A supercharged 5.4 liter V-8 that delivers 550 hp and neck-snapping performance. A sleek, sexy shape that successfully emulates and updates the looks of one of the most awe-inspiring American race cars of all time, the Ford GT40. The legendary race car from the '60s that brought Ferrari to its knees. The modern Ford GT takes off where its predecessor left off, this time taking the fight to the streets. Magazines and enthusiasts have been heaping praise on it since its introduction as a show car a couple of years ago. Huge dealer markups were an early indicator of how successful this car would be. And it has lived up to that promise. Forget Vipers and Z06 'Vettes, this Ford is leading F430s, Gallardos, and Porsche Turbos down the track. It is definitely at the top of the list when it comes to that all-important gotta-have-it factor. So who in their right mind would look at the GT and think, "What if?" Kip Ewing, that's who.
Enter, the 2005 Ford GTX1 roadster. “To me, the open-air model of a sports car is its highest evolution,” says Kip Ewing of Ford's SVT division. He is the engineering supervisor who fondly remembered the Sebring-winning Ford GTX1 roadster from 1966, while working on the launch of the Ford GT. When he asked about developing an open-top version of the GT, Ford needed a little help seeing the appeal. So Ewing chopped the top off a 1:18 scale model. That did the trick. Just like the modern GT is an interpretation of the LeMans-winning GT40, so this GTX1 would use the 1966 model merely as a starting point. “I always ask myself, ‘What would I do if this were my car?’” says Ewing. “Luckily, Ford was willing to let me find out.” In June, Hau Thai-Tang, the SVT and Advanced Creation Director gave the project the go-ahead. He saw the potential fit with SEMA: "The Ford GTX1 project was a great example of manufacturers working together with the aftermarket to stretch the boundaries and investigate potential design and product innovation."
