If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably been waiting for the low down on the 2017 Ford GT from Jay Leno ever since the car was first shown at the 2015 Detroit auto show.
Well, the wait is finally over as the modern Ford supercar stars in the latest episode of Jay Leno’s web series.
There was never any doubt the comedian and television host would be among the lucky individuals awarded a build slot given his celebrity status, connections with Ford, and his unparalleled love of cars. Still, he confirms that he, like the thousands of others that hoped to secure a build slot, had to go through the laborious steps involved in Ford’s application process.
Before talking about the car itself, Leno details the official Ford GT Order Kit customers receive before the construction process starts. It includes things like color samples and options. Leno points out that there are very options for the car and that one of the pricier items, a $10,000 titanium exhaust that saves around 10 pounds of weight, wasn’t added to his car.
2017 Ford GT
2017 Ford GT
2017 Ford GT
Leno’s GT, finished in black with contrasting orange stripes, is the 12th GT off the line, matching the build slot of the previous-generation GT he owns. Another collector, Jack Roush, also got matching numbers. Both generations of the GT owned by Roush were the 15th cars off the line. And in case you were wondering, Ford Chairman Bill Ford Jr. got the first car off the line while the second went to ex-Ford CEO Mark Fields.
Since acquiring his own GT, Leno has added a “BK2LMNS” license plate, short for “Back to Le Mans,” signifying the GT’s class win in the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans. He's also applied some protective film.
Like all GTs, power in Leno’s car comes from a mid-mounted 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 good for 647 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque, which Leno says is "plenty." Drive is to the rear wheels only, via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and limited-slip differential. The combination is good for 0-60 mph in 3.0 seconds or less and a top speed of 216 mph.
Note, it's not too late to get your hands on a GT. Ford plans to build the car at the rate of 250 per year, over a 4-year period. So far the automaker has only awarded 500 build slots. A second round of applications will be announced at a later date so stay tuned.
