Ford Caught Benchmarking C8 Corvette Stingray Around Dearborn

[FL SAAC]

FYI  - shazam  !

Is Ford Benchmarking the C8 Corvette Z06 or Is Something Else Going On Here? - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle
https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2022/09/19/is-ford-benchmarking-the-c8-corvette-z06-or-is-something-else-going-on-here/

Ford Benchmarking 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06: Photos
https://fordauthority.com/2022/09/ford-benchmarking-2023-chevy-corvette-z06-photos/

[rhjanes]

Been going on for decades.  Looking at what the competition is doing.  Looking for features. 

[98SVT - was 06GT]

No news there.
Here is the Ferrari street car they bought and benchmarked to develop the 6 cylinder Ford GT.
You know the race car they won the LeMans street car class with.

That Corvette will suffer the fate of all other benchmark cars. It will be completely disassembled and junked when they are done with it. When we did the Truth About Trucks Videos they sent us 2 new F150s, new Dodge, Chevy, Toyota and Nissan trucks. When we were done they all went to the Junkyard. Any parts that ended up in the video were retained incase they got sued for pointing out something the other brands felt wasn't accurate.

[Side-Oilers]

Brett: Correct, but you're one generation off.  That's a Ferrari 360...so it was used as a benchmark for the 2005 V8 Ford GT.

[FL SAAC]

I over heard the Lone Ranger tell his faithful companion  Tonto,  look over there Ford just bought a new C8. 

They are trying to figure out how a car costing so much less ( $65  vs $500k) than their flag ship GT can be at the same level  ?

Kimosabe that is unbelievable, let's get a C8 with a V8 !

C8 Corvette Specs
Engine: 6.2-liter V8
MSRP: $65,595
Horsepower: 490 horsepower
Torque: 465 lb/ft
0-60: 2.9 seconds
¼ mile: 11.2 seconds at 122 mph
Weight: 3,647 lbs
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Ford GT Specs
Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
MSRP: $500,000
Horsepower: 660 horsepower
Torque: 550 lb/ft
0-60: 3.0 seconds
¼ mile: 10.8 seconds at 134 mph
Weight: 3,354 lbs
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic

Specs Winner: C8 Corvette
Interior Winner: Corvette
Performance Winner: Corvette


Engine Winner: Ford GT
Investment Winner: Ford GT

Ford GT vs C8 Corvette: And The Winner Is...
https://blog.dupontregistry.com/chevrolet/corvette/ford-gt-vs-c8-corvette/

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Brett: Correct, but you're one generation off.  That's a Ferrari 360...so it was used as a benchmark for the 2005 V8 Ford GT.

Yep - I should have remembered CS had died by the time the 2nd gen Ford GT came out.

I'd consider it the 3rd gen but name wise it's a 2nd generation.

A British company, Safir Engineering, who built continuation GT40 cars in the 1980s, owned the "GT40" trademark at that time. When production of the continuation cars ended, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small Ohio based company called Safir GT40 Spares. This company licensed the use of the "GT40" trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car. When Ford decided to put the GT40 concept to production stage, negotiations between the two firms failed as Ford did not pay the US$40 million the owners of the name demanded. Thus, the production cars are simply called the GT.

[FL SAAC]

Brett: Correct, but you're one generation off.  That's a Ferrari 360...so it was used as a benchmark for the 2005 V8 Ford GT.

Yep - I should have remembered CS had died by the time the 2nd gen Ford GT came out.

I'd consider it the 3rd gen but name wise it's a 2nd generation.

A British company, Safir Engineering, who built continuation GT40 cars in the 1980s, owned the "GT40" trademark at that time. When production of the continuation cars ended, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small Ohio based company called Safir GT40 Spares. This company licensed the use of the "GT40" trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car. When Ford decided to put the GT40 concept to production stage, negotiations between the two firms failed as Ford did not pay the US$40 million the owners of the name demanded. Thus, the production cars are simply called the GT.

Boils down to the mighty " Benjamin's " thats why no NEW GT500 for you!

[FL SAAC]

" Regardless of whether you are a very jaded "bleed Ford blue" person or one that likes all performance cars you got to give GM Kudos for bringing out a mid engine sports car starting at originally  60K, currently 66K

 Hell Ford couldn't even do that with the Ford GT 15 YEARS ago for double the price. "


Comparison

C8 Corvette Specs.              Ford GT Specs
Engine: 6.2-liter V8.         Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
MSRP: $65,595.                     MSRP: $500,000
490 horsepower.                    660 horsepower
Torque: 465 lb/ft.                   Torque: 550 lb/ft
0-60: 2.9 seconds.                  0-60: 3.0 seconds
¼ mile:11.2 seconds@122   10.8 seconds at 134 mph
Weight: 3,647 lbs.                   Weight: 3,354 lbs
Transmission: 8-speed.         7-speed dual-clutch

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Brett: Correct, but you're one generation off.  That's a Ferrari 360...so it was used as a benchmark for the 2005 V8 Ford GT.

Yep - I should have remembered CS had died by the time the 2nd gen Ford GT came out.

I'd consider it the 3rd gen but name wise it's a 2nd generation.

A British company, Safir Engineering, who built continuation GT40 cars in the 1980s, owned the "GT40" trademark at that time. When production of the continuation cars ended, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small Ohio based company called Safir GT40 Spares. This company licensed the use of the "GT40" trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car. When Ford decided to put the GT40 concept to production stage, negotiations between the two firms failed as Ford did not pay the US$40 million the owners of the name demanded. Thus, the production cars are simply called the GT.

Boils down to the mighty " Benjamin's " thats why no NEW GT500 for you!

No Ford owns GT500. But taking the Shelby name off might cause a stir. When SVT finished their next performance car back in 2006 they realized that the SVT and Cobra names hadn't increased sales to levels they wanted. Marketing struck upon the idea of sticking Shelby's name on it and talked to him. He wanted $1,000 per car to use his name and likeness. They balked and in the end gave him a 5 year personal services contract for 12 million (and they worked him like a dog to get their moneys worth). Along with the contract he got a sweetheart deal to buy and modify Mustangs again. The Shelby GT was born - Ford declined to let him use GT350 since they thought that would dilute the GT500 sales. The Shelby GT sold ok even with complaints that CS was just sticking $2,500 worth of Motorsports parts and stripes on the car and then tacking on 12-14 grand for the changes.

It is why Ford killed the Bullitt - they got tired of dealing with the family demanding more money and additional free cars.
I'm sure the Ford great grandkids will trot out another Bullitt when the full EV Mustang hits a charging station at a Ford Gold Star Model-E stealership near you.

BTW: Due to unforeseen problems Ford will not be selling cars online. The unforeseen was the massive lawsuit Ford dealers had planned if Ford went ahead with the idea. They are going to stick it to the dealers though. You'll have to spent 1/2 a million to just buy the rights to sell EVs. If you want the whole Gold Star dealership that will be 1.2 million - plus what you'll have to spend on rebuilding your dealership along their architectural guidelines. A couple small (under 50 cars a month) old dealerships turned in their franchises just last week over Ford demanding they modernize and rebuild their 1950s stores. They couldn't even find someone to take it over for free.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

" Regardless of whether you are a very jaded "bleed Ford blue" person or one that likes all performance cars you got to give GM Kudos for bringing out a mid engine sports car starting at originally  60K, currently 66K

Hell Ford couldn't even do that with the Ford GT 15 YEARS ago for double the price. "

Volume is what brings the price down. A Ford GT for Z06 prices could be done but you'd need 30,000+ orders for a more mundane model with a detuned V6 using regular panels not carbon fiber and aluminum wheels etc. But the Vette would still out sell it just because of creature comfort - have you tried getting into one of the "new" GTs - far worse than the 05 ones. Also I doubt you'd find 35,000 "Ford Blue" guys to plunk down the 70 grand for a base model. Ford sold 52,000 Mustangs last year and that is where the buyers would come from. Vette sold 34,000 and 21,000 Camaros so both Chevy and Ford sold about the same number of "performance" cars. But as you can see 20,000 units won't keep the doors open and Chevy is dropping the Camaro. Some will buy Mustangs but most Bowtie loving Camaro buyers will step into a Vette if a 2 seater will work for them.

[Coralsnake]

Nothing new is correct, I have documentation from 1969 where GM is driving a 1969 Shelby! 

[honker]

Nothing new is correct as said above, Here's a photo at Ford in 1963.

Didn't General Motors Engineering buy  GT40 P/1050 for studies ? Jim Kinsler who worked for GM then ended up buying it.

Mike

[shelbydoug]

" Regardless of whether you are a very jaded "bleed Ford blue" person or one that likes all performance cars you got to give GM Kudos for bringing out a mid engine sports car starting at originally  60K, currently 66K

Hell Ford couldn't even do that with the Ford GT 15 YEARS ago for double the price. "

The "Big 3" love to "haunt" each other and attempt to embarrass the others Corporate thinking.

The listings from Ford of what the company "lost" on each unit of Boss 429, Pantera, and even Cobra has been touched upon within recent "decades".

I think that Ford's pricing on the "GT's" is somewhat of an arbitrary number merely set to make a statement in response to perceived "Euro competition" of exotics?

In response to a response I'd guess that IF you could get a GM exec to comment on the profitability of the new Corvettes, I'd suspect that they might leak a loss per unit on them? That indicating that GM was also making a statement v. Ford's new perception of being an "exotic/exclusive car manufacturer".

At the sales numbers that GM and Ford need to be profitable, do these cars even enter into the equation?

Major profits are in trucks aren't they?

[FL SAAC]

It takes Ford ten times the amount to be at the C8 level

$65K vs $$500K

" Regardless of whether you are a very jaded "bleed Ford blue" person or one that likes all performance cars you got to give GM Kudos for bringing out a mid engine sports car starting at originally  60K, currently 66K

Hell Ford couldn't even do that with the Ford GT 15 YEARS ago for double the price. "


Comparison

C8 Corvette Specs.              Ford GT Specs
Engine: 6.2-liter V8.         Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
MSRP: $65,595.                     MSRP: $500,000
490 horsepower.                    660 horsepower
Torque: 465 lb/ft.                   Torque: 550 lb/ft
0-60: 2.9 seconds.                  0-60: 3.0 seconds
¼ mile:11.2 seconds@122   10.8 seconds at 134 mph
Weight: 3,647 lbs.                   Weight: 3,354 lbs
Transmission: 8-speed.         7-speed dual-clutch

[shelbydoug]

It takes Ford ten times the amount to be at the C8 level

$65K vs $$500K

" Regardless of whether you are a very jaded "bleed Ford blue" person or one that likes all performance cars you got to give GM Kudos for bringing out a mid engine sports car starting at originally  60K, currently 66K

Hell Ford couldn't even do that with the Ford GT 15 YEARS ago for double the price. "


Comparison

C8 Corvette Specs.              Ford GT Specs
Engine: 6.2-liter V8.         Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6
MSRP: $65,595.                     MSRP: $500,000
490 horsepower.                    660 horsepower
Torque: 465 lb/ft.                   Torque: 550 lb/ft
0-60: 2.9 seconds.                  0-60: 3.0 seconds
¼ mile:11.2 seconds@122   10.8 seconds at 134 mph
Weight: 3,647 lbs.                   Weight: 3,354 lbs
Transmission: 8-speed.         7-speed dual-clutch

There was no US competition for the Ford GT when they set the price. I do remember some coverage of the discussion of how the MSRP was derived. To me that suggested that it was just an arbitrary price that could have been set anywhere?

The selection of components to go into the car is also a result of having no competition.

The Corvette continues in production. The Ford will not.