Zac Quinn 
The Ford GT’s epic legacy is ending as Ford Performance and Mutlimatic have moved on to the Ford GT3 and the $300k Mustang GTD super muscle car. The Ford GT Mk IV is the final iteration of the legend, named after the GT40 Mk IV race car from 1967, also known as the “J-Car.” The track-only supercar punches 800 horsepower from a “larger displacement” EcoBoost V6 engine, the most output from any production EcoBoost yet. The wheelbase is extended slightly, giving way to a “long tail” design inspired by the original GT40 Mk IV, and with only 67 of these spectacular cars to be built, it’s extremely rare. Thanks to the power and performance packed into this final Hoorah of the Ford GT, it has made an outstanding new lap record around the Circuit of The Americas.
The Ford GT lapped the 3.426-mile track in a mind-boggling 1:58.77 seconds. Let that sink in for a moment. That’s 13 seconds quicker than the production car record set by the Czinger 21C. Remember that the Ford GT Mk IV, while not being street legal, is a customer-spec car, not a full-on race car, which means none of the frivelous stuff like parking sensors, air bags, while benefiting from the imparative use of racing tires.
Compared to a spec race car, the Ford GT Mk IV’s lap time was some 7 seconds faster than the fastest GT3 class race car to circle COTA, and nearly as fast as the old IMSA DPi top class race cars. Truly amazing stuff, which you can witness in action in the video just below.
If you didn’t know, Circuit of The Americas is located in Austin, Texas, and was designed to be the first track in the United States for Formula 1. The architect, Hermann Tilke, reportedly took inspiration from the world’s best race tracks to create this marvelous raceway. The video showcases what this track entails, with the assistance of an onboard camera that captured the record-breaking lap.
Unfortunately, the Ford GT Mk IV won’t ever make its mark on the legendary Nürburgring, as Ford has already revealed plans to take the Ford Mustang GTD to the track instead. Even if it doesn’t, it will hold the unofficial record for the fastest non-race car lap around the Circuit of The Americas.
