FORD GT WIND TUNNEL TESTING CONTINUES TO TUNE SUPERCAR’S FUNCTIONAL DESIGN AND ACTIVE AERODYNAMICS
Development
of the all new Ford GT continues unabated, with the carbon fiber
supercar expected to go on sale before the end of this year. An
innovation showcase in efficient EcoBoost engines, lightweighting and
aerodynamics, the Ford GT is a study in functional design and active
airflow management.
Ford
engineering supervisor Nick Terzes takes us behind the scenes at Wind
Tunnel 8 in Allen Park, Michigan, where a Ford GT pre-production
verification prototype undergoes wind tunnel testing. The footage is of
just one of multiple sessions to prove out the extensive computer aided
aerodynamic models with physical wind tunnel data, at airspeeds
approaching 125 mph (200 km/h).
Part
of working on a program with compressed timing, Terzes and the Ford GT
engineering team were in the Allen Park facility in the early a.m. hours
of a Monday, demonstrating the non-stop nature of vehicle development.
“Being the GT program,” Terzes said, “we effectively test 24/7.”
“The
prime reason we come to the tunnel is to get the actual physical data
on the vehicle,” Terzes explained. “We’ll look at interior wind-noise
acoustics, and the aerodynamics of the vehicle.”
Footage
in the clip demonstrates the active rear wing, part of a suite of
active aerodynamic features on the 2017 Ford GT, designed to improve
performance, stability and efficiency.
“One
of the great things about this car, as dynamic and beautiful as the
design is, every single opening has a purpose on the car. So If you see a
large grille, if you see a scoop, it’s wasn’t just put there to look
good,” Terzes said. “It was put there because it has a function.”
“In
the end, all these late hours, all these weekends that we work, are
absolutely worth it to be a part of a program like this, and to create
the ultimate GT.”
