The problem isn't weight distrubtion, it's overall weight. An Elise, with only 180hp, can keep up with a Corvette, it only weights 1900lbs. They need to build the car physically much smaller. If it were even as much as 30% smaller, they could get the car under 3000lbs, give a small DOHC 4.6L or upgrade it to 5.0L and tune it for high compression and get better performance. More power isn't the answer, it's a balance.

 

The problem isn't weight distrubtion, it's overall weight. An Elise, with only 180hp, can keep up with a Corvette, it only weights 1900lbs. They need to build the car physically much smaller. If it were even as much as 30% smaller, they could get the car under 3000lbs, give a small DOHC 4.6L or upgrade it to 5.0L and tune it for high compression and get better performance. More power isn't the answer, it's a balance. [/b][/quote]
I completely agree. I should've worded my post better. I wasn't arguing, just providing more data.

 

I completely agree. I should've worded my post better. I wasn't arguing, just providing more data. [/b][/quote]
Atleast the Mustang is perfect ! In all seriousness, I wish I could see a picture of the back end. It's very good looking. Ford needs to drop Aston Martin and buy TVR or Lotus. Now thoose are good sport car companies! But when I really think about it, does it matter? These are all low volume products. The Mustang alone is more than enough to draw in the sport coupe crowd. The focus of Ford needs to go into an updated Crown Vic. I think it has a lot of potential. I'd like to see a 5 speed coupe of it. Kinda like the late 80's to mid ninties Thunderbird.

 

Yeah, but an Elise is also a street-legal go-kart. There's small, and then there's too small.

How much does the Ford GT weigh? 3,200 lbs? Not bad at all, IMO.

 

Some of you are saying that the GR-1 resembles and Aston Martin like it's a bad thing.

While I want Ford and Aston Martin to retain their respective design identities (as much as possible), the GR-1 and the current Aston Martin cars are all reminiscent of the Ferrari GTO and Cobra Daytona, so I don't see a problem per se.

And, if you are the type of person that is concerned about the balancing of Karhmic Accounts, it's probably about time that a Ford/Shelby Product looked like an Aston Martin since:
1. Shelby won Le Mans in an Aston Martin DBR1 in '59.
2. The Aston Martin AMV8 and Vantage look like they have Mustang Fastback DNA.

 

Agreed. But we are all working of specualtion then again. Still, it would be better if it weighed 3000lbs or less.

 

Drop Aston Martin?

Aston Martins ARE fast sports cars, but that's not their sole purpose. Take one look at a Lotus interior and compare it to the Aston Martin. They're different markets.

 

I was being sarcastic, admittedly. My point is that Aston Martins are heavy pigs and since Ford is looking at a brute, they should look at TVR or Lotus. 'Light weight and a good engine are always a deadly combination'.

 

i like it but yea i do see some aston in there

 

you guys have never heard of the Cobra Daytona Coupe?





and someone said it looked like an Aston Martin? :bang: take another look at the Aston

 

yeah we know about the daytona...

Too bad they are sticking ole Sheblys name on another one

 

The problem isn't weight distrubtion, it's overall weight. An Elise, with only 180hp, can keep up with a Corvette, it only weights 1900lbs. They need to build the car physically much smaller. If it were even as much as 30% smaller, they could get the car under 3000lbs, give a small DOHC 4.6L or upgrade it to 5.0L and tune it for high compression and get better performance. More power isn't the answer, it's a balance. [/b][/quote]
I imagine crash standards are really hurting the cars dimension-wise too. I heard on a tv program that the Ford GT would be produced for 3 years and then stop, partly because of new crash standards making the GT chassis prohibitively expensive to produce. Is there any truth to that? I have heard similar comments about the new mustang. Apparently the extra space at the front and back of the car help it pass the crash ratings by creating more of a crumple zone.

 

I think the GT will only be produced for two years: 2005 and 2006.

 

in the autoweek article, it says the gr1 has butterflly doors. the only thing i can think of that this could be is gull wing doors. and from looking at the pics of the roof, it looks like there are cutouts on the roof that would make this look possible. anyone else think this is the case, or by butterfly doors do you think they just mean doors like the gt?

 

3800-3900lbs is perfect with me.

Tells me a couple o things

The car is going to be in the Viper price range with a steel frame.
The car is a big luxurious brute with still enough hp/weight to run with the new Z06
The Ferarri 575 Maranello weighs in at nearly 4000 lbs and nobody's complaining about that.

 

It probably over $160,000.00 if Ford makes less 500 of them.

Also see it on TLC rides tv show soon I'll bet

 

The weight of the car is moot as this point, since the GR-1 is only a rolling chassis at this point and doesn't have a full interior. It's a true concept. I have a strong inkling we'll see a working prototype at the 2005 NAIAS in January.

Go to autoweek.com and read the article on the car. It's probably the best one written so far.

 

Good point... the Murcielago weighs in at over 4,000 lbs. And it's still pretty freakin' fast.

 

GT cannot be produced for the 2007 model year on in current config becuase the 5.4L engine will not meet emissions/efficiency standards. So it will either need a new engine starting that year or it needs to be replaced.

 

Are you on Rogers, too?