Mouth Watering Match-Ups: the Ford GT and the Corvette C7.R
February 13, 2015
“My proudest moments are beating Ferrari for the World Championship in 1965, and working with Ford to win Le Mans in 1966 and 1967.”
– Carroll Shelby
On June 19, 1966, after turning over their racing program to Carroll Shelby, Ford did the unthinkable by finishing 1-2-3 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, crushing the once dominant Ferrari team. It’s been nearly 50 years since Shelby and his stable of Ford GT40’s took control of that iconic race, but enthusiasts still consider the GT40 one of the best sports cars of all time.
The 2017 Ford GT
“Oh my God!”
Those were the words coming from the wide-open jaws of car enthusiasts around the world when Ford went back to the future on all of us. For over a year, rumors have circulated that Ford was returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with what would be a homologated GT racer. But the 2015 Detroit Auto Show was the real announcement… and the new Ford GT is spectacular.
Utilizing the familiar 3.5l EcoBoost found in vehicles like the ubiquitous F-150, and notably, the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona winner, the new GT appears poised to challenge the likes of Chevrolet, Ferrari, and Porsche in the World Endurance Championship. Look for this new Ford to hit the track in the next year or so.
The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R
Yes, Ford made a colossal splash with the GT. However, Chevy recently unleashed a new racer of their own, the Corvette C7.R. It took no time at all for this new Corvette to prove itself with an impressive victory at the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona, winning the GT Le Mans class that could soon witness classic battles between the powerful Vette and Ford’s new GT.
The “little brother” of C7.R racer, the 2015 Corvette Zo6, was unveiled at last year’s Detroit Auto Show. Rooted in tradition, the Zo6 has the customary, front-mounted pushrod V-8, including an Eaton TVS supercharger, and making a whopping 638 horsepower—38 more ponies than the Ford GT.
Ford or Chevy? No matter what your allegiance is, I think we’re all hoping for, no… we’re EXPECTING some epic Ford vs Corvette supercar contests in the very near future! And we can’t wait.