I Ben Therbefor
Enthusiast
Ford's GT40 production team shaping up; vehicle may be ready by mid '03
By JOHN D. STOLL
Ford's GT40 production team is coming together.
The automaker has confirmed that performance suppliers such as Roush Industries and Saleen Industries as well as mega suppliers such as Lear will build the car. Roush will develop powertrain, Lear will work on interior, Saleen will assist with assembly processes and U.K.-based Mayflower Vehicle Systems will develop the GT40's aluminum body and chassis. Mayflower also works with Land Rover, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and Bentley.
In addition to naming a number of in-house executives from Ford Racing and Special Vehicles Team, Ford announced that Carroll Shelby will serve as senior technical advisor.
The GT40 is slated to be released in very limited quantity next summer and once production is fully ramped up, the car will be produced in the hundreds anually.
While Ford will oversee the actual assembly of the GT40, Saleen will build the vehicle at a factory located within 300 miles of Detroit, which forces Saleen to move at least some of its operations from Southern California where it has a design house, production facility and parts distribution hub. Ford wants all GT40 production operations and suppliers to be located within a 300-mile radius of headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. Lear, Roush and Mayflower all have operations in Detroit.
By JOHN D. STOLL
Ford's GT40 production team is coming together.
The automaker has confirmed that performance suppliers such as Roush Industries and Saleen Industries as well as mega suppliers such as Lear will build the car. Roush will develop powertrain, Lear will work on interior, Saleen will assist with assembly processes and U.K.-based Mayflower Vehicle Systems will develop the GT40's aluminum body and chassis. Mayflower also works with Land Rover, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and Bentley.
In addition to naming a number of in-house executives from Ford Racing and Special Vehicles Team, Ford announced that Carroll Shelby will serve as senior technical advisor.
The GT40 is slated to be released in very limited quantity next summer and once production is fully ramped up, the car will be produced in the hundreds anually.
While Ford will oversee the actual assembly of the GT40, Saleen will build the vehicle at a factory located within 300 miles of Detroit, which forces Saleen to move at least some of its operations from Southern California where it has a design house, production facility and parts distribution hub. Ford wants all GT40 production operations and suppliers to be located within a 300-mile radius of headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. Lear, Roush and Mayflower all have operations in Detroit.