| When I approach an exotic car that can go 204 | | | | could slide a few envelopes under my seat. |
| MPH with a roof line that is only as high as | | | | But this is exactly what I want in a true |
| my belt, I have low ergonomic expectations. | | | | sports car - all business at propelling me |
| I'll probably get some bruising from the | | | | forward and nothing flying around the cockpit |
| suspension and hopefully be distracted by the | | | | as I take big g-forces in the turns. |
| acceleration to forget how uncomfortable | | | | |
| everything else is. I was only right about | | | | The interior was much more comfortable than I |
| the acceleration. | | | | expected, and the black and silver knobs and |
| | | | dash have an edgy look to them. It has the |
| The Ford GT is the remake of the 1966 Le Mans | | | | usual big red "Start" button that many |
| champion car called the GT40. The original | | | | expensive cars have made popular (again), and |
| GT40 was a great looking car, but this new GT | | | | toggle switches like a space shuttle for the |
| has a spectacular exterior design. I'm | | | | rear defroster and hazard lights. The |
| normally quick to whine about a benign design | | | | tachometer is the big dial in front of the |
| concept, or a trunk line or the shape under | | | | driver and that irrelevant speedometer is off |
| the front bumper, or at least some little | | | | to the right, nearly next to the passenger. |
| picky thing. But the more I looked around | | | | Don't forget to set the temperature controls |
| this car, the more admiration I have for this | | | | before you start moving because they are |
| work of art. And the designers & engineers | | | | under your right elbow in the center console |
| had to factor in stable aerodynamics at 200 | | | | and awkward to reach while driving. |
| MPH that would have flipped the original | | | | |
| model on its top. | | | | When driving the car, the biggest surprise I |
| | | | had is how comfortable it takes the potholes |
| The 5.4-liter engine fills the entire back | | | | and uneven surfaces. I've ridden in sport BMW |
| half of the car, and the supercharged V-8 | | | | sedans that don't ride this smoothly. The GT |
| produces 550 horsepower. For the performance | | | | is easy to launch and shift, with power |
| fans: the GT's 0-to-60 time is only 3.3 | | | | delivered without a noticeable spike from the |
| seconds, and it takes only 11.6 seconds to | | | | superchargers. I didn't get a chance to throw |
| pass a ¼-mile. The engine note is pretty | | | | the car around many corners, but the low |
| plain; no NASCAR guttural tones or Formula-1 | | | | profile and wide stance would indicate an |
| scream that I could tell; the glass partition | | | | adeptness with lateral-speed. |
| between the interior cab and the engine | | | | |
| deaden the sound. (From the inside you can | | | | If you are trying to avoid attention, I can't |
| turn your head to see a giant belt turning, | | | | think of a bigger mistake than being in this |
| to what I presume to be the superchargers). | | | | car. Everywhere I drove some people were |
| | | | staring and pointing, and at nearly every |
| Under the front hood is plenty of storage | | | | stop light, someone had a question about the |
| room for a sports car; about enough for 6 | | | | car - a lot more public attraction than any |
| tennis balls or a pair of flip-flops, but not | | | | other unique production car I've piloted. But |
| both at the same time! Once inside the car, | | | | for the GT most of its features are extremes, |
| you realize that the only storage is in the | | | | and I am very pleased that Ford has proven it |
| front trunk. There is no glove box, no | | | | can compete in the +$150,000 world market. |
| side-pocket, no cup holder, but I suppose I | | | | |