Ford may stun us with supercars at the Detroit Auto Show

By Alexander Kalogianni December 2, 2014

Ford Mustang GT350 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There are enough rumors of what Ford has lined up for next month’s Detroit Auto Show to get the mouths of gearheads across the country salivating.

Road & Track reports that the blue oval is ready to reveal a host of performance-oriented additions to its lineup at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in late January, including a successor to the Ford GT, a wildly popular tribute to its Le Mans racer, the Ferrari-fighting GT40.

And a new GT makes sense. We’re coming up on the 50th anniversary of Ford’s first victory at the 24 hours of Le Mans. Accordingly, there’s already chatter that the brand may return to endurance racing with a brand new GTE-spec vehicle, one that would warrant a street legal variant, … and we may not have to wait long at all to see it.

2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition — Image used with permission by copyright holder

But wait; there’s more.

If a new Ford supercar weren’t enough, the Mustang GT350 might get even crazier in Detroit. Only having just been revealed, rumors suggest the latest super pony car might be offered in a new race variant: The GT350R. Much like the Boss 302 Laguna Seca, the GT350R will predictably take the 500 horsepower and other improvements the GT350 promises, and build upon them with a fiercer aero package and stripping out the creature comforts.

If the Boss 302 was last gen’s store-bought race car, then the F-150 Raptor was certainly Ford’s buyable monster truck desert racer. The successful sport variant of the F-150 pickup is mentioned amongst the R&T rumors as also starting a new generation, which can only mean there will be more Dukes of Hazzard-style truck jumping to look forward to.

All these rumors seem to add up to the conclusion that Ford is ramping up to announce their own performance sub brand, much like the Mercedes-AMG division or BMW’s M branch. This will give Ford a chance to unify all its performance vehicles, giving us an easier time to keep track of their STs RSs and SVTs.

Nothing is set in stone just yet, but if these rumors turn out to be true, then American muscle fans just got themselves a second Christmas.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Detroit Auto Show

Alexander Kalogianni

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…

Cars

Superwagons, EVs, and autonomous 4x4s wowed us at the Frankfurt Auto Show

2019 frankfurt auto show highlights from audi hyundai land rover porsche dt aitrail concept

Held biennially, the Frankfurt Auto Show is the biggest event of its kind in the automotive world -- literally. The town-sized convention center it takes place in consists of numerous buildings spread hundreds of yards apart. Its importance in the car world is equally immense. It's where automakers from all over the spectrum convene to display their wildest designs, their most advanced electric cars, and their quickest performance models.

This year's edition of the show didn't disappoint. Audi introduced two new models with supercar-like performance, as well as a futuristic prototype that off-roads autonomously, and uses a drone to light up the trail. Land Rover finally resurrected the Defender -- and it looks like it was worth the wait. Volkswagen showed the tip of its electric car iceberg, and Lamborghini entered the hybrid segment. Hyundai also sent a heritage-laced concept car fresh out of its design center.

Cars

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 thunders into the muscle car ring with 760 hp

2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500

Despite so much talk of electric cars and autonomous driving, you can still buy a 797-horsepower Dodge Challenger or a 650-hp Chevrolet Camaro. But the rival Ford Mustang has stayed out of the horsepower wars -- until now. Unleashed at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, and reviving one of the greatest names in muscle car history, the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 roars into the muscle car arena with 760 hp and 625 pound-feet of torque between its fenders.

760 hp; that's 380 hp per seat. It's over six times the output of the Fiesta, Ford's entry-level model. The latest Shelby GT500 is the most powerful production Mustang ever, and the most powerful street-legal car it has ever produced. It even beats the ultra-exclusive, Le Mans-winning GT.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs

Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.