of surface area and detail work to be done when washing it yourself, so plan on at least an hour and more likely 90 minutes to do it right, and that's before you've done anything with wax.

And yet, when the job is done the time always feels well spent...

Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief @ 13,400 miles 

June 2, 2008

2005 Ford GT: A Study in Cooling...and Entomology

One of the few running changes in the Ford GTs two-year run was the removal of the front grille. It happened in late 2005, and it was done to increase airflow to the radiator for improved engine cooling. With our long-term 2005 Ford GT being about 3/4 of the way through the first year's production (number 1456 out of approximately 2000) it still has the front grille.

Many 2005 GT owners have pulled the grille, but we haven't seen an engine temp problem, even during our track run at The GT School, so the grille remains in our car. However, after driving it back from the Southern California high desert recently it was clear how cooling effectiveness could be compromised by this small piece of plastic.

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May 15, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Tracking Straight and True

Since we are all sharing shots from yesterday's Willow Springs run here's a look at the long-term Ford GT between Turn 2 and Turn 3. I drove the car 100 miles up to Willow with no plans to track it (we rented the facility for another purpose), but at one point I noticed the empty racetrack and the fully-fueled GT sitting in the parking area. Hmmm...

Once upon a time Enzo Ferrari had a vision of his customers driving their Ferrari on public roads to the track, racing it on the track (and winning), and driving it home -- all with minimal "set-up" between street and track duty. The early 250 GTs and GTOs were capable of doing just that, and the bar he set with those cars is what many a manufacturer has tried to emulate ever since.

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May 5, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Wii!!!!!!!

What started out as a simple Best Buy run to see if they had any wireless Rock Band guitars for the Xbox 360 turned into a Wii run -- all in the Long-Term Ford GT.

After seeing said wireless guitars on display at the store entrance I casually asked about the availability of a Nintendo Wii. This question has been met with a quick, "Nope, none in stock" over the past 18 months, but on this particular day the store employee said, "Let me check" and returned with hushed instructions to "Go to register 8 and tell them your name." I think the Wii is still rather hard to get, but an order had apparently just come in. As I was buying mine I saw another guy at the next register getting his.

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April 21, 2008

2005 Ford GT: More Mods and a Fabulous Ford Event

Sometimes you just can't leave well enough alone. The long-term Ford GT already has a smaller supercharger pulley, an ECU reflash, a Ford Racing short shifter, a Ford Racing transaxle cooler and an Accufab air intake lining (to keep the intake tube from collapsing during full-throttle blasts).

But the factory exhaust note is pretty tame on this exotic, even by my standards. It's great for long-distance road travel because engine noise is essentially a non-issue. But it's pretty much a non-issue when hitting redline, too. Seems like there should be a happy medium, and after much discussion with other Ford GT owners the Borla/Ford Racing exhaust system sounded like the "just right" noise level I was looking for. Additional benefits include a 30 pound drop in weight compared to the factory muffler, and far more attractive exhaust tips (the standard exhaust tips scream "corporate bean counters").

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April 7, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Runnin' On (actually, below) Empty

I'm the worst when it comes to driving with low-fuel lights on. My wife hates it. Ironically, she's gotten pretty bad (good?) at it herself (I've trained her well).

Regardless, if I'm in a car and it's not actually on the "E" I tend to keep driving. Most modern cars have very conservative fuel gauges, allowing their drivers to carry out blatant irresponsibility when it comes to planning fuel stops. The long-term Ford GT is no different. The "red" zone starts at 1/8th of the fuel gauge, and the "Check Gauges" light comes on around 1/16th. But only wimps chicken out at that point.

On my way home in the GT on Friday I was passing the last gas station on PCH for about 25 miles when the warning light came on. "Hmmm," I thought, "if I've only got 1 gallon left and I average 16.5 mpg, I'm not going to make it." "But," I told myself, "most cars have 1 gallon left when the gauge actually hits 'E' -- so I'm good." And on I drove.

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March 21, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Reflections at 12,000 miles

The long-term 2005 Ford GT has crossed 12,000 miles on the odometer. The last 1,000 miles rolled up slowly, as the weather in Southern California for most of January and February wasn't GT-friendly (seemed like the worst weather showed up Friday afternoons and cleared out Sunday nights for awhile there...).

But I've just finished updating the car's fuel log, and lifetime fuel mileage is holding steady at 16.51 mpg. I can't complain about that, as the last two tankfuls were burned at Willow Springs Raceway as part of "The GT School" I attended. This was a track day/instructional event dedicated to the Ford GT, though a Porsche Carrera GT did show up (the guy's Ford GT is modded and having overheating issues, but he'd paid his money, and it is called "The GT School").

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February 25, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Where's the Tire Wear?

The rear tires on our Long-Term Ford GT were replaced at 7,000 miles. The official reason for replacement was a large metal shard that skewered the driver's side rear tire during freeway driving, but the tires had less than a couple hundred miles of useable/safe life left, so at least the road debris didn't destroy a new pair.

At that time I took a close look at the front tires and figured they had another couple thousand miles left. Maybe around 9K they'd have to go...

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February 22, 2008

2005 Ford GT: A little guidance for those 150+ mph runs

We'd all like to think automakers are looking out for our best interests. Maybe they ensure that our car's doors unlock in the case of a rollover. Maybe they have a telematics system to automatically call emergency services if an airbag deploys. Maybe they provide a warning light if our window washer fluid gets too low...

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February 18, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Capless Fuel System Gets Real

Beyond being "the pace car for an entire company" the Ford GT was supposed to preview upcoming technology that would eventually make it to lower-priced, volume sellers. One of the highly touted features on the GT back in 2005 was the "capless refueling system" that doesn't require a separate twist cap. Sort of like the keyless entry system on many modern cars, the GT's capless system still catches me off guard. It's great when I go to fill the vehicle because it removes a step in the process...

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February 11, 2008

2005 Ford GT: What moves you?



Karl's recent Ford GT post declaring Peter Gabriel an acceptable accompaniment to the monster Ford got me thinking -- and questioning his sensibilities.

What would an appropriate soundtrack be?

The scene:
You're in a modded Ford GT.
You're on the PCH.  For those of you who've not experienced the road, it has long sweeping corners, amazing views, and cops...

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2005 Ford GT: Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

It was starting to feel like we should gather the animals two-by-two in "sunny" Southern California. But with January now a dreary memory it seems the weather that draws and/or keeps most of us here finally returned last week. While the long-term Ford GT is fully capable of being driven in bad weather, it's not prudent given he car's traction-challenged nature -- even on the driest of days. The mods to the engine that now give it a zero-to-60 time of 3.6 seconds also mean you want warm pavement, warm tires and a prudent right foot...

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January 7, 2008

2005 Ford GT: Ford's Axle Bolt Fix -- Don't call it a recall!!

After first hearing about axle shaft bolt failures on Ford GTs in October of 2006, and then having them replaced by The Ford GT Guys in August of 2007 (at our own expense) Ford Motor Company is now offering an official "Customer Satisfaction Program" to replace these bolts free of charge. The program offers to replace the axle shaft bolts and washers, even if they've already been replaced with aftermarket parts, free of charge. And this offer applies not only to original Ford GT owners but all subsequent owners as well.

Our bolts and washers (left) came from Accufab. These items are both larger and made of stronger steel than the original pieces (right)...

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December 17, 2007

2005 Ford GT: What's Your Sign?

I was just driving through North Hollywood in the Long-Term Ford GT and spotted a rather bizarre sign. Something like this in the back of a Motor Trend magazine (right next to the Cialis ads) doesn't surprise me, but a 5' x 8' sign posted on the side of a BBQ Teriyaki restaurant? I'm not sure who is more frightening, the person who placed the sign or the person who calls the number on the sign? You can't see the phone number in this shot, but if you're really looking for this kind of guidance just head over to Lankershim and Cahuenga and look around...

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November 16, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Fuel Mileage Keeps Getting Better

You don't need an MBA from Stanford to know good mileage is good business these days. I admire the EPA ratings on the new Corvette (including the Z06), but with 11,000 miles on the odo the long-term Ford GT is getting more earth-friendly every day. Current lifetime fuel mileage is at 16.72 mpg. That's up exactly .5 mpg compared to the lifetime mileage at 8,700 miles, and suggests that somewhere around 150,000 miles it should pass our long-term Prius in terms of fuel efficiency...

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November 2, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Rule #1 Drive it! No Bubble Wrap Allowed!

First rule of new-performance-car ownership: DRIVE IT! I know too many people buy cars like this and essentially bubble wrap them. What are you saving it for? A rainy day?..

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October 16, 2007

2005 Ford GT: GT go Fast! -- Clutch going away?

I don't care how you define performance -- doing zero-to-60 in 3.5 seconds is damn quick! That's the number we just got out of the long-term Ford GT after putting on a smaller supercharger pully, reflashing the ECU and installing a short shifter (we also put in a transaxle cooler and upgraded axle bolts, but those wouldn't affect acceleration). For the record, our "before" numbers, with the GT in stock condition, were zero-to-60 in 3.7 seconds and the 1/4-mile in 11.8 @ 124 mph. The "after" numbers we got yesterday were zero-to-60 in 3.5 seconds and the 1/4-mile in 11.6 seconds @ 126.3 mph...

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October 9, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Getting called up to the Show

I've never entered a vehicle in a show. I like attending shows, but the idea of competing in them never really appealed to me. But this past weekend I entered the long-term Ford GT in the 22nd Annual Westlake Village Auto Show. As an automotive enthusiast heading toward my fourth decade it was probably past time.

I didn't really plan on winning anything, but I cleaned the GT up and put it in the "Exotic" category, figuring I'd look at the $25 entry fee as a "preferred parking" charge, plus it included a free T-shirt...

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September 24, 2007

2005 Ford GT: How much faster is it?

We should be getting the GT tested in the next week to confirm the benefits of our recent engine mods (new supercharger pulley, reflashed ECU, short shifter). I'm going to guess-timate about three-tenths of a second gain in performance, meaning it should now be hitting zero-to-60 in approximately 3.4 seconds and the 1/4-mile in about 11.4.

Even without the official numbers I can confirm the GT feels much stronger under normal driving conditions. As much torque as the 5.4-liter V8 had before, it's got more now...

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September 7, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Aftermarket Audio System Still Rocks

After six months and 3,000-miles the verdict on the aftermarket JVC head unit (KD-NX5000) is near universal approval. The ability to enjoy Sirius satellite radio, hard disk music, Bluetooth/hands-free phone operation, DVD audio and videos, MP3s and detailed navigation guidance make the GT nearly as technically advanced as, say, an LS 600h. The single best items are the "tilt-able" face place that cuts glare and reflections, along with the bright, clear screen display. Sticking points remain too frequent Sirius signal dropout (especially in canyons or along the coast) and kludgy Bluetooth connections between the unit and a cell phone (you can always get it to work eventually, but it takes to much fumbling each time a new phone has to be paired)...

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August 27, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Warranty Repairs and Engine Cover Rubs

Picked up the Long-Term GT from the Ford dealership after having the dead rear shock replaced and loose door panel trim repaired. The total bill came to $0, as there's a TSB on the loose door trim and the dead shock was replaced under warranty. Good thing it's not a F430, as Ferrari's 1 year/12,000-mile coverage wouldn't have applied (the GT has been in service for 2 years/10,500 miles and comes with 3/36 coverage).

But I did find another minor issue while washing the GT...

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August 6, 2007

Ford GT - Ferrari 308: My Weekend with Two Exotic Gals

When your mid-engine, V8 exotic gets sidelined during an owner's rally your options are pretty limited. You can bail out on the fun, cry in your latte and tell yourself "Well, there's always next year," or you can hop into your spare mid-engine, V8 exotic and keep on motoring.

We didn't plan on switching from the Ford GT to the Ferrari 308 halfway through the Ford GT Owner's Rally, but a leaking shock had the GT's rear-end crashing over minor bumps with increasing volume. By Friday night it was clear that continued use would potentially spread the carnage beyond a dead shock to a cracked spindle and/or crushed wheel bearing (to say nothing of the car's four-wheel alignment). It was time to bench the blue-oval exotic.

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2005 Ford GT: Car Show, Auction and Carroll Shelby

The Second Annual Ford GT Owner's Rally wrapped up with a cruise through the high desert, a dinner and charity auction at the Petersen Automotive Musuem, and a car show featuring over 100 Ford GTs. The high-desert cruise proved challenging in the early stages, with standard-issue L.A. Traffic on the northbound 15 freeway (why would anyone be going that direction on a Friday?). But once clear of Interstate 15 the parade of 40-plus GTs enjoyed wide-open cruising at wide-open thro-...er, at a healthy rate of speed across the Pearblossom Highway.

The cruise wound it's way back to The Petersen Automotive Museum where participants enjoyed browsing the three floors of car-related displays before bidding in an auction of Ford GT artwork by GT designer Camilo Pardo.

The evening was topped off by the appearance a Ford's most famous face, Carroll Shelby. Mr. Shelby signed all of the artwork before it was auctioned off to benefit a veteren's charity. The elder statesman of speed then offered to pose for pictures with any and all interested participants (the line formed quickly and took up most of the museum's second floor). At 84 it's obvious Mr. Shelby still knows how to live life to its fullest.

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August 2, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Owners Rally at the Owner's Rally

The first day of the Second Annual Ford GT Owner's Rally included timed laps through a road course set up at the El Toro military base. The course was too tight to generate much speed, but that was probably by design. One sure-fire killjoy at any car event is to let a vehicle, or person, suffer serious damage. Two timed runs were made in our long-term GT with no cone casualties...

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August 1, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Ah, nothing like a day at the GT Spa...

...to raise your exotic Ford's spirits...and horsepower. Our long-term car just spent a day in the caring hands of The GT Guys. Rich and Dennis were part of the original team that maintained various Ford GTs during development and pre-production testing. They've done everything from replacing oil filters to rebuilding wrecked cars from the frame up. You might say these guys know a thing or two about working on the GT.

For our long-term car we signed up for the basic care package (oil/filter change, air filter replacement, overall inspection) followed by a vigorous regimen of strength building (smaller supercharger pulley, upgraded air intake) and toning (short shifter install). Finally, we were looking for some endurance training (transaxle cooler, upgraded Accufab transaxle bolts). The GT Guys made sure our car met its health goals.

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July 30, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Motorcyclist Approved

In the past 13 years I've driven something along the lines of 600 test vehicles, but more than any other vehicle I've ever driven the Ford GT has a very clear characteristic -- motorcyclists dig it. The percentage of two-wheelers that make an overt, positive acknowledgement of the GT's presence is higher than any model I've experienced. Sure, the GT tends to get a reaction from everyone (cars, trucks, pedestrians; I think I've even noticed plants giving it the "petals up" sign), but so does a Viper, Gallardo or F430. I've driven all of those cars around West L.A...

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July 27, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Mice will play -- six hours in the GT

2005 Ford GT -- Brent Romans

What would you do if a friend handed you the keys to his Ford GT for a no-holds-barred, six-hour period? Trip to Vegas? Jump it slo-mo style with a Star Wars CD in the head unit? Rub it with a diaper? Well, I got the keys to the Karl Brauer/Inside Line Ford GT mobile. And in six hours, I found love, lost $8 and grossly broke various driving laws – with a police officer in the passenger seat. This is the story.

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July 25, 2007

Ford GT: Easy-going Exotic

I got some seat time in our Ford GT today.  Drove it back from the test track near Bakersfield back to the office in Santa Monica. Apart from moving a Ford GT around in a large parking lot for photos a few years back, I'd never really driven one.  We all know the GT accelerates like an F-14 with the afterburners kicked in and will hit 200mph, so what's it like to drive in the real world?  Amazingly drama-free.  No finicky clutch action, no abrupt throttle response.  Just a perfectly behaved supercar.  It's a smooth operator, from the perfectly weighted and calibrated steering that's quick without being twitchy to the gear shifter that moves as if it's lined with teflon and machined to aerospace tolerances.

I was also impressed with the GT's cool demeanor.  With temps in the mid-90s, the A/C running and some elevations on the 5 that would put Lance Armstrong to the test, the gauge never rose above 200 degrees, and most of the time hovered around 180 or so.  (Sorry for the photo quality -- they're cell phone pics)...

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July 23, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Easter Egg No. 1 (with a Billet)

Why did the MSRP of Ford's GT increase $10,000 for late 2005s and all 2006s? Some say it's because Ford saw dealers gouging -- yet still getting -- transaction prices far in excess of the original $139,995 (Ford insiders have told me company execs wished they'd picked a higher MSRP from the start). Others say it's because Ford needed more money on the later cars to make up for unforeseen costs overruns on earlier cars, and this is essentially true.

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July 16, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Still waiting for updated door trim fastener

Still waiting for the upgraded fasteners for the Long-Term Ford GT's interior door trim. The double-sided tape has given up on several other cars, and while the trim on this car has never fallen off it was loose and moved around a bit. I had Santa Monica Ford order the upgraded fasteners based on a Ford-issued TSB about a month ago, but still no word from them.

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July 9, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Scuff Plates - Living up to their Namesake

While most of the Ford GT is holding up well after 9,000 miles there are a couple areas showing signs of wear. Probably the most egregious is the scuff place just inside each of the doors. You'd expect an interior component in this location (and with the name "scuff plate") to get...well, scuffed. But while the scuffs themselves are not unexpected the highly polished, mirror-like insert that says "Ford" is really highlighting them.

The "Ford" lettering has several scratches going right through it, and adjacent to the letting is a cluster of scratches that may have happened during the audio system upgrade I performed (I was laying accross this plate while working under the dash on multiple occasions). Regardless of the cause, the effect is one that likely can't be fixed without further removing the "Ford" lettering. Other GT owners have dealt with this issue in one of two ways.

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July 2, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Still tight after 9,000 miles? I think so...

Vehicles age a lot like humans. In both cases you rarely notice the process because it happens slowly, but get away from a car (or person) for a good chunk of time and when you come back some additional chassis looseness (in both cases) is quickly noticed. I was in the unique position of driving the primary West Coast Ford GT PR car on several occasions. The last time I drove it the odometer read somewhere north of 23,000 miles, all of them accumulated at the hands of automotive journalists and Ford employees...

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June 17, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Rally Fun - Biggest West Coast Grouping

Until the Ford GT Owner's Rally happens in a couple months (August 2-5, go to The Ford GT Forum to sign up!), this was easily the single largest gathering of Ford GTs on the West Coast. Twenty-five GTs showed up at Duke's restaurant in Malibu early Saturday morning for a fun run through the Santa Monica Mountains.

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June 11, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Fuel System Fine -- Except the Gauge...

A weekend drive in the Ford GT failed to initiate the engine stalling problem. I filled it up with new gas from the Mobile I normally use and everything seemed fine...except for the gauge. After filling up I drove away and then noticed the gauge was just below 3/4. At first I thought the automatic shuf-off had occurred too early, but then I remembered that 12.5 gallons went in and the car was just below 1/4 when I filled up...

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June 7, 2007

Ford GT: Can Not Duplicate Problem

So after having a serious stalling problem with the Ford GT I visited Santa Monica Ford to have that issue, and several others, addrssed. But the stalling problem itself didn't surface once on my 50-mile drive to the dealership. And guess what? "Can't Duplicate Problem" was what they told me after dropping the car off. They checked the fuel system pressure with a vacuum test and it registered fine...

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May 29, 2007

Ford GT: Dealer Visit Imminent, List of "To Do's" Long

There have been some minor nagging issues with the GT, but none were serious enough to force a dealer visit. However, with the engine stalling about 50 percent of the time when slowing to a stop there's no avoiding a dealer trip now. The list of services to be performed are:

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May 23, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Fuel Mileage Up, Idle Speed Down

Of course you know what happens when you claim your car is problem free, right? After blogging on Monday about how dependable the Ford GT has been for its first 8,700 miles I confirmed a definite problem during today's lunch run up PCH. Over the approximately 20-mile drive the GT stalled twice while stopping, leaving me staring at the "Check Gauges" and "Check Engine" lights. I just read through the TSB list and there's nothing regarding an engine stall at low speeds, but going through the Ford GT forum boards I found several mentions of the problem.

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May 21, 2007

Ford GT: Sirius Problems not Specific to the GT

At 8,700 miles the problems with the GT have been, gratefully, few and far between. There were two two recent scares, but both proved non-GT related.

First, the reception from the Sirius satellite radio has been cutting out, even moreso than usual. I generally like Sirius' radio programming more than XM's, but XM has it all over Sirius when it comes to signal strength. Of course they are one-in-the-same now, so maybe Sirius' signal will get stronger (but will the quality of their programming get weaker...). Anyway, I feared the placement of the antenna was causing the issue, as I didn't want to mount it on the outside of the car and hoped the dash-mounted location would be good enough. Well, the day after driving the GT and having massive signal drop out I drove another test car with Sirius radio and suffered the exact same level of drop out in the exact same places on my commute. Obviously the problem is Sirius, versus a serious problem with my receiver or antenna placement.

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May 14, 2007

Ford GT: A "Powered by Ford" Car Show at PAG

One of the best Southern California car shows happens every Saturday morning in the parking lot of Ford's Premier Automotive Group headquarters in Irvine. While the weekly show -- dubbed "Cars and Coffee" -- takes place at a Ford property a wide variety of vehicles show up and the weekly "theme" for the show can range from Ferrari to Chevrolet. But this past Saturday the theme was indeed "Powered by Ford" and as expected a goodly number of Blue Oval iron showed up. Included in the festivities was a collection of 20 Ford GTs, one of which being our own long-term Midnight Blue model. All eight Ford GT colors were represented, though ours was the only blue one on site (there were several red, a couple black and Tungsten, and one each in white, yellow, silver and the Heritage colors).

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April 30, 2007

Ford GT: Bluetooth in the Blue Oval

Starting on July 1 of 2008 the state of California will require all cell phone gabbers to use a hands-free device while operating a vehicle. The GT is future-proofed in this area, as the JVC head unit that I recently installed also included Bluetooth technology (after I bought the Bluetooth adapter for it). The microphone's wire is routed under the dash and next to the steering column, with the mic itself sitting near the toggle switches. I just gave the system a good test while talking to a friend in Denver as I drove home from work...

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April 23, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Fabulous Fords Forever Car Show

The annual Fabulous Fords Forever car show happened this weekend at Knott's Berry Farm. It's the biggest all-Ford show on the West Coast, and it covers a large chunk of Knott's parking lot with Shelby Mustangs, Cougar Eliminators, original Broncos and Panteras. Edmunds had a booth at the show, and the long-term GT was parked next to it. The car still draws a crowd, though at this show that's not really surprising.

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April 16, 2007

Ford GT: What's Your Angle?

The GT's flip-up fuel cap is pretty cool in that it doesn't require an inner cap, meaning full-ups are one-step quicker. But I just realized that the fill tube is pretty finicky about the angle of the fuel nozzle. If you have it at a right angle (perpendicular) to the car you're fine. But if it rotates either direction more than a few degrees it triggers the fuel pressure cut-off...

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April 9, 2007

Ford GT: Owner's Rally, Part Deux

The 2nd Annual Ford GT Owner's Rally is now locked in, and it will be based out of Newport Beach, California on August 1-5, 2007. If you saw the coverage from last year's rally in Dearborn, Michigan you know how amazing it can be when over 80 Ford GTs get together for a rally. It's likely an even larger number of GTs will attend this event because of the high density of Ford's exotic car in the Southern California area. The long-term GT didn't make last year's rally because of the distance involved, but you can bet it will be at this year's gathering...

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April 2, 2007

Ford GT: How Long Before Your Fix-a-Flat goes Flat?

In my battery-charging adventure last weekend I had occasion to take a close look at the Ford GT's "tire repair kit" (being a modern performance car it, of course, has no true spare). The kit is pretty impressive in that it combines a tow hook, air compressor and tire sealant into a compact package that fits in the GT's compact cargo bay. But in looking at the kit I noticed the "expiration date" of the sealant -- in this case it's February of 2009. It made me wonder what an owner is supposed to do post February 2009?..

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March 26, 2007

Ford GT: Assault and Battery Charge

It was bound to happen. After hearing from plenty of other Ford GT owners about their batteries dying, most often from a lack of use over extended periods, the long-term GT's battery finally lost the ability to turn over the 5.4-liter V8. To say it was the battery's fault would be a cruel accusation after its recent torture tests. In the previous two weeks the car had put up with hours of sitting with one or both doors open while the new JVC audio system went in. And after it went in the car sat for several more hours while various features (DVD video, Bluetooth communication, Sirius satellite radio) were set up and/or tested out.

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March 19, 2007

The Ford GT Theatre is now Open for Business

To say this installation was a female dog would be a not-so-creative description of upgrading the Ford GT with JVC's new KD-NX5000 head unit. Beyond full DVD playback on the 3.5-inch LCD widescreen it also offers a 40 gig harddrive. Sixteen of those gigs are dedicated to the Nav system and it's 13 million points of interest, the other 24 gigs are meant for storing music. It will play just about any type of disc, including DivX video, DVD-RW, CD-R, etc. And, if you splurge for the Bluetooth and Sirius add-on components you can have those to play with, too. This shot was taken shortly before the final-final install, so the unit isn't pushed quite as far back as it ulimately went (didn't want it locking in place until I was ready). It definitely fits flush with the DIN opening versus sticking out and looking at all awkward.

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March 12, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Heads Up!

After several months of considering a head unit upgrade for the Ford GT we've taken the first steps. The factory unit is passable, but that's about it. Sound quality is rather impressive for a two-speaker system with no external amplification, but the Sanyo head unit can't even play MP3s. And if you're looking for an external audio input to play satellite radio or an iPod through...well, you'll have to look really hard.

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February 26, 2007

Ford GT: All Shined Up and Somewhere to Go

   Despite the "relaxed" nature of the Supercar Sunday car show in the West Valley you can see some pretty stunning machinery between the hours of 7 and 11 a.m. I drove over with the Ford GT yesterday and was one of about eight Ford GTs (and several hundred other cars) in the parking lot. The previous Sunday I spent several hours detailing the Ford with various Zaino polishes, so it was ready to roll and the Midnight Blue paint was about as shiny as I've seen it. I parked between a Dodge Viper and Ford street rod, with a 427 Cobra directly behind me...

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February 20, 2007

Ford GT: Anti-Door-Ding Design?

   It's probably not something the Ford GT's designers were specifically considering when they began the car's computer drafting and clay model work. But regardless of its primary design goals the GT's size and shape works for more than just turning heads and keeping it stable at 205 mph. It also aids with rear seat entry/egress in an SUV. As seen in this photo, the rear door of BMW's new X5 matches up almost perfectly with the GT's front fender, allowing the BMW's door to open fully without dinging the GT's Midnight Blue paint...

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February 15, 2007

Ford GT: And in This Corner, A Calibrated Oil Gauge

After driving the Miata a few days ago, and posting about its troubling oil pressure gauge at idle, I figured a shot of the Ford GT's gauge in the same circumstance would help crystalize my point. I look at this gauge while stopped in L.A. traffic (meaning I have PLENTY of time to look at it on my drive in to work), and nothing but warm reassurance washes over me. It's hovering around 35 p.s.i., which is superb oil pressure for a V8 that is fully warmed up and idling around 900 rpm...

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February 12, 2007

Ford GT: Burger Run!

   Taking an exotic car through the drive-thru can be problematic. You've got a low, small window to get the food through, expensive materials to potentially spill on, and, of course, no cupholders. Despite all that, the Ford GT makes for a surprisingly friendly drive-thru partner. The window is big enough to keep paper bags and/or drinks from tipping over, and while no cupholders are included the local In-N-Out is kind enough to include an effective drink holder (plus their service folks are always so darn friendly)...

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February 5, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Rim Protector to the Rescue!

This seems like such a no-brainer design, yet many modern tires still don't include any form of rim or wheel protection. A tire with this design feature will have a raised rib next to the bead to keep a wheel from scraping the curb -- even if a driver is too careless to handle this job on his own. After checking The Tire Rack web site I learned that while rim protection ribs are great for alloy wheels, they can make it nearly impossible to mount hubcaps. And since the majority of cars today still use hubcaps the majority of tires still don't feature this seemingly obvious feature...

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January 29, 2007

Ford GT: Unintended "Kick" Panels

   When talking "exotic" cars versus "normal" cars one of the biggest adjustments a potential buyer has to make (after purchase price) is entry/exit procedure. Exotics are typically low to the ground, which can mean all sorts of creative body motions when getting in and out of them. Add in the GT's specific design quirks (i.e. those "Le Mans" door cuts in the roof) and you have an extra layer of quirkiness that goes beyond even the most quirky of exotics. The result is an unintentional flailing of limbs to balance yourself while doing the "GT Limbo" during entry.

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January 22, 2007

2005 Ford GT: Road Rash? Not Really...

   I spent much of the past two weekends using the Zaino polish system on the Ford GT. I'd heard good things about this product, and after a year-and-a-half of ownership it seemed time to treat the GT to a worthy polish system. I've cleaned it at least once a month, but no polish except what it came with from the Ford dealer when purchased. The Zaino system is pretty involved. First clean with water, then use the Z-18 clay bar and clean again, then ZFX polish, then Z-6 detailing spray (a secondary bonus of this system is the bulking effect it has on your shoulders). The paint is glass smooth now, and cleaning it like this after 7,300 miles makes for a great opportunity to check the road rash level and the overall condition of the paint. Happily, the GT is fairing well in both areas. There are a few small pits in the expected areas on the front end. How small? After repeated attempts I gave up trying to capture them on film (or in pixels). Without an extremely careful and dedicated inspection you'd never see them.

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January 16, 2007

2005 Ford GT: A Speedo that Fits

   Unlike too many cars (and people) with ill-fitting speedos, the GT's is about right, with a maximum figure of 220 mph. High-speed testing at the Nardo track in Italy during the GT's development had it going between 208 and 212 mph over the course of several runs. Ford certified the car as a 205 mph vehicle because they were confident that, even with production variances, all Ford GTs will be capable of at least 205 mph. If you go on various supercar/video Web sites you can ride along as people "test out" their exotic's speedometer, and I've personally seen video of a guy in Germany doing 218 mph in his GT on the autobahn (he had the camera mounted between the seats)...

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January 2, 2007

2005 Ford GT: $150K and STILL no Floor Mats?

   We've arleady whined about the lack of "special-ness" to the Ford GT's key fob, but here's another item you might expect to be included with your $150,000 purchase price -- floor mats. The GT doesn't come with any from the factory, and aftermarket units remain few and far between (though a couple companies are starting to offer them). On the one hand it's not too big of a deal, because the car's floor boards are a combination of metal, plastic and rubber that seems pretty durable. But, with the "cooling holes" design (also used for the seats) you get to clean out each hole separately when they've filled up with mud and other crud...

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December 26, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Windshield Fixed! -- sort of...

   The good news is the former rock "star" on the Ford GT's windshield is hardly noticeable. The bad news is the former rock "star" on the Ford GT's windshield is hardly noticeable. I'm actually quite impressed with how effective the repair was, but as Windshield Repair Guru Rich told me after examining the damage, "That was a good one. Whatever it was hit pretty hard and took a sizable chunk of glass out of the windshield."

The repair took about one hour and cost $75, which is a fraction of the time and money required to replace the windshield...

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December 13, 2006

2005 Ford GT: It Never Rains -- It Rocks

Apparently the Gods of Automotive Damage didn't feel like our recent adventures with road debris and a flat tire provided sufficient "fun" for our Ford GT. So, as a quick-fire follow up they tossed a rock into the car's windshield two days later. Now there's a lovely "star" in the glass, just to the left of the driver's main sight line. Yes, we're looking into a spot repair, but we've also researched the cost of a new windshield...

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December 11, 2006

Ford GT: A Noob's-Eye View

The 2005 Ford GT is now safely tucked away in our parking garage and the keys are no longer in my care. Waaahhhh!

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December 10, 2006

Ford GT: Re-tired

In our last episode, I'd struck unseen debris in the Ford GT, and had suffered what tire engineers call a "rapid deflation." Then I was visited by Jesus, who loaded the GT and myself onto and into his tow truck, respectively. Through it all, I kept getting Jeep Commander flashbacks, from the time I had to have that one flatbedded in for a new starter during summer vacation.

Now we're at Villa Ford, reversing the process and unloading the GT in the service area. Steve Gailey, the service writer my wife spoke with on the phone, informs me that the tires, two of them, are on their way. After about half an hour, the only guy at the dealership this Saturday morning who can work on a GT is finishing up another project. But Danny takes a moment to inform me that jacking the low side up will be a problem--unless I have a set of spacers on hand. Do I?

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December 9, 2006

Ford GT: How I Met Jesus After a Car Show

This weekend, I finally got my first chance to profile a bit in the Ford GT. And what better place to do that than a car show.

Crystal Cove had been a weekly Orange County tradition for umpteen years. Every Saturday at 7:00, all manner of exotic, muscular, and just plain weird cars gathered together for a couple of hours, then scattered as the local businesses that used the parking lot opened for business. Then it all ended.

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December 7, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Lexus-Like? Not Quite -- but Close

   A fellow editor, after driving the Ford GT, commented that, "It's almost like a Lexus inside." That statement may be a bit strong, as the parts bin switchgear and hard plastic on the inner door panels don't really feel up to Toyota's premium brand. However, there are aspects of the GT that could have been pulled from a premium luxury brand. One of these is the climate control panel on the center console. First, the console itself is made of magnesium, so you could say these controls start with a good foundation. Adding to the upscale effect are dials made from polished metal that offer a solid, reassuring feel when you rotate them...

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December 4, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Getting Gouged

   Something weird is going on with the GT's passenger-side A-pillar. There's an unmistakable "gouging" in the Midnight Blue paint where the A-pillar's weatherstriping meets the painted section of the passenger door. It's almost as if gravel got in between the weatherstriping and door frame, and then chewed into the door each time it was shut. There's even a white, chalky dust on the weatherstriping (shown in picture), but no actual "chunks" of anything large enough to cause the gouging are present (maybe whatever it was has all been ground into dust by now...). The upside is that this in an area you normally don't see (certainly not when the door is closed), so the damage is more a curiosity than anything else...

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November 27, 2006

2005 Ford GT: "Piering" into the Night

   Over the holiday weekend I got a chance to drive the Ford GT with the better half. That rarely happens because it's a two seater, which means we can't bring the kids. Which means we have to arrange a baby sitter, which means making phone calls and aranging schedules, which--

 "Oh, you go and I'll just stay home!"

Yeah, that's about how the process usually goes when discussing a ride in the GT. But with my folks in for the holiday all we had to do was say, "We're going out for a drive...

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November 20, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Steer into the Slide

   Unlike most mid-engine vehicles, the Ford GT is actually quite forgiving from a "drifting" perspective. Now I'm not suggesting owners casually go out and try to get the car "slideways," because it can -- and will -- get away from you if you don't know what you're doing. Just check out wreckedexotics.com and click on "Ford GT40" if you don't believe me. But compared to the typical mid-engine vehicle the GT is easy to manage, even when the rear end steps out...

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November 13, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Not-so-Exotic Service Points, Thankfully!

   When speaking to the engineers on the Ford GT design team they told me that it was a goal of theirs to keep the car from being a nightmare in terms of service points. Opening the car's rear hatch you quickly realize they succeeded. The bulk of the major service items (oil, water, brake fluid, etc.) are quite easily reached without major contortions or the removal/repositioning of anything else (unlike, say, a Ferrari). The mid-engine design necessitates a few compromises, such as battery access (it's underneath the front cargo liner), but checking and adjusting the major fluids in this car is a breeze...

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November 9, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Not Quite a Prius, but not Bad...

   Having just updated the fuel log on the Ford GT I must say I'm impressed. It's not going to earn any carpool lane stickers, but over the course of it's first 6,000 miles the car is averaging almost exactly 16 mpg (16.02, to be exact). So far it's single best tank is 19.3 mpg and it's worst is 13.6 mpg (but it felt really good through turn five on that one...).

That number inspired me to check some other long-term fuel logs for comparison...

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November 7, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Parts Bin parts is Parts Bin parts

   Certain people -- we'll call them automotive journalists for discretion's sake -- can get pretty riled up on parts bin sharing. If you buy the "premium" version of a vehicle and it has the same switchgear or interior panels as a "lesser" version from the corporate stable you might feel jipped, or at the very least mislead. This happens a lot between the various divisions of certain brands, and Ford isn't immune to it. The GT's interior features a wide array of original items (gauge cluster, toggle switches, steering wheel, seats, etc.), but several items also look like they could have been pulled from a Ford Focus...

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November 2, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Final Production Numbers

   With Ford GT production officially ended there is now an accurate assessment of how the GT's colors and options break down over its two-year run. You can see a larger (clearer) version of this chart at The Ford GT Forum and, if you're a fan of these cars, this kind of information is fascinating (if you're not, you likely put us GT freaks in the same category as people who wear Vulcan ears or have a "Mint on Card" version of every Star Wars figure -- not that I belong to either of those groups, dammit!). A few interesting points that are obvious after looking at this chart:

1. The bulk of GTs have the "upgraded" McIntosh audio system (too bad...)

2...

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October 30, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Concept Car meets DOT

   When a car first debuts in concept form there are numerous rules and regulations it doesn't have to follow. Certain styling elements that might take away from its overall appearance on the auto show floor (such as mirrors, parking lights and bumpers) are often eschewed in the name of visual impact. The original Ford GT40 concept car that rolled into Cobo Hall at the Detroit Auto Show in 2002 is a perfect example. Look at that concept's pictures and you'll see no rear bumper or parking lights (it did have exterior mirrors)...

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October 26, 2006

2005 Ford GT: More Storage Than You Might Think

    As you might guess, or may have heard, cabin storage isn't the Ford GT's best feature. If you're one of the few people without the "upgraded" McIntosh audio system, you get a medium-sized pocket between the seats (we use it to hold both a leather CD case with 20 discs and a pair of sunglasses). Upon first glance it's easy to think that's the only storage in the vehicle (which means if you do have the McIntosh system, you won't see any apparent storage in the GT's cabin). But dig a bit deeper and several options appear. First, there's a second storage pocket in the passenger's footwell snugged up against the center console (pictured). It's pretty narrow, so think map or registration envelope. We actually use it for the GT's fuel log, but this car's particular logbook is smaller (and narrower) than a deck of cards -- as opposed the standard 6 X 9 spiral notebook we use in the other vehicles. Drivers have gotten very good at priting in very small letters and numbers.

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October 23, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Half Shafts Seem Fine...So Far...

   After a trip to Santa Monica Ford our Ford GT has new oil and a clean bill of health from their service department. Concerns over an impending half-shaft bolt failure haven't been completely erased. But as the odometer clears 6,000 miles and the instances of bolt failure remain confined to late 2005 models through early 2006 cars we've decided to leave well enough alone and trust Ford's claims that it isn't a widespread problem. The service department at SM Ford was exceedingly polite throughout the service procedure and finished the oil change, fluid check and chassis inspection in approximately five hours...

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October 18, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Junk in this Trunk? Yeah right...

   Sports cars, by nature, are short on cargo space. The Boxster does pretty good between its front and rear storage areas, and the last two generations of Corvette have offered plenty of space for a weekend getaway (a reflection of the cars' business-class butt?). The GT goes a step beyond "sports car" cargo space and well into the realm of "ridiculous." A regulation basketball won't fit, though a volleyball and football might, if you position them carefully. Suffice to say, you won't be bringing the better half's weekend wardrobe along for a ride, unless you pay a chase vehicle to shadow your journey...

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October 16, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Half-Hearted Half Shafts?

   As the Ford GT approaches 6,000 miles there remain no major issues to report. However, there is a bit of concern regarding the half-shaft bolts where they go into the Ricardo transaxle. Several reports of these bolts backing out, and the half shaft sliding out of the transaxle, have appeared on the Ford GT owners' forum. After weeks of back-and-forth between owners and Ford Motor Company a factory-approved fix has surfaced...sort of...

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October 11, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Baby Got Back!

   The execution on the new Ford GT's exterior shape is probably one of the car's best features. And the best single element of the car's exterior shape has got to be the "hips" located just below the rear window. Depending on how you adjust the exterior mirrors you can see those hips everytime you check your blinds spots (which in the GT should be quite often -- if you want to keep it in one piece).

Supposedly Lightning McQueen (from the movie Cars) was an amalgam of several high-profile performance cars of the last 50 years, including the GT40...

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October 9, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Lame Chain

   When you're a company as large as Ford, and you decide to make a limited production exotic car, it's not easy to justify all the "little things" that, say, Ferrari or Porsche do for their limited production vehicles. Look around the GT's interior and you see plenty of "parts bin raiding" in terms of switchgear. While that's not my favorite part of the GT, I think one of my least favorite parts of this "parts-bin shuffle" is reflected in the plastic key fob that could easily be confused with a Focus or Taurus key chain. You do get a tiny "Ford GT" printed on one side of the key itself, but otherwise it's all standard-issue stuff...

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October 2, 2006

2005 Ford GT: The Wheel Deal

   Like most GTs, ours has the optional BBS wheels. In my opinion the standard wheels actually look slightly better than the optional units, but I've always preferred fewer, thicker-spoke designs versus numerous, thin-spoke wheels. The factory wheels use a rather basic six-spoke design that matches well with the GT's classic shape. The 10 spokes on the BBS wheels border on looking too "busy" for my tastes, plus they're more difficult to clean...

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September 25, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Ricardo 6-Speed -- Like Buttah!

   While the inevitable comparison between the Ford GT, the Dodge Viper and the Chevrolet Corvette is unavoidable (heck, we even did our own), there are several areas where the former vastly breaks from the latter two. One of the most obvious differences is in the area of shift quality. The Ford GT uses a Ricardo six-speed transmission, and to put it succintly -- this transmission rocks! It offers extremely smooth and precise shifting between gears, and despite the 550 horsepower coursing through it the tranny doesn't have an "industrial" feel...

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September 22, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Gauges Gone Wild

   Talk about a freak-out. I'm driving the GT and I look over and see the gas gauge past empty. A few minutes earlier I'd had just under a quarter of a tank, but now I'm in heavy Friday afternoon traffic and no fuel stations are in sight. I couldn't believe the car gulped nearly a quarter tank in the 10 minutes since I'd last looked at the gauge (sure, it will go that fast during top speed testing at the Nardo track in Italy, but not in stop-n-go on PCH)...

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September 18, 2006

Ford GT: Keeping a Lid on Things

   On my way back from Laguna Seca I had an interesting experience. After stopping for fuel I drove off and was on the road for a good five minutes before I saw the fuel door flapping in my peripheral vision. I can't say for certain whether I closed it or not after filling up, but the fact that it took five minutes for the door to start flapping makes me think I did shut it before driving away. One side benefit to the GT's fuel door placement is that you can see when it is open...

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September 14, 2006

Ford GT: Living up to its Namesake

   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...

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September 11, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Glass-backwards

   One of the most troublesome areas to keep clean on the Ford GT is the "mid-lite" glass that separates the cabin from the engine compartment. You might assume this glass should naturally stay clean, as it's protected by the cabin on the front side and the engine cover (hatch) on the back side. In theory, it shouldn't be exposed to any dirt-causing activities -- unless an engine hose pops or you try to pull an 11-second quarter-mile run while holding a triple scoop ice-cream cone. However, the many cooling vents in the engine cover mean that everytime you wash the GT a percentage of water gets into the engine compartment and splatters on the mid-lite. Of course, it's easy to miss this little water dance during the washing process, and it's not until you drive home and see all the water spots (baked on extra crispy from engine heat) that you realize you missed a spot -- actually several...

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September 6, 2006

Ford GT: Now That's a Switch

   The Ford GT team used many of the original GT40's styling cues on the new model, both inside and out. The dash has a long layout with the tachometer front and center. The seats have "holes" to allow better ventilation for when you're on your 103rd blast down the Mulsanne Straight. And of course the doors extend well into the roof, making it easier to swing them wide and plop down into the seats during those "running" starts...

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August 28, 2006

Ford GT: Challenging the Norm at an Owner Rally

   Went on a Ford GT owner rally this weekend. The route started in Pacific Palisades and wound its way up the coast to Santa Barbara. There were 15 cars in attendence, even though I didn't bring one. I wanted to attend the rally but the wife and kids obviously don't all fit in the GT...

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August 21, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Don't Scrape the Splitter

   A while back we mentioned that the Ford GT's front ground clearance is actually better than most exotics we've driven. You really have to hit a pretty substantial bump, or an extreme driveway angle, to scrape anything on the front of the car. Out back, however, it's a different story. The rear splitters that help keep the car snugged down on the road at speeds above 150 mph are just slightly lower than your average parking block...

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August 16, 2006

2005 Ford GT: When the Going Gets Scuffed

   We're trying to exercise the proper level of care while driving the Ford GT, and that includes watching our feet (and our heads) when getting in and out. But the inevitable foot-scrape-along-the-door is just a part of life, especially when dealing with a low down sports cars. We've acquired some scuffs along the door's brushed aluminum trim, but we have yet to attack it with a cleaner of any kind (or even just soap and water). We'll let you know how our efforts to remove these blights fare...

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August 14, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Easter Egg Number 3 -- "GT" Down Under

   Unless you've got both a Ford GT and your own vehicle lift you'll probably never see this particular Easter Egg. It's underneath the vehicle, on the central belly pan that smooths the car's underside out for high-speed stability. If you can get under the car and look up you'll see the letters "GT" formed in the ribbed pattern used to strengthen the belly pan's metal (tiny bends, or "ribs," in large pieces of otherwise flat metal help the metal resist bending). An additional Easter Egg related to this item -- the first three "production" GTs built for the 2004 model year and the Centennial celebration in June 2003 (all three are still owned by Ford) do not have this "GT" pattern in their belly pans...

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August 9, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Watch Your Head (or "The GT Limbo")

   Exotic cars are supposed to be quirky, so the door design of the Ford GT is more tolerable than if it was on, say, a Toyota Camry. Plus the GT has a reason for this design that dates back to its Le Mans heritage. Do these reasons justify the bizarre entry/exit ritual (I've heard it referred to as "the GT Limbo") that must be performed every time you go for a drive/ride? The answer depends largely on your parking situation. If you can park in a location that allows the doors to fully open (nearly 90 degrees) the door's shape becomes a non-issue...

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August 7, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Easter Egg Number 4 -- Door Handles

After closing the door on our Ford GT for the past 12 months we noticed something a bit odd -- the interior door pull looked strangely familiar. We were certain we'd seen it somewhere before. It was obviously made of real metal, but the type of metal and the longitudinal relief running the length of the handle looked too specific for a simple door pull. We know the Enzo Ferrari uses much of that car's structure as an accent to the cabin design...

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August 4, 2006

2005 Ford GT: The Devil is in Detailing It

   Cleaning our Ford GT is relatively easy. Obviously we don't run it through the automatic wash at the local Shell station, but a couple bucks in quarters at the local coin-op place gets the job done. The car's smooth lines make it straightforward to dry off in all but a few places. One of those places involves the vents on the rear engine cover...

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August 2, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Pain in the arse? No, just the lower back.

   The question of the Ford GT's seat comfort has been raised by more than one staffer. Most feel it is fine for at least a few hours of driving, if not more. But during our American Exotics Comparison Test last fall Ed Hellwig complained of a sharp pain in his lower back caused by a stiff seam between the seatback panels. At first the claim seemed dubious, but once he'd pointed it out other drivers quickly discovered that, well...yes, that seam can feel a bit intrusive -- especially once you're "looking" for it...

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July 31, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Sometimes Cheaper is Better

   We were one of the fortunate ones. Not just because we snagged a Ford GT (okay, that was pretty fortunate, too). No, we're lucky because we were able to order the car exactly the way we wanted versus buying one ordered by a dealer. The bulk of GTs were ordered to achieve maximum profit for the dealer, and that meant loading them up with every option, including the $4,000 McIntosh audio system...

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July 28, 2006

2005 Ford GT: Minimal Grind, Despite the Bumps

   It's not uncommon for an exotic -- or any sports car, really -- to have front end clearance issues when pulling into driveways or going over speed bumps. If you've driven a C5/C6 Corvette, or a Viper, or just about any European exotic, you already know this. One of the more surprising elements of the Ford GT is its lack of front clearance issues under all but the most extreme circumstances. We didn't scrape the GT's lower front air splitter for several weeks after taking possesion, and even then it was on a very extreme driveway dip that immediately lead onto a newly paved (read: freshly elevated) street...

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July 26, 2006

2005 Ford GT -- Easter Egg #14

The Ford GT is loaded with subtle "easter egg-like" design elements (think hidden features on DVDs). One can be seen when looking at the driver's side headlight, which pays homage to Ford's Centennial Celebration. An innocuous lens is oriented to look like a "1" when combined with the two bulbs within the headlight, resulting in a "100" designation if you're looking for it. I suppose that makes the passenger lens an "001," but other than secret agent status (which maybe the Ford GT has...) I don't think there's any message in that headlight...

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July 24, 2006

2005 Ford GT -- Last of the Breed, but Still a Looker

    Ford GT production will be ending soon. In fact, there's a Ford GT Rally that will have over 100 GT owners driving (okay, some will be trailering) their Blue Oval Exotics back to Dearborn in mid-August. We'll be there as well and capture the festivies for a feature story (should make for quite a Woodward Cruise). The absence of a Ford GT follow-up, either in the form of the sleek GR-1 or even the comic-book-like Cobra concept, means this will be the last Ford supercar for awhile...

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