The current Ford GT...is it a "real" Ford?

[TNcoupe]

Some parts for it are made in Multimatics West TN plant if I remember correctly. Saw a job posting from them looking for experienced carbon fiber lay up workers and painters.

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[Desertnate]

Well, I didn't know Multi-matic was a Ford plant, learn something new everyday

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I wouldn't call it a Ford plant. Ford might have some production space on site. Multimatic is a large company with customers all over the racing world. The are large partners in the Mazda factory DPi team in IMSA and many other teams running GT and prototype cars.

They also design and manufacture parts like dampers which they sell on their own. The spool valve shocks in the Chevy Colorado ZR2 truck are from Multimatic.

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[Klasse Act]

I wouldn't call it a Ford plant. Ford might have some production space on site. Multimatic is a large company with customers all over the racing world. The are large partners in the Mazda factory DPi team in IMSA and many other teams running GT and prototype cars.

They also design and manufacture parts like dampers which they sell on their own. The spool valve shocks in the Chevy Colorado ZR2 truck are from Multimatic.

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So is there various Ford, Mazda, etc workers milling about and working in their designated areas I'm asking because I really wanna be better educated on this because I'm either very wrong or I'm spot on

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[FUNX650]

So is there various Ford, Mazda, etc workers milling
about and working in their designated areas

I'm asking because I really wanna be better
educated on this because I'm either very wrong
or I'm spot on

I’ll just Focus (pun intended) on the
Ford (GT) workers, if, in fact, any are
stationed at Multimatic.

*************************************
First of all:
With a goal of one completed vehicle per day,
I seriously doubt there are any workers milling
around within the GT’s designated work areas/pods.

Next:
Below are some photos that, upon reviewing
them, will show why I want to advance the
theory that the GT is a joint venture between
FoMoCo and Multimagic—wherein there are
employees from both Companies working
alongside one another for one goal.

[You may, or may not, wish to agree with
said joint venture theory...but they are
nothing new in the automobile industry.]

***********************************************


Bob

 

[vobro]

I'd look at as a joint venture, I'm sure experts were needed with the substructure both forming and metallurgy. I'm sure Ford as done this before with aluminum experts making the aluminum panels feasible and profitable with the F-150. No different than any building site in Chicago, the general contractors name is on the building but there could be various carpenter subcontractors doing framing,doors/hardware,cabinets,trim etc.

 

[LEDetailing]

I always wondered how Ford manufactured the newest GT’s. Thanks for sharing all the information

Makes sense that a supercar that beautiful isn’t made on a regular production line.

The Ford GT makes the C8’s Bowling Green assembly and base price that much more impressive.

In a few years the “Zora or Z06” style variants of the C8 Corvette may match or beat the GT’s performance, but in my opinion the GT has that Ferrari/Lamborghini supercar look. Also has the price to match.

 

[LEDetailing]

So I throw this question out to the AG public, its been quite a point of contention between 2 of my friends, both real car guys without a doubt. I spoke about this with both of them today, my one buddy thought I was talking down to him because I repeated myself in a way that him feel this way, this I can't help, for him we've had this conversation before but if I'm honest but I was taken back by this. My main point was/is this, "the new Corvette is more Chevrolet than the new Ford GT is Ford". My main sticking point is this, the Ford GT is built with Ford parts but assembled in Canada by a non-Ford company/plant called Multi-matic, a company that makes racecars and doesn't assemble any other cars for another OEM.

Thoughts???

No right or wrong on this one. I’d say my opinion is more leaning towards your logic.

 

[Klasse Act]

Well, it's amazing the previous Ford GT was made at a regular Ford plant, the now torn down and leveled Ford Wixom plant in Wixom MI, I wonder what changed as I'm sure it could've been built in another plant....or no

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[TNcoupe]

I always wondered how Ford manufactured the newest GT’s. Thanks for sharing all the information

Makes sense that a supercar that beautiful isn’t made on a regular production line.

The Ford GT makes the C8’s Bowling Green assembly and base price that much more impressive.

In a few years the “Zora or Z06” style variants of the C8 Corvette may match or beat the GT’s performance, but in my opinion the GT has that Ferrari/Lamborghini supercar look. Also has the price to match.

The C7 ZR1 was faster around VIR than the Ford GT.

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[Klasse Act]

Just to reel things in a bit, I know parts have been sourced from other companies, my first new car, a 2000 Ford Contour SVT, had its transmission coming from Germany and ZF seems to make everyone's transmissions. That said, I'm referring to where its finished/entirely assembled and more importantly who's doing the work. In the pics provided by Bob it appears the workers are wearing Ford shirts.

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[derek0609]

Well, it's amazing the previous Ford GT was made at a regular Ford plant, the now torn down and leveled Ford Wixom plant in Wixom MI, I wonder what changed as I'm sure it could've been built in another plant....or no

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The Wixom site is now partially occupied by retail space. I live 10 minutes away.

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[Desertnate]

I'd look at as a joint venture, I'm sure experts were needed with the substructure both forming and metallurgy. I'm sure Ford as done this before with aluminum experts making the aluminum panels feasible and profitable with the F-150. No different than any building site in Chicago, the general contractors name is on the building but there could be various carpenter subcontractors doing framing,doors/hardware,cabinets,trim etc.

A joint venture is probably the best way to think about it and the level of effort by all parties depends on the project. In the case of the Ford GT, we can see what appears to be Ford employees building the cars. However in racing it gets WAY more complicated. In the case of the Mazda DPi car, Mazda funds the project, Joest Racing (of Audi Le Mans fame) runs the whole program to include employing all the race team personnel, and Multimatic actually builds/sets up the car based on pieces supplied by or purchased by Mazda or Joest. Multimatic will also have their own staff in the pits on race day sitting right with the Joest race engineers. Non-factory teams will vary based on the level of support they've hired Mulimatic to perform.

Just to get an idea how far Multimatic's fingers reach into racing, look up the company's technical director Larry Holt. The guy is very easy to recognize. Then, watch races for series like IMSA, WEC and others and you'll probably see him in the background of multiple pit garages as he looks in on customers on race day. In the early days of the Ford GT race program, you'd see him spend a lot of time in the WEC Ford team's garage and he'd be on a headset right next to the team principal.

Well, it's amazing the previous Ford GT was made at a regular Ford plant, the now torn down and leveled Ford Wixom plant in Wixom MI, I wonder what changed as I'm sure it could've been built in another plant....or no

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The 50th Anniversary of Ford beating Ferrari at Le Mans in 2016.

One of the biggest driving forces in the new Ford GT was running a GT race car to not only commemorate that victory, but to win it again (which they did). This lead to the whole effort really starting with the race car as the primary focus and the street vehicle as something they had to do in order to comply with the rules of GT-class racing. Most other efforts try to turn a street car into a race car. Ford was committed to winning at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring, so they did it backwards. That is why there is very little difference between the race cars and the street versions mechanically. If you want to ensure you win on race day, Multimatic is one of the best engineering companies out there to make sure that happens.

I think the low production numbers also had something to do with not tooling up one of their other plants. The car was only originally to be produced for two years and raced for one or two. They ended up extending production and racing by a year.

If you really want to see a cool documentary about the development of the current Ford GT watch, "The Return" on Amazon Prime Video. Fascinating stuff.