posted 03-19-2004 01:56 PM         

Viper looks better (subjective), is way wayyyy cheaper.

posted 03-19-2004 02:00 PM         

First Ford (car) in decades to excite me, don't even like Mustangs (too many versions from econo to hot rod).

I've been quoted a price of $350K for one or two at different dealers.

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Originally posted by xpguy:
Thanks for the great input. I had hoped to get in below $175 but it does not look promising. I heard this year's production will be under 300. Does anyone know if this is true?

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I'm guess you will never find one at that price. Production is already slated to end in 2007.

In the spring of 2004, Ford dealers will begin receiving their allotment of 2005 Ford GTs. The allotment won't be large; in fact, many dealers will never see a GT except in photographs. Less than half will receive one unit for the entire 2005 production run, and a tiny fraction will receive two or more. Total first-year production is slated for between 1,000 and 1,500 units, which explains why most of the 3,500 Ford dealers in the U.S. will never get one in their showroom. Rumor has it that hundreds within Ford Motor Company are among the first in line to buy a GT. Right behind them are the dealership owners, many of whom have been patiently waiting for a car like the GT to fulfill their exotic-car desires — desires that could never be satisfied by a foreign nameplate like Ferrari or Porsche without bringing along unwanted political baggage.

With so few cars and so limited a production and dealers getting only 1 a year (if that) don't expect any to fritter that one away.

The first one sold fetched a rediculous price.

FORD GT PRODUCTION CAR NETS $557,500 AT CHRISTIE’S AUCTION

MONTEREY, Calif., August 21, 2003 – The first 2005 Ford GT sold to the public garnered a crowd-pleasing $557,500 (including auction fee) on the Christie’s Auction ramp this past weekend to cap Ford Motor Company's premier role at the Monterey Peninsula’s annual automotive showcase.

An undisclosed bidder out-dueled a host of intenders to signal Ford’s 500 horsepower “Centennial Supercar” will be a tremendous value when it goes on sale with an MSRP of less than $150,000 next spring.

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Originally posted by tangled up in BLUE:
...I have had a deposit on one since the first hour the dealers were allowed to take them...suggested retail $150 at this point, some dealers asking $300.... dealer has told me repeatedly I will get one of their 4, just not sure when....

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That's probably because everything I've read says virtually NO dealer will get more then 1.

1/2 the Ford dealers will get NONE.

A few will get 2.

You have 3500 Ford dealers all vying for 1000 cars. Out of that 1000, several hundreds are slated for execs at Ford. Next you'll have dealers that want one for themselves (can you blame them?).

They may have taken your deposit along with others and will try to start a bidding frenzy with all when/if they get one. I've seen this done alot by dealers. They tell you it's yours but......(they also get to draw interest on all the deposits for months)

posted 03-21-2004 08:31 PM         

I was at the Phx IRL race today, and one of the vendors there had a perfect replica of the GT40. Not a kit, but a fully manufactured unit ready to drive. Sell "new" for $125,000 and up. One there had air/cond., FX radio, and some other options and listed for $137,500. Twelve to sixteen week delivery time. Cars are titled as 1966 models, so no emission testing is required. It really looked like the real thing Ford is building. Comes with two choices of motors,,,larger one is a 408 with 525hp.

Here is the link:
http://www.gt40northamerica.com/

posted 03-23-2004 09:25 PM         

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anyone at DC awake out there ???

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posted 03-23-2004 09:57 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by tangled up in BLUE:
.....talked to B. Pemberton recently about just getting a Comp Coupe and putting it on the street....he talked me out of it for now...

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quote:

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Originally posted by CJ:

..........can you say ME Four Twelve?

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Can I say affordable? LOL! Isn't it touted as something like a half mill?

posted 03-24-2004 11:18 AM         

quote:

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Can I say affordable? LOL! Isn't it touted as something like a half mill?

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posted 03-24-2004 09:11 PM         

The ME 4-12 is not a concept car but a prototype. According to Deutsche Press, around 300 Chrysler ME 4-12 will be built each year, largely with carbon, aluminum, and other light-weight metals. Road testing is scheduled for late January, with production rumored to start within two years. The car itself is being built in the United States by Metalcrafters, and we have been told that the lead engineer is from Chrysler and the lead suppliers from North America - and that this was the outcome of battles with Stuttgart, which wanted to use European suppliers and engineers. Most off the shelf parts appear to be from Chryslr aside from the engine. The transmission seems to be based on Chrysler, Mercedes, and other designs.

The ME stands for "mid-engined." The quad-turbo, V-12 powered Chrysler ME Four Twelve supercar may not only establish real-world performance records but may also set a record for lightning-quick vehicle development. It took less than one year to complete from start to finish (though we don't know what they started with).

The engine is from AMG, with 850 bhp @ 5750 rpm, with 850 lb-ft. (1150 N-m) of torque between 2500 and 4500 rpm on premium unleaded fuel. It was reportedly designed for Chrysler, but will probably be used by Mercedes in other applications (we'd expect it to appear in the Vision and perhaps the McLaren SLR). Use of the AMG engine was dictated largely by the need for high power with light weight (around 500 lb) and at reasonable development cost.

With a curb weight of just 2880 lbs. (1310 kg), the ME Four-Twelve has the weight-to-power ratio of 3.4 lbs/bhp – a new performance record. In Chrysler projections and modeling, the ME Four-Twelve goes from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, 0-100 mph in 6.2 seconds, and it will blister through the quarter mile in 10.6 seconds at 142.0 mph. The estimated top speed of the ME Four-Twelve is 248 mph (400 km/h). The vehicle is designed and packaged to achieve outstanding thermal performance under extreme operating conditions. Its large capacity, high-efficiency engine-cooling system allows this engine to retain optimum thermal performance – a key advantage in the super car arena.

The 7-speed Ricardo Double Clutch Transmission was developed specifically for this vehicle and features the latest double wet-clutch technology and electronic control strategy. The exclusive transmission delivers uninterrupted torque to the rear wheels with 200 millisecond shift times. The double wet-clutch technology appears to come from Chrysler.

The ME Four-Twelve's carbon fiber bodywork was designed to mate to a carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque tub. Aluminum crush structures and chrome-moly sub-frames complete the ME Four-Twelve's rigid support structure, which complies with US federal impact regulations.

The suspension is comprised of double wishbones, aluminum control arms, horizontally-opposed coil-over dampers with electronically controlled compression and rebound tuning, stainless-steel push rods and a blade configured anti-roll bar. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering has an overall ratio of 16:1 with 2.4 turns lock-to-lock and a turning circle of 36.0 feet.

The ME Four-Twelve braking system features massive 15.0-inch (381 mm) ventilated carbon ceramic composite disc brake rotors with six-piston aluminum mono block calipers for superior braking performance during all driving conditions. The composite discs are sixty-five percent lower in weight than comparable cast iron rotors. Wheels are cast aluminum: 19x10-inch front and 20x12.5-inch rear. Michelin high-performance radials are 265/35ZR19 in the front and 335/30ZR20 in the rear.

At just 44.9 inches tall, 78.7 inches wide and 178.8-inches long, the two-seat, mid-engine ME Four-Twelve was wind tunnel tested in Auburn Hills. The computer controlled active rear spoiler articulates rearward 100 mm to increase down-force to a total of 925 lbs. (421 kg) at 186 mph (300 km/h), while achieving a competitive coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0.358. All body openings have been optimized to achieve maximum thermal performance. Large vented front and rear wheel houses reduce lift as well as active and passive aerodynamic devices that have been implemented to provide stable vehicle performance at all speeds.

The interior is relatively spacious with 37.2 in (942 mm) of headroom, and 42.7 in (1085 mm) of legroom. A large glass roof panel extends from the windshield to the rear header. Passenger-side adjustable foot support helps keep the co-pilot in position during extreme cornering maneuvers

This vehicle breaks the mold of the super car genre because its packaging can easily accommodate drivers in a wide range of heights. Ease of access to driving controls was a primary focus. For example, there are steering wheel mounted controls, including a column mounted F-1 racing style paddle shifter with aluminum shift paddles and centrally mounted driver controls.