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Ford Taurus X From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search Ford Taurus X Manufacturer Ford Motor Company Also called Ford Freestyle Production 2005–2009 Assembly Chicago Assembly ( Chicago, Illinois , United States ) Predecessor Ford Taurus wagon Successor Ford Flex Class full-size CUV Body style(s) 5-door CUV Layout Front engine , front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive Related Ford Flex Ford Taurus Ford Five Hundred Mercury Sable The Ford Taurus X is a 6- or 7-passenger full-size crossover SUV that was produced by Ford Motor Company in the United States. It was originally introduced in 2005 as the Ford Freestyle , before being renamed Taurus X for the 2008 model year. In Ford's lineup, it replaced the Ford Taurus station wagon. The Taurus X ended production on February 27, 2009, as it was slotted between the Flex (with which it competed directly) and the upcoming fifth generation Explorer starting 2011 sales year. It was sold in the United States and Canada , as well as South Korea and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico , U.S. Virgin Islands , and Guam . Contents 1 2005–2007 2 2008–2009 3 Yearly American sales 4 References 5 External links [ edit ] 2005–2007 Ford Freestyle Manufacturer Ford Motor Company Production 2005–2007 Successor Ford Taurus X Engine(s) 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6 Transmission(s) ZF CVT Wheelbase 112.9 in (2,868 mm) Length 2005–06: 199.8 in (5,075 mm) [ 1 ] 2007: 200.1 in (5,083 mm) [ 2 ] Width 2005–06: 74.4 in (1,890 mm) [ 1 ] 2007: 74.9 in (1,902 mm) [ 2 ] Height 2005–06: 68.2 in (1,732 mm) [ 1 ] 2007: 68.25 in (1,734 mm) [ 2 ] Initially going to be called the Ford CrossTrainer in development before adopting the Freestyle name as part of Ford's then-naming strategy of naming all cars with the letter F, the Freestyle was previewed at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show with a Freestyle Concept before entering production for the 2005 model year. The vehicle was assembled at Chicago Assembly . The vehicle used the Ford D3 platform , which it shared with the Ford Five Hundred , Mercury Montego , and various Volvos including the XC90 . Although it shared its platform with the XC90, the two vehicles were significantly different. The Freestyle had three rows of seats with seating for seven, like many large SUVs (e.g. Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition) and minivans . The Freestyle featured what Ford describes as "command seating," seating with a higher H-point , to increase driver visibility and ease of entry and exit. Power came from a 3.0 L (181 cu in) Duratec V6, with an output of 203 hp (151 kW) at 5750 rpm. [ 2 ] The Freestyle, along with the Five Hundred, Mercury Montego, and the Ford Escape Hybrid , were the first American Ford vehicles to use a continuously variable transmission (CVT). All Freestyles were equipped with the CVT, but only all-wheel drive (AWD) Five Hundred and Montego models used the CVT (FWD versions used an Aisin F21++ six speed automatic). To Ford's surprise, 55% of buyers selected the Haldex Traction -equipped all-wheel drive model rather than the expected 40%. However, initial Freestyle sales were below Ford's original projections, though sales were showing steady improvement. Some buyers selected the Freestyle as an alternative to the best selling Ford Explorer . The Freestyle was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2005 (second behind Escape Hybrid ). [ edit ] 2008–2009 Ford Taurus X Manufacturer Ford Motor Company Production 2008–2009 Predecessor Ford Freestyle Engine(s) 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 Transmission(s) 6-speed 6F automatic Wheelbase 112.9 in (2,868 mm) [ 3 ] Length 200.3 in (5,088 mm) [ 3 ] Width 74.9 in (1,902 mm) [ 3 ] Height 67.4 in (1,712 mm) [ 3 ] Curb weight FWD: 4,033 lb (1,829 kg) AWD: 4,203 lb (1,906 kg) [ 3 ] This vehicle was initially unveiled at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show as a 2008 model, alongside its siblings the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable , re-badged, restyled versions of the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego . Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that Ford's scheme to make all its cars names start with the letter F was a bad move, as it made Ford's new cars easily forgettable. As a result of this issue being addressed, the Ford Freestyle was renamed the Taurus X, the Ford Five Hundred was renamed the Ford Taurus , and the Mercury Montego was renamed the Mercury Sable . The design of the Taurus X closely resembled that of its former sibling, the Ford Edge , creating a family face for its crossover segment. The Taurus X made the use of Ford 's new corporate grille, featuring three horizontal, chrome bars with center mounted blue oval. At the time, the Taurus X also offered an Eddie Bauer trim-line, similar to that of the Ford Explorer . The vehicle, like its predecessor, features three rows of seats with seating for seven, like many large SUVs. The Taurus X used the Ford D3 platform and an updated powertrain, which included the discontinuation of the CVT transmission previously used by the Freestyle, as well as the 3.0 L V6 in favor of the newly developed six-speed 6F automatic as well as the all-new 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 which put out 263 hp (196 kW) at 6250 rpm. [ 3 ] The vehicle also received new power options, including power-folded seats and a power lift gate. Like the Freestyle, the Taurus X featured what Ford describes as "command seating," seating with a higher H-point , to increase driver visibility and ease of entry and exit. [ edit ] Yearly American sales Calendar Year Total American sales 2004 8,509 2005 76,739 2006 [ 4 ] 58,602 2007 Freestyle: 23,765 Taurus X: 18,345 2008 [ 5 ] 23,112 2009 [ 6 ] 6,106 [ edit ] References ^ a b c http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1054&press_section_id=398&make_id=92 ^ a b c d http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1463&press_section_id=398&make_id=92 ^ a b c d e f http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1942&press_section_id=398&make_id=92 ^ "Ford Motor Company 2007 sales" . January 3, 2008 . http://media.ford.com/article_download.cfm?article_id=27379 .   ^ "F-Series drives ford to higher market share for third consecutive month" . Ford Motor Company. January 5, 2009 . http://media.ford.com/images/10031/dec08sales.pdf . Retrieved 2009-05-14 .   ^ "FORD CAPS 2009 WITH 33 PERCENT SALES INCREASE, FIRST FULL-YEAR MARKET SHARE GAIN SINCE 1995" . Ford Motor Company. January 5, 2010 . http://media.ford.com/images/10031/December09sales.pdf . Retrieved 2010-01-05 .   2011 Ford Explorer: First Photos of New Car-Based Ford Explorer [ edit ] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ford Taurus X Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ford Freestyle Ford Vehicles.com Official Website Preview website for Ford Taurus X v   •   d   •   e Recent, current, and future vehicles, United States market from Ford Motor Company Passenger cars Crown Victoria  · Fiesta  · Focus  · Fusion  · Mustang  · Taurus Crossover vehicles Edge  · Flex Sport Utility Vehicles Expedition  · Explorer  · Escape Trucks E-Series  · Explorer Sport Trac  · F-Series  · Ranger  · Super Duty  · Transit Connect Recently discontinued models (2000s) Contour  · Escort  · Excursion  · Five Hundred  · Freestar  · Freestyle  · GT  · Ranger EV  · Taurus X  · Thunderbird  · Windstar  · ZX2 v   •   d   •   e « previous - Ford Motor Company light truck timeline, United States and Canada , 1980s–present Type 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 Mid-size crossover Edge Full-size crossover Freestyle Taurus X Flex Compact SUV Bronco II Bronco II Escape Escape Mid-size SUV Explorer Explorer Explorer Explorer Explorer Full-size SUV Bronco Bronco Bronco Expedition Expedition Expedition Excursion Expedition EL/Max Compact pickup Courier Ranger Ranger Ranger Ranger Mid-size pickup Explorer Sport Trac Explorer Sport Trac Full-size pickup F-Series F-Series F-Series F-Series F-Series F-Series Super Duty Super Duty Minivan Aerostar Aerostar Transit Connect Windstar Windstar Freestar Van Econoline Econoline/E-Series v   •   d   •   e Ford Taurus Generations First-generation  · Second-generation  · Third-generation  · Fourth-generation  · Fifth-generation  · Sixth-generation Engines HSC (2.5 L I4)  · Vulcan (3.0 L V6)  · Essex (3.8 L V6)  · SHO V6 (3.0 and 3.2 L)  · Duratec 30 (3.0 L V6)  · SHO V8 (3.4 L)  · Duratec 35 (3.5 L V6)  · EcoBoost (3.5 L V6) Related Models Mercury Sable  · Lincoln Continental  · Ford Taurus SHO  · Ford Windstar  · Ford Five Hundred  · Ford Freestyle  · Ford Taurus X Related Articles Ford Motor Company  · Jack Telnack  · Alan Mulally  · Donald Petersen  · Ford Tempo  · List of Ford Taurus models  · Ford LTD  · Ford Thunderbird || Ford GT40 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search For the concept car presented as the Ford GT40 on the auto show circuit in 2003, see Ford GT . For other uses, see Ford GT (disambiguation) . Ford GT40 Manufacturer Ford Advanced Vehicles J.W. Automotive Production 1964-1969 [ 1 ] plus a continuation model and many subsequent replicas Successor Ford P68 Class Group 4 Sports Car Group 6 Sports Prototype Body style(s) Coupe Roadster Engine(s) 4181 cc (255  CID ) V-8 4737 cc (289  CID ) V-8 6997 cc (427  CID ) V-8 4942 cc (302  CID ) V-8 Transmission(s) 5-speed manual Wheelbase 95 in (2413 mm) [ 2 ] Length 160 in (4064 mm) Width 70 in (1778 mm) Height 40.5 in (1029 mm) Curb weight 2,002 lb (908 kg) Ford GT40 Mk II front. This car took second place overall (all three top finishers were Ford GT40s) in the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona . The #1 car was driven by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby , and together with the #2 car driven by McLaren /Amon (1st overall) and #5 car driven by Bucknum/Hutcherson (3rd overall) gave Ford its first victory in a 24 hour race. The photo shows the livery as used at Le Mans in 1966. (Serial Number GT-40 P 1015 Mk. II) The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969 (in 1967 with a different body, though). It is so far the only car, built by an American company, to win overall at this prestigious event. [ 3 ] It was built to win long-distance sports car races against Ferrari (who won at Le Mans six times in a row from 1960 to 1965). Chassis # P-1075, which won in 1968 and 1969 (the only car in Le Mans history to win the race more than once) used a 4.7-liter Ford engine enlarged to 4.9-liter (also known as a 5.0) with special alloy Gurney - Weslake cylinder head . The car was named the GT (for Grand Touring ) with the 40 representing its overall height of 40 inches (1.02 m, measured at the windshield) as required by the rules. Large displacement Ford V8 engines (4.7 liter and 7 liter) were used, compared with the Ferrari V12 which displaced 3.0 liter or 4.0 liter. Early cars were simply named "Ford GT". The name "GT40" was the name of Ford's project to prepare the cars for the international endurance racing circuit, and the quest to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first 12 "prototype" vehicles carried serial numbers GT-101 through GT-112. The "production" began and the subsequent cars, the MkI, MkIIs, MkIIIs, and MkIVs, numbered GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145, were officially "GT40s". The name of Ford's project, and the serial numbers dispel the story that "GT40" was "only a nickname." The contemporary Ford GT is a modern homage to the GT40. Contents 1 History 2 Versions 2.1 Mk I 2.2 Mk II 2.3 Mk III 2.4 J-car 2.5 Mk IV 2.6 G7A 2.7 Continuation & Replica Models 3 Ford GT 4 Le Mans 24 Hour victories 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links [ edit ] History Henry Ford II had wanted a Ford at Le Mans since the early 1960s. In the spring of 1963, Ford reportedly received word through a European intermediary that Enzo Ferrari was interested in selling to Ford Motor Company. Ford reportedly spent several million dollars in an audit of Ferrari factory assets and in legal negotiations, only to have Ferrari unilaterally cut off talks at a late stage. Ferrari, who wanted to remain the sole operator of his company's motor sports division, was angered when he was told that he would not be allowed to race at the Indianapolis 500 if the deal went through. Enzo cut the deal off out of spite and Henry Ford II, enraged, directed his racing division to find a company that could build a Ferrari-beater on the world endurance-racing circuit. To this end Ford began negotiation with Lotus , Lola , and Cooper . Cooper had no experience in GT or prototype and its performances in Formula One were declining. Lotus was already a Ford partner for their Indy 500 project. Ford executives already doubted the ability of Lotus to handle this new project. Colin Chapman probably had similar views as he asked a high price for his contribution and insisted that the car (which became the Lotus Europa ) should be named a Lotus-Ford, an attitude that can be viewed as polite refusal. The Lola proposal was chosen, since Lola had used a Ford V8 engine in their mid-engined Lola Mk 6 (also known as Lola GT). It was one of the most advanced racing cars of the time, and made a noted performance in Le Mans 1963, even though the car did not finish, due to low gearing and so revving out on the mulsanne straight. However, Eric Broadley , Lola Cars' owner and chief designer, agreed on a short-term personal contribution to the project without involving Lola Cars. The agreement with Eric Broadley included a one year collaboration between Ford and Broadley and the sale of the two Lola Mk 6 chassis built to Ford. To form the development team, Ford also hired the ex- Aston Martin team manager John Wyer . Ford Motor Co. engineer Roy Lunn was sent to England; he had designed the mid-engined Mustang I concept car powered by a 1.7 liter V4. Despite the small engine of the Mustang I, Lunn was the only Dearborn engineer to have some experience with a mid-engined car. Broadley, Lunn and Wyer began working on the new car at Lola Factory in Bromley. At the end of 1963 the team moved to Slough , England near Heathrow airport. Ford established a new subsidiary under the direction of Wyer, Ford Advanced Vehicles Ltd to manage the project. The first chassis built by Abbey Panels of Coventry was delivered on March 16, 1963. The first "Ford GT" the GT/101 was unveiled in England on April 1 and soon after exhibited in New York. It was powered by the 4.2 L Fairlane engine with a Colotti transaxle, the same power plant was used by the Lola GT and the single-seater Lotus 29 that came in a highly controversial second at the Indy 500 in 1963. (A DOHC head design was used in later years at Indy. It won in 1965 in the Lotus 38.) The Ford GT40 was first raced in May 1964 at the Nürburgring 1000 km race where it retired with suspension failure after holding second place early in the event. Three weeks later at the 24 Hours of Le Mans , all three entries retired although the Ginther/Gregory car led the field from the second lap until its first pitstop. February 1965 saw Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby take a Shelby American entered GT40 to victory in the Daytona 2000 km. The experience gained in 1964 and 1965 allowed the 7-liter Mk II to dominate the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1966 with a 1-2-3 result. The finish, however, was clouded in controversy: in the final few hours, the Ford GT of New Zealanders Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon closely trailed the leading Ford GT driven by Englishman Ken Miles and New Zealander Denny Hulme . With a multi-million-dollar program finally on the very brink of success, Ford team officials faced a difficult choice. They could allow the drivers to settle the outcome by racing each other – and risk one or both cars breaking down or crashing. They could dictate a finishing order to the drivers – guaranteeing that one set of drivers would be extremely unhappy. Or they could arrange a tie, with the McLaren/Amon and Miles/Hulme cars crossing the line side-by-side. The team chose the last and informed McLaren and Miles of the decision just before the two got in their cars for the final stint. Then, not long before the finish, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the Le Mans event, informed Ford that the geographical difference in starting positions would be taken into account at a close finish – meaning that the McLaren/Amon vehicle, which had started perhaps 60 feet (18 m) behind the Hulme-Miles car, would have covered slightly more ground over the 24 hours and would therefore be the winner. Secondly, Ford officials admitted later, the company's contentious relationship with Miles, its top contract driver, placed executives in a difficult position. They could reward an outstanding driver who had been at times extremely difficult to work with, or they could decide in favour of drivers (McLaren/Amon) with less commitment to the Ford program but who had been easier to deal with. Ford stuck with the orchestrated photo finish but Miles, deeply bitter over this decision after his dedication to the program, issued his own protest by suddenly slowing just yards from the finish and letting McLaren across the line first. Miles died in a testing accident just two months later. Miles' death occurred at the wheel of the Ford "J-car", an iteration of the GT40 that included several unique features. These included an aluminum honeycomb chassis construction and a "breadvan" body design that experimented with " kammback " aerodynamic theories. Unfortunately, the fatal Miles accident was attributed at least partly to the unproven aerodynamics of the J-car design, and the team embarked on a complete redesign of the car, which became known as the Mk IV. The Mk IV, a newer design with a Mk II engine but a different chassis and a different body, won the following year (when four Mark IVs, three Mark IIs and three Mark Is raced). The high speeds achieved in that race caused a rule change, which already came in effect in 1968: the prototypes were limited to the capacity of to 3.0 liter, the same as in Formula One . This took out the V12-powered Ferrari 330P as well as the Chaparral and the Mk. IV. If at least 50 cars had been built, sportscars like the GT40 and the Lola T70 were allowed, with a maximum of 5.0 L. John Wyer 's revised 4.7 liter Mk I won the 24 hours of Le Mans race in 1968 against the fragile smaller prototypes. This result added to four other round wins for the GT40 gave Ford victory in the 1968 International Championship for Makes . The GT40's intended 3.0 L replacement, the Ford P68 , proved a dismal failure. In 1969, facing more experienced prototypes and the new yet still unreliable 4.5 L flat-12 powered Porsche 917s , the winners Ickx/Oliver managed to beat the remaining 3.0 liter Porsche 908 by just a few seconds with the already outdated GT40 (in the very car that had won in 1968 - the legendary GT40P/1075). Apart from brake wear in the Porsche and the decision not to change pads so close to the race end, the winning combination was relaxed driving by both GT40 drivers and heroic efforts at the right time by (at that time Le Mans' rookie) Jacky Ickx , who won Le Mans five times more in later years. In 1970, the revised Porsche 917 dominated, and the GT40 had become obsolete. [ edit ] Versions [ edit ] Mk I A Ford GT40 Mk I competing in the 1969 Nurburgring 1000km race The Mk I was the original Ford GT40. Early prototypes were powered by 4.3 liter (260 cu.in) V8 engines [ 4 ] and production models were powered by 4.7 liter (289 cu.in) engines as used in the Ford Mustang . Five prototype models were built with roadster bodywork, including the Ford X-1. [ 1 ] The Ford X-1 was a roadster built to contest the Fall 1965 North American Pro Series, a forerunner of CanAm , entered by the Bruce McLaren team and driven by Chris Amon. The car had an aluminum chassis built at Abbey Panels and was originally powered by a 4.7 liter (289ci) engine. The real purpose of this car was to test several improvements originating from Kar Kraft, Shelby and McLaren. Several gearboxes were used: a Hewland LG500 and at least one automatic gearbox. It was later upgraded to Mk II specifications with a 7.0 liter (427ci) engine and a standard four ratio Kar Kraft gearbox, however the car kept specific features such as its open roof and lightweight chassis. The car went on to win the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966. [ edit ] Mk II Ford GT40 Mk II rear The Mk II used the 7.0 liter (427ci) engine from the Ford Galaxie . For Daytona 1967, two Mk II models (chassis 1016 and 1047) were fitted with Mercury 7.0 liter engines. Mercury is a Ford Motor Company division, and Mercury's 427 was exactly the same engine as Ford's with different logos. A batch of wrongly heat treated input shafts in the transaxles sidelined virtually every Ford in the race, however, and Ferrari won 1-2-3. [ edit ] Mk III Ford GT40 road version The Mk III was a road-car only, of which 7 were built. [ 1 ] The car had four headlights, the rear part of the body was expanded to make room for luggage, the 4.7 liter engine was detuned to 335 bhp (250 kW), the shocks were softened, the shift lever was moved to the center and the car was available with the steering wheel on the left side of the car. The most famous Mk III is GT40 M3 1105, a blue left hand drive model delivered in 1968 in Austria to Herbert von Karajan . As the Mk III looked significantly different from the racing models many customers interested in buying a GT40 for road use chose to buy a Mk I that was available from Wyer Ltd. [ edit ] J-car 1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV, which was developed from the J-car In an effort to develop a car with better aerodynamics and lighter weight, it was decided to retain the 7 liter engine, but redesign the rest of the car. In order to bring the car more "in house" and lessening partnership with English firms, Ford Advanced Vehicles was sold to John Wyer and the new car was designed by Ford's studios and produced by Ford's subsidiary Kar Kraft under Ed Hull . There was also a partnership with the Brunswick Aircraft Corporation for expertise on the novel use of honeycomb aluminium panels bonded together to form a lightweight but rigid "tub". The car was designated as the J-car, as it was constructed to meet the new Appendix J regulations [ 5 ] which were introduced by the FIA in 1966. [ 6 ] The first J-car was completed in March, 1966 and set the fastest time at the Le Mans trials that year. The tub weighed only 86 lb (39 kg), and the entire car weighed only 2,660 lb (1,210 kg), 300 lb (140 kg) less than the Mk II. It was decided to run the MkIIs due to their proven reliability, however, and little or no development was done on the J-car for the rest of the season. Following LeMans, the development program for the J-car was resumed, and a second car was built. During a test session at Riverside International Raceway in August 1966, with Ken Miles driving, the car suddenly went out of control at the end of Riverside's high-speed, 1-mile-long back straight. The honeycomb chassis did not live up to its design goal, shattering upon impact, bursting into flames and killing Miles. It was determined that the unique, flat-topped "bread van" aerodynamics of the car, lacking any sort of spoiler, were implicated in generating excess lift. Therefore a more conventional but significantly more aerodynamic body was designed for the subsequent development of the J-car which was officially known as the GT40 Mk IV. [ 7 ] A total of nine cars were constructed with J-car chassis numbers although six were designated as Mk IVs and one as the G7A. [ 1 ] [ edit ] Mk IV Ford GT40 Mk IV The Mk IV was built around a reinforced J chassis powered by the same 7.0 L engine as the Mk II. Excluding the engine, the Mk IV was totally different from other GT40s, using a specific chassis and specific bodywork. As a direct result of the Miles accident, the team installed a NASCAR-style steel-tube roll cage in the Mk. IV, which made it much safer but negated most of the weight saving of the honeycomb-panel construction. Dan Gurney often complained about the weight of the Mk IV, since the car was 600 pounds heavier than the Ferraris he raced. During practice at Le Mans in 1967, in an effort to preserve the fragile brakes, Gurney developed a strategy (also adopted by co-driver A.J. Foyt) of backing completely off the throttle several hundred yards before the approach to the Mulsanne hairpin and virtually coasting into the braking area. This technique saved the brakes, but the resulting increase in the car's recorded lap times during practice led to speculation within the Ford team that Gurney and Foyt had hopelessly "dialed out" their car. The Mk. IV ran in only two races, the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans but won both events. [ 7 ] The installation of the roll cage was ultimately credited by many with saving the life of Mario Andretti, who crashed violently in a Mk. IV during the 1967 Le Mans, but escaped with minor injuries. Unlike the earlier Mk.I and III cars, which were entirely British, the Mk.IIs & IVs were built in America, the latter by Shelby . A total of 6 Mk IVs were constructed. [ 1 ] [ edit ] G7A The Ford G7A was a CanAm car, built in 1969 [ 1 ] using the J-car chassis. [ edit ] Continuation & Replica Models GT40/R Competition at Road America (Built by Pathfinder Motorsports/Superformance) This is the well-known chassis GT40P/2090R that won at Watkins Glen. GT40/R Competition A "Roaring Forties" replica of a 1965 Ford GT40 in Shelby livery on display at the 2005 United States Grand Prix As the price and the rarity of the Ford GT40 have increased, so has the demand for a continuation model as well as cheaper imitations and replicas of varying quality. There have been several kit cars and replicas made that have been inspired by the Ford GT40, as well as a continuation (exact and licensed replica): GT40/R Competition United States. An authentic GT40 built by Superformance, and the only race-version continuation model fully licensed by Safir GT40 Spares (Ltd). Approved for vintage racing by the Historic Sportscar Racing association (HSR) and the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), it is distributed by Pathfinder Motorsports LLC. A Pathfinder Motorsports Racing GT40/R - chassis number GT40P/2090R - won in its class at the 2009 US Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen and the 2009 NY Governor's Cup Race [ citation needed ] . Superformance - the Superformance GT40 is an extremely accurate continuation model with approximately 85% interchangeable parts with the original; these cars are licensed by Safir GT40 Spares and carry continuation chassis numbers from the original cars. Bailey Edwards Cars A small replica factory in South Africa have redesigned the GT40 into a more modern and safer version of the original. Their cars have large cockpits and modifications where engineers have found flaws in the authentic model. Also produce a range of other Le Mans type historic and modern endurance sports cars. Race Car Replicas - MkI , MkII & MkIV replica manufacturer; authentic bodies with aluminum monocoque chassis designs, manufactured in the USA KVA GT40 - replica manufacturer in England Roaring Forties - Australian-based replica manufacturer Auto Futura CAV GT - South African replica manufacturer AvengerGT-12 - 1960s VW-based Fiberfab Avenger GT replica manufacturer Fiberfab Valkyrie - 1960s/1970s V-8 powered, tube frame with Corvair transaxle and suspension; Fiberfab Valkyrie replica manufacturer ERA performance - replica manufacturer v8archie - rebodied Pontiac Fiero replica manufacturer Lone Star Classics - replica manufacturer Tornado Sports Cars - based in England, the longest-running replica maker of the GT40 MDA - replica manufacturer based in England DRB Sports Cars - replica manufacturer based in Australia Turn Ten Racing - a new Canadian replica manufacturer GTD40 - continued production until demise in 1997, due to the failed Spectre R42 project. GOX Teknik - replica manufacturer based in Sweden, makes both an exact replica and a simpler look-alike. Africa40 - replica manufacturer based in South Africa Holman Moody - Holman Moody , whose GT40 Mark IIs won third at Le Mans in 1966, still manufacture a small number of GT40s from 1966 blueprints. [ edit ] Ford GT 2005 Ford GT Main article: Ford GT At the 1995 Detroit Auto Show , the Ford GT90 concept was shown and at the 2002 show, a new GT40 Concept was unveiled by Ford. While similar in appearance to the original cars, it was bigger, wider, and three inches taller than the original 40 inches (1.02 m). Three production prototype cars were shown in 2003 as part of Ford's centenary, and delivery of the production Ford GT began in the fall of 2004. The Ford GT was assembled in the Ford Wixom plant and painted by Saleen, Incorporated at their Saleen Special Vehicles plant in Troy, Michigan , USA. A British company, Safir Engineering , who made continuation GT40s in the 1980s owned the GT40 trademark at that time, and when they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small American company called Safir GT40 Spares based in Ohio . Safir GT40 Spares licensed the use of the GT40 trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car, but when Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations between the two failed, and as a result the new Ford GT does not wear the badge GT40. It is rumored [ by whom? ] that Safir GT40 Spares asked $40 million dollars for the rights, but this has never been verified. The partners at Safir GT40 Spares state they have correspondence from Ford declining Safir's $8 million offer. Later models or prototypes have also been called the Ford GT but have had different numbering on them such as the Ford GT90 or the Ford GT70. The GT40 name is currently licensed for use by the Pathfinder Motorsports GT40/R Competition, which is built by Hi-Tech in South Africa, which also builds street version models of the GT40. [ edit ] Le Mans 24 Hour victories Le Mans 24 Hour victories Distance Speed Year Car Drivers km mph km/h 1966 Mk II Chris Amon , Bruce McLaren 4843.09 130.98 210.80 1967 Mk IV Dan Gurney , A. J. Foyt 5232.9 135.48 218.03 1968 Mk I Pedro Rodríguez , Lucien Bianchi 4452.88 115.29 185.54 1969 Mk I Jacky Ickx , Jackie Oliver 4997.88 129.40 208.25 [ edit ] References ^ a b c d e f Ford Chassis Numbers Retrieved on 27 January 2010 ^ Cardew, Basil (1966). Daily Express Review of the 1966 Motor Show . London: Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd.   ^ "Ford GT40 Mark II" . Supercars.net. 2004-03-01 . http://www.supercars.net/cars/692.html . Retrieved 2010-09-24 .   ^ Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres 1964 Retrieved from www.racingsportscars.com on 18 April 2010 ^ Ford Mk IV Retrieved from www.ultimatecarpage.com on 22 February 2010 ^ Appendix J to the International Sporting Code Retrieved from www.fia.com on 23 February 2010 ^ a b "1967 Ford GT40 Mark IV" . supercars.net . http://www.supercars.net/cars/694.html . Retrieved 2010-02-23 .   [ edit ] Further reading Auto Passion n°49 July 1991 (in French) La Revue de l'Automobile historique n°7 March/April 2001 (in French) Ford: The Dust and the Glory/A motor racing history by Leo Levine/1968 [ edit ] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ford GT40 GT40s.com: Worldwide GT40 Enthusiast Website GT40 Enthusiasts Club The Roaring Forties GT40 Website Ford GT40 Race History at www.gizmag.co.uk v   •   d   •   e    Ford Motor Company (worldwide) Vehicles  • Platforms  • Engines  • Transmissions  • Category Current and future models Cars C-Max  • Crown Victoria & Police Interceptor  • EcoSport  • Falcon  • Fiesta  • Figo  • Fusion (Europe) • Fusion (North America) • Focus (international) • Focus (North America) • Galaxy  • i-MAX (Taiwan) • Ka  • Kuga  • Mondeo  • Mustang  • S-Max  • Taurus Trucks/ SUVs/Vans Bantam  • Cargo  • Courier  • E-Series  • Econovan  • Edge  • Escape  • Expedition & EL/Max  • Explorer  • Everest / Endeavour  • F-Series & Super Duty  • Flex  • Pronto  • Ranger  • Ranger (international) • Territory  • Tourneo  • Tourneo Connect  • Transit  • Transit Connect Historical models 1900s Model A/AC  • Model B  • Model C  • Model F  • Model K  • Model N  • Model R  • Model S  • Model T 1910s–1920s Model TT  • Model A  • Model AA 1930s–1940s Model B  • Model Y  • Model C Ten  • Model CX  • Junior Popular  • 1937 Ford  • Junior De Luxe  • Köln  • Rheinland  • Eifel  • Model 7Y  • Model 7W  • Anglia  • Prefect  • Country Squire  • Pilot  • Vedette 1950s C-Series Trucks  • Consul  • Country Sedan  • Courier  • Del Rio  • Edsel (Brand)  • Fairlane  • Galaxie  • Mainline  • Parklane  • Popular  • Ranchero  • Squire  • Taunus  • Thunderbird  • Versailles  • Zephyr 1960s Bronco  • Capri  • Corcel  • Corsair  • Cortina  • Escort  • Fairlane Thunderbolt  • Falcon  • GT40  • H-Series Trucks • LTD  • N-Series Trucks • Torino  • W-Series Trucks 1970s Elite  • Fairmont  • Granada  • L-Series Trucks  • Landau (Australia)  • Maverick  • P100  • Pinto 1980s Aerostar  • Bantam  • Bronco II  • Del Rey  • Escort  • EXP  • Festiva  • Laser / Lynx / Tierra / Meteor  • LTD Crown Victoria  • Orion  • Probe  • RS200  • Scorpio  • Sierra  • Telstar  • Tempo  • Verona 1990s Aspire  • Contour  • Cougar  • Maverick  • Puma  • Windstar  • ZX2 2000s Activa  • Excursion  • Fairlane (Australian) • Five Hundred  • Freestar  • Freestyle/Taurus X  • GT  • Ikon  • Maverick (Europe) • Sportka/Streetka Subsidiaries and joint ventures Ford of Argentina  • Ford of Australia  • Ford of Brazil  • Ford of Britain  • Ford of Canada  • Ford of Europe  • Ford of France  • Ford of Germany  • Ford India  • Ford Lio Ho (Taiwan, ROC) • Ford Motor Company Philippines  • Ford of Russia  • Ford Performance Vehicles (Australia) • Arabian Motors Group  • AutoAlliance International  • AutoAlliance Thailand  • Automobile Craiova  • Chang'an Ford  • Jiangling Motors  • Mazda  • Ford-Otosan  • Getrag Ford Transmissions  • Premier Automotive Group Factories  • Proving grounds  • People || The UK specialist in Ford, Cosworth & Lotus Twin Cam Performance Tuning Parts. General Technical Articles Braking Systems. Camshaft Fitting & Timing. Common Abreviations. Conversion Factors. Electrical Current. Engine - Breather System. Engine - General. Formulae. Ford Manufacture Dates. Ignition Systems. Oil Technical Talk. Suspension Systems. Transmissions. Unleaded Fuel. Vehicle Registration Dates. Engine Tuning Guides BDA & BDG 16v. Cosworth YB 2.0 16v Turbo. CVH. DOHC I4 (Sierra). Duratec HE. Essex V4/V6. Kent Crossflow. Kent Pre-Crossflow. Lotus Twin-Cam 8v. SOHC Pinto. Taunus/Cologne V4/V6. Valencia, HCS, Endura E. Zetec E. Zetec SE. General Transmission Guides 2000E Bullet. Borg Warner T5. MT75. MTX75. Type 2. Type 3. Type 5. Type 9. Type BC. Type E. Type F. Type IB5. Kent Crossflow This engine was introduced in the Ford Mk2 Cortina and differs from the earlier units by having the carb on the left and the exhaust on the right - hence, ‘crossflow.’ They also varied from Pre-X/Flows in that the combustion chamber was shifted from the head to the bowl of the piston and were know as BIP engines (Bowl In Piston). Early heads also feature a small combustion chamber in the head too. Early blocks bore the casting marks 681F and capacities you’ll find are, 940, 1098, 1298 and 1599. You’ll find a X/Flow fitted to Mk1/2 Escorts, Mk2/3 Cortinas, Mk1/2 Capris plus late Transits. Most cars came with a single choke Ford IV carb although the 1.3 and 1.6 GT models had a 32/36 DGV Weber twin choke. 1970 saw the big change to the thicker-walled 711M block with square mains caps, large diameter followers, wider cam lobes and modified crank seal. Also, the head was now completely flat. There are two main capacities of 711M, determined by block height – the 1600 is 7/16” taller and you can see the difference between it and the 1300 by the space between the water pump and head. Also, the 1300 has 711M 6015 AA cast in the side whereas the 1600 ends in BA. The engine was also fitted to 1.3 and 1.6 Mk1 Fiestas in the 80’s with a 771M casting. These feature no side engine mounts plus a shortened water pump and timing chain/crank area. The final versions, OHV, HCS and Endura are similar but shorter versions and share very few if any inter-changeable parts and reverted back to the original pre-X/flow design of a three bearing crank. Kents are quite easy to tune to GT spec, which usually means the biggest capacity block, slightly bigger valves (usually taken care of with a performance head), GT cam/A1, free flow exhaust and twin choke Weber – you should see around 80-90bhp. Switch to a Kent BCF2 or a 224 and you’ll be approaching 110bhp. For all builds we would recommend ARP rod bolts and replacement of the front pulley for a one piece steel item. The valve train should be strengthened with steel posts, spacers and rocker shaft to cope with the additional stresses caused by high lift cams, HD valve springs and higher revs. A double timing chain kit should also be fitted for the same reasons. Performance heads are available in both iron and brand new aluminium and all can be ordered with unleaded seats. You can use the old Cosworth A-series cam profiles too, which are long duration and lower lift. However the current Kent Cams, high lift and short duration type are friendlier on emissions with less lobe overlap resulting in reduced un-burnt fuel down the exhaust. Add a stage 2 head and Kent 224 and you’ll be pushing 115bhp although the favourite X/Flow cam is the 234 for 118-120bhp. You should get this with a re-jetted twin choke although twin 40 DCOE Webers would be better. This is an all round great cam and engine spec for the road. A 244 cam and stage 3 head results in 135-145bhp, although, these figures are best achieved with a recommended maximum 83.5mm bore and forged Accralite pistons, giving 1700cc. There is a cheaper option in that the compression can be raised using modified 1300 pistons in the 1600 engine, giving a ratio of around 10.3:1. Capacity is easily increased with cast pistons available up to +0.090” oversize which will give 1696cc. 40 DCOEs tend to be on their maximum choke sizes at this stage so many switch to 45s. However this does result in lower gas speed and less low down torque, which is important on the road. All side draughts need a side exit distributor cap (available for Lucas and Bosch distributors) to clear the inlet manifold and for convenience it’s best to fit an electronic ignition kit such as an Aldon Ignitor or Lumenition. For a complete ignition solution, our constant energy, non-vacuum modified Bosch distributor and coil kit is ideal for most modified engines. This is about as far as you want to go on the road since you’ll be stretching the 7500-8000rpm limit of the crank. After this and you’ll ideally need steel components, which we have a superb range including cranks, rods, flywheels and forged pistons. To complement these we also have full-race spec heads to take the Kent as far as possible on the race track – currently that’s about 185bhp+. Home | Company | Products | Tech Tips | Contact | Basket | Log On Website design by Concept Multimedia Ltd || || LOGIN REGISTER NEWSLETTER Home NEWS REVIEWS PRODUCTS COMPARE CARS VIDEOS BUYING USED CARS NEW CARS MOTORSHOWS COMPETITIONS 6 ISSUES FOR £1 Search Car Reviews: You're in - Car Reviews : First Drives Ford Mondeo Ford Mondeo Titanium X Auto Ford Mondeo Titanium X adds Durashift automatic transmission to 2.0-litre TDCi diesel Auto Express Car Reviews Text: Chris Thorp / Photos: Pete Gibson December 2007 Rating: Walk into a Ford showroom, and you can be sure of one thing – there will be a car to suit all tastes. Thanks to the scale of the firm’s sales, it can deliver hundreds of different engine, trim and gearbox combinations for every model it offers. Despite efforts to simplify the line-up of recent launches, there’s still a raft of variants of the latest Mondeo to choose from. A popular combination in the executive car class is the diesel automatic – but does it work in the family favourite? Turn the key, and the smooth 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine immediately impresses with its smooth refinement. On the move it’s just as quiet, but the Durashift automatic transmission does little to help hide the diesel clatter which is audible at high revs. While the shifts are reasonably smooth, the gearbox holds on to the ratios for too long before changing up. However, once up to motorway speeds the transmission is faultless, and really takes the stress out of long-distance cruising. As you would expect, the auto box reduces fuel efficiency, but the 39.8mpg combined economy is still impressive. However, go for the manual, and that rises to 47.9mpg. There are similar sacrifices to make with performance. Few will have any real complaints with the auto’s 10.6-second 0-60mph time, but the cheaper manual takes only 9.2 seconds. In all other ways, the Mondeo is as polished as ever. While we would avoid the stiff £150 optional Sports suspension, the car’s handling agility is second to none in its class. Priced at £22,945, the top-spec five-door auto costs £1,100 more than the manual car, but at 128bhp has 10bhp less. And if you want to match the plush specification of this model, the total rises to an eye-watering £27,860. With less impressive economy, performance and refine- ment, that could be a bitter pill for many potential buyers to swallow. Rival: VW Passat DSG Rather than a conventional auto, VW’s self-shifter uses a clutchless manual set-up. It’s not as smooth as the Ford at low speeds, but does offer greater control. For an alternative review of the latest Ford Mondeo visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk What Next COMPARE CAR LOANS COMPARE CAR INSURANCE For more breaking car news and reviews, subscribe to Auto Express magazine. We'll give you 6 issues for £1 and a free gift! < Previous Next > 0 Comment Be the first to comment on this article You need to register to post comments. Existing members can log in below to comment, otherwise click here to join . Email: Password: Sponsored Results More FORD MONDEO articles Car Reviews First Drives: Ford Mondeo News Auto Express News: Hot Mondeo drops ST hint Auto Express News: Ford Mondeo XR5 Auto Express News: Mondeo crash test Auto Express News: Towcar of the Year Auto Express News: Mondeo active dampers Auto Express News: Mondeo's on the button Auto Express News: What about the saloon? Auto Express News: Mondeo driven Auto Express News: Mondeo control system Auto Express News: Mondeos Rolling! 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In Durashift diesel form, it offers the best compromise between long-distance economy and lazy town driving. However, it demands several compromises. The gearbox is not as rewarding as the standard manual for keen drivers, and it numbs both efficiency and performance. But if you want the most relaxing Mondeo on offer, this could be it. AT A GLANCE Price: £22,945 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 128bhp Transmission: Five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive 0-60mph: 10.6 seconds Economy: 39.8mpg CO2: 189g/km Top speed: 129mph Standard equipment: Durashift automatic, adaptive front lights, leather and Alcantara trim, start button, climate control, Convers+ in-car control system On sale: Now Find Used Cars Find your Ford Mondeo with our new used car search. £25355 - £15200 £15200 - £11200 Less than £11200 - Advertisement - Company Website | Media Information | Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Subs Info | Voucher Codes | Sitemap Our Other Websites: The First Post | Custom PC | Evo | IT Pro | IT Pro India | MacUser | Men's Fitness | Micro Mart | PC Pro | bit-tech | Know Your Mobile | Octane | Expert Reviews | Channel Pro | Know Your Cell | Know Your Mobile India | iGizmo | Digital SLR Photography | Den of Geek | The Week | Computer Shopper | Dennis Communications | Magazines | Mobile Phone Deals | Competitions | Health & Fitness | CarBuyer © 2010 Dennis Publishing Limited. 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