Ford GT Mk IV: An Unconstrained Legacy, Reborn
The 2023 Ford GT Mk IV is not merely a car; it is the final, explosive statement of a modern supercar legend. Conceived as the ultimate track-only expression of the third-generation Ford GT, its creation was guided by a single, liberating principle: to be utterly unconstrained by the rules of road legality or sanctioned motorsport. This is the Ford GT in its purest, most potent form—a $1.7 million, limited-edition tribute to its Le Mans-winning 1967 namesake, and a machine engineered to be faster than the very race car that conquered Le Mans in 2016.
At the heart of this apex predator is a bespoke powertrain that sheds the relative civility of the road car. The standard 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 has been enlarged to 3.8 liters, with powertrain specialists Roush-Yates adding larger turbochargers and a host of other modifications to produce a targeted output of "well over 800 horsepower"—a figure confirmed to exceed 820 hp. This monumental power is channeled through what Ford calls a "proper racing gearbox": a bespoke, paddle-shifted Xtrac seven-speed sequential transaxle engineered for the brutal, instantaneous shifts demanded on a racetrack. The braking system is equally uncompromising, swapping the road car's carbon-ceramic rotors for a full carbon-carbon system, a technology typically reserved for the highest echelons of motorsport.
This formidable powertrain is housed within a radically altered structure. While it shares its fundamental carbon fiber monocoque with the standard GT, technical partner Multimatic has lengthened the wheelbase for enhanced high-speed stability. The car's technological centerpiece, however, is its suspension. It features Multimatic’s innovative Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) dampers, an active system that continuously and independently adjusts compression and rebound at all four corners. This system provides the immense stiffness required to support the car's staggering aerodynamic loads while remaining compliant enough to inspire confidence over curbs and imperfections.
The Mk IV's visual and aerodynamic signature is its completely new "long tail" carbon fiber bodywork. Every surface is sculpted for airflow management, from the massive front splitter and canards to the fixed, gooseneck-style rear wing and deep rear diffuser. The results are mind-bending: the aero package generates over 2,400 pounds of downforce at 150 mph, allowing the car to generate sustained cornering forces in excess of 3g.
Inside the claustrophobic, purpose-built cockpit, the experience is that of a pure race car. A complex yoke-style steering wheel serves as the command center, controlling everything from driver hydration to the multi-stage traction control and ABS settings. Yet, despite its intimidating appearance and monstrous performance, the Mk IV's most remarkable characteristic is its unexpected accessibility. Test drivers universally report a car that is intuitive, cohesive, and profoundly confidence-inspiring. The steering is light and responsive, the chassis communicates its limits with clarity, and the advanced driver aids provide a formidable safety net.
This combination of a balanced chassis and sophisticated electronic support makes the Mk IV a "talent multiplier". It is this quality that substantiates the extraordinary claim that non-professional owner-drivers have recorded faster lap times in the Mk IV than professional factory drivers managed in the fully-developed GTLM race car that won its class at Le Mans. The race car, bound by regulations, lacks the Mk IV's surplus of power, extreme downforce, and advanced, user-friendly driver aids.
This performance comes at a price defined by extreme exclusivity. Production is strictly limited to 67 units—a nod to the 1967 victory—with a starting MSRP of $1.7 million. Ford implemented a highly selective client application process, ensuring the cars were placed with valued collectors. Ownership includes access to the "Multimatic On Track" program, a bespoke, factory-supported track day experience with professional coaching, cementing the car's status as a top-tier collector's item. This has shifted the GT's identity from the "aspirational" supercar of the 2000s to an "unattainable" hypercar, a symbol of a new era of automotive exclusivity.
Ultimately, the 2023 Ford GT Mk IV is a triumphant final chapter. It is a high-water mark for the internal combustion-powered track car, an unapologetic celebration of power and aerodynamics. By removing every constraint, Ford and Multimatic created a machine that exists in a class of its own, honoring its legendary ancestor not through imitation, but by embodying the same audacious ambition: to achieve the absolute zenith of track performance.