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This is how the new GT EcoBoost engine will tentatively appear when the car goes into production.
While there may have been a few gasps from traditionalists when Ford announced at the Detroit Auto Show that the all-new GT supercar will be powered by a twin turbo V6 EcoBoost engine, the revelation is not a surprise to those following the Blue Oval’s race program.
As EngineLabs noted in a story about the 3.5-liter EcoBoost developed for endurance racing in the highly competitive Daytona Prototype series, Ford officials acknowledged that the “5.0 had run its course,” referring to the 4.6-liter DOHC “cammer” motor from the SVT Mustang Cobra that had been resized for competition. Ford could have continued with the Modular platform and adapted the Coyote upgrades but chose instead to focus on the growing popularity of the EcoBoost brand.
Ford didn't reveal much about the new 600-plus-horsepower twin turbo V6 EcoBoost engine that will power the next GT supercar. Here's the only shot of the actual engine we've seen so far, and it's a screen capture from a Ford video. On the right is the last GT engine, a 550-horsepower supercharged Mod motor.
Given that the next F-150 Raptor off-road special, also revealed in Detroit, will shelve the torque-laden 6.2-liter V8 in favor of a 3.5-liter EcoBoost is further confirmation of Ford’s dedication to the EcoBoost technology that is based on downsizing, turbocharging and direct injection. And this strategy leaves no shortage of horsepower. The Daytona Prototype engines are capable of 600 horsepower, even with the air inlet restrictors required in front of the turbos. The announcement by Ford for the new GT promises a production EcoBoost that will offer “more than 600 horsepower.” There was no horsepower number released along with the Raptor introduction, other than to say that it will deliver more than the 6.2’s 411 horsepower and 434 lb-ft peak torque. That could mean anywhere from 450 to 500 ponies in the dirt.
Not Alone
Don’t think that Ford GT will be the only V6 supercar in a landscape of V8s and V10s from Europe and Japan. The next Acura NSX will have a turbo V6 mated to electric motors for a hybrid powertrain.
The Ford racing 3.5-liter EcoBoost currently in the Daytona Prototype series. The dyno shot is from RoushYates Engines.
An engine view of the original Ford GT40 that ran at LeMans in the ’60s. It was powered by both small- and big-block Ford V8s in its career.
Some GT engine details that Ford did announce include a combination of direct and port fuel injection, and there will be a low-friction finger-follower valvetrain. The choice for using both direct and port injection is a little curious. The DP race engine uses a second DI fuel pump and larger injectors to feed enough fuel to the cylinders. The V6 will be mated to a 7-speed, dual-clutch transaxle.
The Daytona Prototype program has provided Ford with valuable data regarding engine-life and performance, as noted in an EngineLabs update from the Long Beach Grand Prix race. The team had already discovered a problem with a different new crankshaft and was working with Ford engineering on a number of durability issues.
The last GT built in 2005-06 sported a supercharged, dry-sump 5.4-liter Modular V8 engine that was basically a boosted version of the limited-production SVT Cobra R engine that traces its roots to a truck/SUV application. It was rated at 550 horsepower and 500 lb-ft peak torque. Whether or not Ford tries to challenge the 650-horsepower benchmark of the new supercharged LT4 V8 engine in the Corvette Z06 shouldn’t be too much of a factor in the GT’s performance. It will be built with a lightweight carbon-fiber body, so the horsepower-to-weight ratio could be staggering.
