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.

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more