According to new reports from Car and Driver, the Le Mans-spec 2016 Ford GT race car could be unveiled as early as next month before the 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race.
While details are scarce, it is reported that the Ford GT race car will then race at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans and complete in the Le Mans GTE category. If true, it will rival the likes of the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Porsche 911 RSR and Ferrari 458 Italia GT2.
With this being said, recently leaked images emerged in late January potentially showing the race-spec Ford GT complete with a prominent roof scoop and shark fin aerodynamic piece like current LMP1 and LMP2 entrants. With that in mind, there’s certainly a possibility the 2016 Ford GT will actually compete in the LMP2 class. Either way, the 2016 Ford GT is pinned make its race debut in the World Endurance Championship next year as well as the 2016 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
As a reminder, the road-going 2016 Ford GT features Ford’s most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever and just as speculated, it is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 unit delivering more than 600 hp. Final specifications have yet to be released nor have performance times, but one can be assured the 2016 Ford GT will be faster off the line and feature a higher top speed than the previous-generation Ford GT. This engine makes use of dual fuel-injection as well as a low-friction roller-finger-follower valvetrain and is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle transmission.
[Via Car and Driver]
