- There aren't many quicker cars out there - even a Ferrari F12 and Pagani Zonda
- Ford says the GT is quicker around the track than its closest rivals
- Want one? Good luck - they sold out instantly and Ford has had to extend the production cycle to keep customers happy
- Just 1,000 to be made between 2017 and 2020, with production underway
Two years after the Ford GT concept first debuted at the Detroit Motor Show, the American carmaker has finally confirmed the vital statistics for it's next generation Ferrari killer.
The sold-out supercar - which has been reserved only for the rich, famous and social influencers and could cost about $500,00, or £400,000 - will be capable of a staggering 216mph flat out.
The GT harks back to the original Ferrari-beating Fords, the GT40s that famously claimed victory in the Le Mans 24 hour race in 1966, to end the Italian legend's dominance.
A 216mph road car: Ford has confirmed the top speed of the Ford GT, and it's a Ferrari and McLaren-beater
Ford confirmed the figures for its new performance car in a long overdue announcement on Wednesday, claiming it'll be quicker than Ferrari's 458 Speciale and McLaren's 675LT.
So what are the other bragging rights numbers 1,000 lucky owners will be able to bore their friends with when they receive their GT?
The 'Ecoboost' twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 motor will develop a potent 638bhp - that's more than a W12 Bentley Continental, V12 Rolls-Royce Wraith , or Lamborghini Murcielago.
And with that 216mph top speed it's even quicker than a Ferrari F12 and a Pagani Zonda F. However, it is a shade under the LaFerrari hypercar's claimed 217mph top speed.
At 1,385kg without any fluids or passengers inside, it's also outrageously lightweight - so it should be able to cling on in the bends just as well as it accelerates towards them,
Its dainty mass doesn't mean it will be all that efficient, though, despite the fairly tedious EcoBoost name.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency in the US - the same government group that uncovered VW's diesel emissions scandal in September 2015 - the super Ford will only be able to return 14 miles per gallon. And that's using a more realistic fuel economy measurement than that currently in place for European testing.
Peak torque (or pulling power) is 550 pound-feet at 6,250rpm. In plain English, that means it will be able chew up tyres like teeth through a Haribo ring.
The GT will use a 3.5-litre 'Ecoboost' V6 engine. However, a combined 14mpg figure (estimated by the EPA in the US) is not what we'd call 'eco'
At 216mph, the top speed isn't high enough for the Ford to break into the top 10 fastest road cars in the world. It's still mighty quick, though
The Ferrari F12 (left) and Pagani Zonda F (right) won't be able to match the top speed of the Ford. The Ferrari is capable of 211mph while the Pagani can do 214mph at full chat
Production has already commenced on the 2017 GT in Canada, though prices have not been confirmed
What they will want to know is how much quicker it is than the Ferrari they could have bought instead.
From what Ford is claiming, they won't be disappointed.
The US firm says it has put the 2017 GT around the Calabogie Motorsports Park in Canada during testing, and it managed to lap the 3.14-mile circuit in 2:09.8 seconds.
That's a full second quicker than a McLaren 675LT (2:10.8) and three seconds swifter than Ferrari's no-longer-produced 458 Speciale (2:12.9). The table below shows how the GT stacks up against the McLaren and the current Ferrari 488 GTB.
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