Ford set the bar for 2015 with new Ford GT

13 January, 2015

The year that was 2014 showed us that America is stepping up its game with some amazing performance offerings from Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Ford. No sooner has 2015 rolled around and Ford are back, making waves at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show by unveiling their new Ford GT.

While the design cues are undoubtedly of the same gene pool as the original Ford GT40 and old Ford GT, the 2015 Ford GT is a total evolution in both style and engineering.

The supercharged 5.4-litre V8 that powered the previous Ford GT is nowhere to be seen — power now comes from a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, producing over 600hp. Ford claims that it is the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever.

Lightweight materials, including carbon fibre and aluminium, feature extensively on the new Ford GT. The passenger cell is carbon fibre, the front and rear subframes are aluminium, and structural body panels are moulded from carbon fibre. The light weight afforded by these materials will no doubt enable phenomenal acceleration and handling, thankfully kept in check by carbon-ceramic brake discs, 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot tyres, and state-of-the-art active racing-style torsion bar and pushrod suspension set-up.

Production is said to be scheduled for late next year, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Ford GT race cars taking all three podium places in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Stag roars again

The Triumph Stag pictured here has been lovingly restored from what was once, in the owner’s words, “a horrible, terrible job”. Owners Glynn and Alison Gaston hail from Dunedin and along with their grandchildren now enjoy cruising in the Stag after a three-and-a-half-year restoration.
In 2011, Glynn was looking for a classic car to restore. After 21 years with Air New Zealand he was working as a Super Shuttle driver, with four days on and four days off, which gave him the time to take on such a project — something he had always wanted to do.
“I’d looked at quite a few cars over the years. The idea was to restore a car as something to keep me going. I had looked at different MGs and I would have quite liked an Austin Healey or something similar but they were really expensive.
“Then I saw a Stag and I thought, Ah, this is nice. This is what I would like.

Our cover car is winning prizes

The stunning 1958 Buick cover car from our September/October 2024 issue 395 magazine, is winning awards at car shows. Congratulations to Dave and Catherine Parker on taking out Presidents choice at the Tararua Rodders Crome & Custom show. The Buick had to beat some fierce competition to achieve first place with plenty of top quality vehicles on show. 
Photographs Dan Strawbridge and Kevin Walsh.