GTHO - What do YOU want? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Cancerman · 10-27-2002, 09:43

Well, if Ford really do read these forums, and seeing as everyone's saying it's too late to change the GT, now would be a good time to dream about what you want the GTHO to be.

Be careful, we're talking about a legend here. Try to keep it simple and realistic. (yeah, I want the bloody SHAKER but it ain't gonna happen, so please NO MORE SHAKER!!!)

Seeing as the original was pretty much a race car with a rego sticker, I want:
* Weight reduction - carbon fibre bonnets and interior, light race seats, less NHV padding, run flat tyres...
* BIG horsepower engine, definitely over 300kW (screw Holden's power truce, they have their HRT 427). Bottom end not as important as it's meant to be a race car, but it MUST have big torque, which is a Falcon trademark. High revving 5.4/4.6 (supercharged?)
* Bulletproof drivetrain that'll easily cope with more power (T56 gearbox?)
* Suspension tuned more towards handling than comfort, with very little safety understeer. (Adjustable shocks?)
* Reduced steering assist, to the point of being heavy at low speeds. The journos r saying the current steering is over assisted.
* Modern driver aids - trac control (different threshold), shift light, HUD, more readouts in the ICC (injector duty cycle, A/F mixture, throttle position, etc), oil pressure & voltage gauges
* "Power mode" that runs lean for more power during racing
* Good pedals for heel-toeing
* Price should b around $100k.

ChuBBz · 10-27-2002, 16:00

hemmm, what do I want?

* Well, it has to be racebred, but be able to drive on the roads.
* 373KW (same specs as the GT40 - therefore supercharged)
* It has to be the fastest sedan in the world, or there really is no point reviving the GTHO, in my opinion
* air adjustable ride height (so that it actually CAN be used for racing, then all you have to do is raise it up to a legal height on the drive home)
* Light weight panels, and interior materials (racing seats, etc)
* 9inch Differential
* Only available in manual (the best available)
* 200 limited production
* best of the best really!

* in terms of looks..... It should look similiar to the v8 supercars (hence the link to racing), but with a new bonnet to actually fit the supercharger. (maybe even new front and rear bars? - Definately requiring flared out arches (ala M3) to make it look menacing)
*19 inch wheels (5spokes) - even bigger?
*only like 2 or 3 colours to choose from (red with black racing stripe, yellow with black racing stripe and mercury silver with black racing stripe)

There you have it!
Modern Day muscle!

ChuBBz
(ahh, one can dream can't they?)

Roger · 10-27-2002, 17:27

In a Nut Shell................What ever holden has and add 10%

I do not want to be an also ran again.....Lets face it Ford has racing in its Blood. ie the GT40, Cobra, Cosworth, Ford owns Jaguar which also has a pretty good racing history.

Ford Oz has no reason not to be the best of the best in this country.

DXR88U · 10-27-2002, 19:38

well this isnt real hard to answer. ford should build a modern day phase 4, the real weapon that never really saw the light of day. i dont want to see copy cat versions of what holden are doing, ford have proven in the seventies that they can build muscle cars. they dont need holden to hold their hand. it would have to be the most desired, most rewarding and the best falcon sedan ever to deserve this title. after all it has a huge reputation to live up to. but i think with how fpv are handling things at the moment the legend may just make another return
i think a great motor with good drivability, strong brakes ,really good chassis and a highly sort after interior with muscular exterior would be just fine. i dont think we need to have all that plastic hanging off it after all the phase 3 legend didnt need fancy body kits to make a statement. just a nice ride height and a great set of wheels makes any ride look the goods.
anyhow just my two cents worth :-)

russellw · 10-27-2002, 19:51

At a rough guess the development costs for such a vehicle as outlined in the initial posts - including emissions cerification and crash testing - would run into the $20-30m bracket. Even assuming that a number of the compnents were bought "off the shelf" and / or subcontracted to external suppliers.

To amortise those costs over say a 600 vehicle production run ( 3 years) would amount to $33,000 per unit (at the lower end of the estimate).

Based on the pricing for other similar components (albeit relatively higher volume) I would estimate the following (these are incremental costs over and above the standard components):

Carbon Fibre bonnet, rear spoiler, side mirrors and seats $ 12,000
Supercharging the 5.4 $ 12,000
Gearbox capable of 600 Nm $ 8,000
HUD - $anyone want to estimate?
Suspension Mods $ 4,000

If we add the developmental amortisation to the above we have a total of $ 70,000 in round figures on top of the donor car (I used the GT) for a total in the order of $140k. At the upper end of the development costs this would be closer to $165k and if the volumes were any leass than 200 a year then it just gets worse.

I'm not saying don't dream - but I thought the original posts asked for practical solutions and a price in the $100k bracket.

61sg · 10-27-2002, 20:20

how about a factory style roll cage? that would really get the race bread message across

ford.boy · 10-27-2002, 20:48

Quote:

Originally posted by russellw
At a rough guess the development costs for such a vehicle as outlined in the initial posts - including emissions cerification and crash testing - would run into the $20-30m bracket. Even assuming that a number of the compnents were bought "off the shelf" and / or subcontracted to external suppliers.

To amortise those costs over say a 600 vehicle production run ( 3 years) would amount to $33,000 per unit (at the lower end of the estimate).

Based on the pricing for other similar components (albeit relatively higher volume) I would estimate the following (these are incremental costs over and above the standard components):

Carbon Fibre bonnet, rear spoiler, side mirrors and seats $ 12,000
Supercharging the 5.4 $ 12,000
Gearbox capable of 600 Nm $ 8,000
HUD - $anyone want to estimate?
Suspension Mods $ 4,000

If we add the developmental amortisation to the above we have a total of $ 70,000 in round figures on top of the donor car (I used the GT) for a total in the order of $140k. At the upper end of the development costs this would be closer to $165k and if the volumes were any leass than 200 a year then it just gets worse.

I'm not saying don't dream - but I thought the original posts asked for practical solutions and a price in the $100k bracket.

But what it will do to the rest of the falcon range will really be worth it (by that, I mean some boy-racer-wannabe will see the HO and want it. But can't afford it. So goes with an optioned XT). In GT-P it would kick arse 24/7 and we will finaly get to have a good

at holden fans. (finaly).
Maybe I'm just wishing, trying to convince myself that it'll happen; or just

I want torque, and truckloads of it.
Less weight, IE, you can remove the sound system; and other unnecessary items.
A little bit more of the twisty stuff.
A 5/6 speed gear box, maybe sequential shift.

All that and more, and it'll be

Mr Jucy · 10-28-2002, 00:22

I rekon 351kw would be cool for marketing purposes but I rekon if they bring back the HO it has to be the fastest 4 door production car in the world with safety braking & handling to match a big ask i know but if it isn't call it something else.
It should look wild & aggressive but not tacky or stupidly over the top too.

EFFalcon · 10-28-2002, 00:37

Just aslong as its a car that you would feel honoured owning, and its made with racing in mind, high power and high quality would make me happy :)

smciner1 · 10-28-2002, 00:43

I think maybe something along the lines of the 2000 Mustang Cobra R. I like the front and rear ad on spoilers they recieved looks wise. The front one was just a lip on the front of the existing Cobra spoiler with quick release fastners. The rear one was actually an inverted aerofoil section, not just a plank attached to to posts, and both looked tough on the car, as well as being functional.

Of course it would have to have a lot more grunt than the regular production GT / GT-P and bigger (wider please!!!! 8" wide wheels were a big deal on a factory BOSS 302 Mustang in 1969, so can we please have a set of WIDE wheels. BMW does it on the M cars).