Test drive: 2005 Ford GT

Take that, Ferrari!

Four decades ago, Ford produced a race car called the GT40 that ran away with the world-renowned 24 Hours of LeMans in 1966. GT40s won LeMans again the next three years. If you can't beat 'em, ban 'em. And that happened. Now, for 2005, a lookalike-but-performs-better Ford supercar has come to the market as the Ford GT. It might just be the best supercar in the world, especially at its price. Price: US$139,995. Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles.

First Glance

It wasn't easy, duplicating the look of a low-slung endurance racer from the mid-Sixties. The GT40s that won LeMans four years running were essentially custom-built cars (although a few were sold for street use). Those 60s' GT40s were small, very powerful and prone to want to take off at speeds above 200 mph. Ford fixed all that for 2005 with the new Ford GT. It's bigger, very powerful and no longer wants to become airborne as it approaches its top speed of 205 miles per hour. Now, back when Henry Ford II wanted more than anything to kick some Ferrari butt after Enzo Ferrari wouldn't sell Henry the Italian automaker, the car created to do that was 40 inches tall and spartan on the inside, as befits a lean racer. But it looked stunning. There have been very few race cars that looked this good: some Porsche models, some Ferraris and the GT40. The rest would look silly driving around town. Not this one. It is docile as a Focus when it needs to be, can plaster you against the seats whenever you desire, and handles and stops as well as anything offered at any price. It's worth driving just to see the expression on that pickup truck driver's face as you roar by under full acceleration. No question that a Ford GT will always turn heads.

In the Driver's Seat

Getting into the driver's seat of many sports cars is a chore. Some require the moves of a contortionist. But the 2005 Ford GT has its doors cut deeply into the roof and this facilitates entry and exit. I had no problem. Open the door and it swings out widely, taking half of the roof with it. Now you won't bump your head getting in, but your seat is way down there. You sit inches from the ground - and your line of sight is divided by dash. The seat is ventilated with circular aluminum rings that feel like an octopus has grabbed you. The seat has movement fore/aft, but not up. Look up. Your head is inches from the roof/door. Between the three-spoke steering wheel is a tachometer; way off to the right is a speedometer. Below them are toggle switches for lights, wipers, etc. The aluminum gear shift knob is atop a console that also contains the gas tank. In front of the shifter is a red button. Press it and the 5.4-liter, supercharged V8 springs to throaty life. It's rated at 550 horsepower, and produces 500 foot-pounds of torque at 3,750 rpm. There is no traction control! But there are 14-inch Brembo brakes up front and 13.2-inch ones in the rear, so at least you can stop quicker than the boys at LeMans in 1966. In gear? Let's roll.

On the Road

The clutch engages easily (feeling no stiffer than a Mustang's) and you move out in first gear. The first gear ratio is 2.61 to 1. What this means is that you can scoot zero to 60 without shifting! You can outgun the hottest Porsche and Ferrari sports cars, because their drivers have to shift. You are to 60, in fact, in a measured 3.3 seconds! The acceleration g-force is so great that you feel immobilized against the seat. In the real world, where this supercar gets 13 mpg around town and 21 on the highway from premium gasoline, it's more practical to shift into second gear at around 40 and feel the torque rush as you press ahead. The bellowing dual exhausts will stand the hair on the back of your head straight up. There are power windows, believe it or not, and I left them down to enjoy the sounds this GT makes. Steering is dead-on accurate, with good centering at higher speeds. The anti-lock brakes scrub speed at an awesome rate. And the ride on rough roads was better than most truck's. For all its body stiffness and performance potential, the GT behaves well at legal speeds. There are two problems: Limited visibility to the rear and a 40-foot turning radius caused by huge tires on 18-inch wheels up front and 19 in the rear.

Journey's End

It's easy to imagine celebrities getting in line for a Ford GT, currently selling in the real world for about $175,000-$250,000. It's beautiful, sure to remain rare, and runs with the fastest cars on planet - at a fraction of their cost. Henry Ford II wanted to kick Ferrari's butt 40 years ago, when the first GT took to tracks. As the three GT40s crossed the LeMans finish line one-two-three, the driving force behind them jumped with joy. Fast forward to Bill Ford, who drives the 2005 Ford GT number 1. He's done it again for Ford. His GT can kick Ferrari butt. But this car is much more. It sets new standards for any American car. It's the best Detroit car ever - it's that simple. Look at it closely. There is beauty in every detail - a capless fuel system, one piece aluminum clamshell rear, the mid-engine V8 under glass - that bespeaks the quality in this model. As was done in the mid-Sixties, Ford put its best to work on the 2005 Ford GT, and its best can compete with any in the world. At a time when imports flood in and American exports languish, Ford makes us proud of what America can do when it determines to be the best. The GT is no less than that. Take that, Ferrari.