Skip to main content

With racing tech aplenty, Ford’s GT Mk II is the ultimate track toy

Ford is winding down its GT racing program, but the Blue Oval still has one more surprise planned around the 216-mph supercar. At the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ford announced a hotter, track-only version of the GT, with a limited production run of just 45 cars. Dubbed the Ford GT Mk II, the new version is not road legal, but it also wasn’t designed to compete in any racing series. It’s just a fun toy for (very wealthy) fans of speed.

Recommended Videos

The Mk II was a joint project of Ford and Multimatic, the Canadian company that designed the GT race car and oversees production of GT road cars for customers. The partners started with a road-going GT, adding more extreme aerodynamic elements and upgrading the engine. Because they weren’t restricted by any racing regulations, or the need to make the car road legal, Ford and Multimatic were free to do whatever they wanted.

The GT Mk II sprouts a massive rear wing, front dive planes, and fender louvers reminiscent of the GT race car. They allow the Mk II to produce over 400% more downforce than the GT road car, according to Ford. The aerodynamic upgrades work with Michelin Pilot Sport racing tires to produce a titanic 2.0g of lateral grip in corners. Your internal organs will come unstuck before this car does.

Ford retained the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 used in other versions of the GT, but added more power. The Blue Oval wouldn’t say how much, though, only boasting that the Mk II is the most powerful version of the GT yet, with 200 horsepower more than the race car. Ford didn’t say if the Mk II would surpass the Shelby GT500 Mustang’s 760 hp to become its most powerful production car. To keep the tightly-packaged engine cool, the Mk II gets a roof-mounted air scoop and a system that sprays water into the charge air cooler.

The GT was never a luxury car, but Ford and Multimatic stripped away whatever convenience features it had. The road car’s adjustable ride height and drive modes were ditched, saving over 200 pounds, according to Ford. The car comes standard with a single Sparco race seat and six-point harness, the passenger seat is optional. Ford does include a MoTeC data acquisition system, with a display that doubles as the screen for a rearview camera.

Ford capped GT road-car production at no more than 250 cars per year, but the GT Mk II will make the road car look common by comparison. Just 45 Mk II track cars will be built, with a starting price of $1.2 million. Cars will be built by Multimatic in Markham, Ontario, starting on the regular GT production line before being moved to a special facility for finishing. If you’re willing to spend seven figures on something you can’t even drive to the local cars and coffee meet, reach out to Ford.

Updated on July 4, 2019: Added confirmation of the Ford GT Mk II, including details and photos.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more