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The Ford GT stunned everybody when it debuted at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of secrets to still share about this upcoming supercar. We had a chance to hang out at Ford’s development centre in Dearborn, Michigan to learn more about the upcoming halo vehicle.

Interface

Every element of the Ford GT is designed to get out of your way so you can move fast. So yes, you’ll notice the driver oriented cockpit, but beyond that, the layout of key controls are all placed to be as ergonomic as possible. For example, there are few stalks on the steering column, so you can reach the paddle shifters easily. Many of the controls are placed right on the steering wheel, making it look like something you’d see in a Formula 1 car. Ford believes that when you’re blasting down the track at 160 mph, or down the autobahn at 100 mph, you don’t want to be looking around for a vehicle function, you want those controls by your hand as soon as possible.

SEE ALSO: Ford GT to Cost as Much as a Lamborghini Aventador

Performance

Mounted behind the driver is a 3.5-liter twin turbocharged V6 engine that puts out over 600 hp. High-tech computers and sensors are also a big part of what makes the engine so potent. There are over 50 different sensors in the Ford GT that gather information about the performance of the car, the driver’s inputs and the world around the car. These sensors feed information at a rate of 100 gigabytes per second to the over 25 computers that are processing all that data. Over 10 million lines of computer code are at work here, more than what you’d find in a 787 Dreamliner airplane.

All that technology means the car is very sensitive and can adapt to various circumstances on the road, but Ford wants to ensure that the driver, not the computer has the final say in the way the car is driven. As a result there are four different drive modes: Normal, Sport, Track and Wet. These drive modes define throttle reaction, traction control intervention, the active suspension setup, the active aerodynamics and the ride height of the car. The active aero even has a braking mode, in order to assist those big carbon ceramic brakes. For those looking to blast off the line, the new GT also features a launch control system.

SEE ALSO: Ford GT Video, First Look

Materials

A major part of the Ford GT is its focus on advanced materials. Back in 2005 when the second generation Ford GT arrived, it signalled a huge target for the American company: aluminum. It was the first all-aluminum vehicle made by Ford and now 10 years later, that material is a huge part of the 2015 Ford F-150, allowing the mass-market pickup truck to lose a ton of weight (okay more like 700 lbs) and improve its fuel efficiency and performance.

Now, the 2017 Ford GT is utilizing carbon fiber and aluminum in order to keep weight down and enhance performance. The car also features high-strength adhesives that can bond carbon composites to aluminium, which allows the Ford GT to have such a unique and aerodynamic body.

Design

And that leads to the final part of the Ford GT: design, which is both super sexy and very functional. Your eye tends to follow the tapered body that leads to the tear-drop back end and “flying buttress” (Ford’s words, not mine.) It’s like that to keep airflow tight to the body and reduce turbulence, which would lead to drag. It took 14 months to design and create a show-worthy GT and in the process the design team looked to the Ford GT’s legacy (remember the GT40 placed 1-2-3 at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans) while keeping the car look modern and high-tech.

Even the interior is designed with efficiency in mind. Due to its low roof height and tight packaging, the car features seats that are fixed to the carbon fiber tub. Fortunately, the seat backs are adjustable, as are the steering wheel and pedals.

With its focus on design and engineering, the upcoming GT will, without a doubt, be the halo car for Ford. Look for it next year.

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