Ford GT90

Ford GT90
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Production	1995 (planned, later cancelled)
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car (S)
Related	Ford GT40 (as the spiritual successor)
Powertrain
Engine	6.0 L quad-turbocharged DOHC V12 engine
Transmission	5-speed XJ220-derived manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,946 mm (116 in)
Length	4,470 mm (176 in)
Width	1,963 mm (77 in)
Height	1,140 mm (45 in)
Curb weight	1,451 kg (3,199 lb)

The Ford GT90 is a high performance concept car that was developed and manufactured by American car maker Ford. It was unveiled in January 1995 at the Detroit Auto Show as "the world's mightiest supercar". Performance included a top speed 253 mph (407 km/h)^[1][2] completing a quarter mile at 140 mph (225 km/h) from a 720 hp (537 kW;730 PS) quad-turbocharged V12 engine DOHC, the exhaust of which was claimed to be hot enough to damage the body panels, requiring ceramic tiles similar to those on the Space Shuttle to keep the car from melting.

The mid-engined car is a spiritual successor to the Ford GT40, taking from it some styling cues, such as doors that cut into the roofline, but little else. In regard to angles and glass, the Ford GT90 was the first Ford to display the company's "New Edge" design philosophy. The GT90 was built around a honeycomb-section aluminum monocoque and its body panels were molded from carbon fiber.

The GT90 has a very angular design. Notice all the triangles in its design.

Jacques Nasser, then a Ford executive and eventually CEO, was very proud of the car, and kept a model of it on his desk, as seen in a documentary on the U.K. television network Channel 4 on the Firestone tire incidents.

Development

The GT90 was built as a secret project by a small engineering team in just over six months. It shared components from another high profile stablemate—the Jaguar XJ220, as Jaguar was also owned by Ford at the time. The engine was a 90-degree, forced induction i.e. quad-turbo V-12, unique to the GT90.^[3] Before the engine was placed into the car, it was used on a test mule, a Lincoln Town Car.

The GT90 was originally going to be the successor to the Ford GT40 and Ford GT70, and the predecessor to the Ford GT, but after the plan for production was cancelled, the chronology was changed, making the Ford GT the new successor to the GT40 and GT70.

Data

The GT90's 48-valve V12 is constructed on an aluminum block and head, and contains a 6.0-litre engine displacement, and produces up to 720 hp (537 kW; 730 PS). It is equipped with a forced induction system and is equipped with four Garrett AiResearch T2 turbochargers. The engine architecture was based on the 90-degree Ford Modular engine family utilizing a layout similar to that of a paired set of 4.6-litre V8 engines of which each had 2 cylinders removed. This yielded a 90-degree V12, with a 90.2 mm (4 in) bore and a 77.3 mm (3.04 in) stroke with the cylinders arranged in two banks in a single casting.^[1] The power produced by the engine is delivered to the rear-wheels (making the car rear-wheel drive) by a 5-speed manual transmission.

The suspension is a double wishbone variant. The steering is a power-assisted rack-and-pinion. The brakes are ventilated discs.

The GT90, according to Ford, was capable of doing a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 3.1 seconds, a 0–100 mph (0–161 km/h) in 6.2 seconds, and the quarter mile (400 m) in 10.9 seconds at 140 mph (225 km/h). Top speed was listed at 253 mph (407 km/h).^[1]

Media

It also appeared in the video games Need for Speed II, Sega GT 2002, Ford Racing 2, Ford Racing 3, Gran Turismo 2, Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA, TOCA Race Driver 2, TOCA Race Driver 3, Project Gotham Racing 3, and Ford Street Racing. The car was featured in original Top Gear in a 1995 issue, while the car was still planned to enter production.

References

External links

• Ford GT90 Concept