2019 Ford GT Carbon Series: Losing Weight So You Don’t Have To
The Ford GT Carbon Series has carbon fiber wheels and as much titanium as can be crammed into the car, shaving 40 pounds of mostly unsprung weight.
Year, Make, Model: 2019 Ford GT Carbon Series
Topline: On Tuesday, Ford announced the newest special edition of its halo supercar, the GT Carbon Series, featuring more carbon fiber than any variant prior.
What's New: Ford calls the GT Carbon Series the lightest of the road-legal GTs, eliminating almost 40 pounds from its original form. Many have called the GT something of a porker with a dry weight of 3,054 pounds, making any weight elimination crucial, but this isn't just any weight the Carbon Series sheds: It's mostly unsprung weight. Lightweight rotating mass pays dividends when it comes to performance, as it improves acceleration, braking, cornering, and efficiency by far greater margins than can be achieved with lightweight bodywork.
Carbon fiber wheels and titanium lug nuts make up much of the weight reduction, though a vented polycarbonate hatch contributes, as does a titanium exhaust. The Carbon Series also loses cupholders and the driver's side storage bin, but it keeps the radio and air conditioning so drivers can enjoy the GT Carbon Series' interior, adorned in more bare carbon fiber than any other model.
Quotable: "This is just another example of how we listen to our customers at Ford," said Ford Performance Marketing Manager, Lance Mosley, in the company's release. "While the Ford GT Competition model appeals to hardcore racing enthusiasts, we found more customers asking for more exposed carbon fiber with the air conditioning and radio still intact. So we developed the Carbon Series to satisfy that need while providing a distinct look."
What You Need to Know: Ford will reopen its order bank for the GT on Nov. 8, as it announced earlier in October that it will extend production to 1,350 vehicles. Previous applicants will need to chime in again if they want a GT of their own, provided they aren't intending to flip the car, as even John Cena tapped out when sued by Ford for offloading his GT.