It’s clear to see that Ford is one of the most successful automotive companies in the world, with numerous iconic models being introduced over the years. However, the Ford GT, arguably the most iconic Fords of all time, stands out from the plethora of cars from Blue Oval.
Derived directly from the 1960s race car, the road-going Ford GT was unveiled at the 2002 North American Auto Show, where Ford was excited to showcase their road-legal version of their endurance racer. Seven years after the Ford GT’s release, and nine years of extensive research later. The Lexus LFA was born at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009.
Haruhiko Tanahashi led the research which began in 2000, from testing in Germany to further modifications being made in Japan. The outcome of vigorous research, testing, and modifying was a beautiful and edgy exterior and an extremely powerful engine, but was the nine-year wait worth it? Some say that the engineers at Toyota were so obsessed with making the perfect supercar, that they lost track of time. Well, we are here to pit two very cool supercars that utilized “time” in polar opposite ways.
Ford GT: A Classic Icon Revived
For $150,000 in 2022, you would expect a pretty mediocre performance and a decent-looking motor, as far as a “supercar” is concerned. However, in the early 2000s, Ford GT offered a lot more for that kind of money. Ford offered a supercar with a rich heritage for $150K. The GT packed an almighty 5.4-liter all-aluminum V8 engine with 4 valves per cylinder and a 2300 Lysholm screw-type supercharger, allowing you to reach 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds and max out at 205 mph.
The power output was also rather impressive, unleashing 500 ft-lbs of torque and 550 hp, amazing statistics, especially for a car released in 2005! The rear-wheel-drive system worked in tow with the Ricardo six-speed manual transmission. The stopping power of the Ford GT was also highly impressive and came from cross-drilled and vented Brembo brake discs with 4-piston Monoblock calipers working alongside an ABS, coming to a standstill from ridiculously high speeds was not a problem in the Ford GT.
Ford wanted to offer a more comfortable ride in the Ford GT, and they decided that this could only be achieved by extending the headroom. Engineers wanted to raise the roof height, but designers disagreed, they felt as though the low profile was pivotal to the GT’s design and its resemblance to the 1960s race car. The designers and engineers met in the middle and raised the roof by 0.6-inch, allowing slightly more headroom and a slightly more comfortable ride whilst also maintaining the Ford GT design trademarks.
Lexus LFA: Bold Beauty With Purpose
Now, it’s no secret that the Lexus LFA is one of the most attractive supercars of all time, but all those curves and edges had a purpose. Every crease and curve here was to improve the LFA’s aerodynamics. It also improved airflow management, and using carbon fiber helped Lexus to utilize the weight of the car to its dominance and strength. Resulting in an elegant and highly attractive finish with a supercar finesse was also thanks to the carbon fiber, the designers were given ample room to get creative.
Finally, nine years down the line, and nine years in the making, the Lexus LFA was released. The exotic design was coupled to a 4.8-liter V10 engine that packed titanium valves with fully integrated lower crankcases, and ultra-lightweight rocker arms. Connected to all these innovations was a six-speed ASG transmission that provided insane shift speeds, an upshift took only 0.2 seconds to be precise.
Along with the Lexus LFA’s rapid upshifts, it could also produce 552 hp and 354 ft-lbs of torque, leading to a top speed of 202 mph and a fairly impressive 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds. The Lexus LFA was equipped with advanced carbon ceramic CCM brake discs paired with an electronically controlled braking system which provided you with ultimate stopping power and maximum stability. In other words, under hard braking, the LFA puts on a light show on the track!
Ford GT Vs Lexus LFA: Two Distinctively Influenced Supercars
Revealed and designed seven years prior for a ridiculously lower price than the Lexus LFA, the Ford GT was awe-inspiring, it had everything anyone could ask for in a supercar, extreme power, high speeds, fast acceleration, immense stopping power, and a monstrous yet extraordinarily nostalgic shell. All these elements combined created a supercar that nobody could turn their nose to. The performance statistics of both cars are pretty much identical, but Lexus has the technological advantage of being seven years ahead.
While the Ford GT might be a torque monster, Lexus LFA makes up for that in insane weight savings and precision engineering. But if you look at the bigger picture, these two iconic machines tickle two distinctive sets of audiences. The Ford GT is for those who long for a revival of the classic motoring days, and the Lexus LFA is for those who are all about wanting to be precise while not losing out on the drama! The insane asking prices of both these machines in today’s used car market is an ode to the legacy it carries.
