2016 Ford GT - first spy pictures of production car

First unveiled at the Detroit motor show in January this year, and subsequently shown in Geneva in March, the road car will look to compete against the likes of the Lamborghini Aventador.

Ford officials have already confirmed the show car is very close to the production version which will go on sale. This early prototype ditches the bright blue paintwork of the show car, but keeps the concept's shape.

Dave Pericak, the Ford performance boss, said of the GT: "We didn't unveil a concept car. This car is 95% how the production car will look."

The GT road car will be built in Canada by Multimatic Motorsports, which has worked with Ford on its race programmes for more than 30 years. It will start production late next year and will hit showrooms before the end of 2016. It will be sold in global markets, including Europe. 

Ford's group vice president and chief technical officer, Raj Nair said: "It will be made in a limited series, even more exclusive than the 2005 GT." Ford design boss Moray Callum also confirmed that availability would mean hundreds of units, rather than thousands.

Power comes from a mid-mounted 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost engine that develops more than 600bhp and is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The car's body - predominantly carbonfibre, with aluminium structures at either end to house the engine and suspension - is expected to result in a light kerb weight. Indeed, Ford says the GT will have one of the best power-to-weight ratios "of any production car".

Though performance details have yet to be revealed, Ford says the new model will offer "outstanding acceleration and handling with improved efficiency".

"This is the ultimate Ford, a new halo," said Nair. "The ultimate embodiment of all our innovation - everything from the wheels, aerodynamics, engine. All this new technology is important for future Fords. The GT is the flagship for this innovation, and that's why we're building it.

"There are loads of new innovations here, and the hi-tech Ecoboost engine is a perfect fit for the car," he added. "The 3.5 V6 has more power than the 6.2 V8, and better economy. That blend of performance with efficiency is so important."

The new GT's styling keeps hints of the look of its predecessors by sitting low and wide and riding on 20-inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup rubber. The suspension is a torsion bar and pushrod arrangement, and incorporates adjustable ride height settings. Carbon-ceramic brake discs feature in all four corners.

It also features a rear wing that is height and pitch adjustable depending on driver input, and a large rear diffuser.

"Aero plays key role in efficiency - there's fully active aero. The teardrop shape is very efficient and the body surfaces reduce drag," said Nair. "It's important to improve aerodynamics to aid efficiency, and also cooling, because these smaller, power-dense engines need plenty of cooling."

Inside, the two-seat GT offers what Ford calls a "purposeful" interior, which is accessed via upward-swinging doors. The driver and passenger seats are bolted directly into the floor.

The rear-wheel-drive GT is one of 12 new models that will be launched under the Ford Performance banner by 2020. Other vehicles that will form part of the Performance sub-brand include theFocus RS, F-150 Raptor, Shelby GT350 and recently unveiled GT350R.

The new GT will come to market to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford's GT race cars placing first, second and third at the 1966 Le Mans 24Hrs.

Speaking at the unveiling of the model, Ford boss Mark Fields said the company had been "thinking and kicking around ideas about how we can use innovation to make the ultimate ford performance vehicle".

Executive chairman Bill Ford said: "I have chassis number one of the 2003 GT, and I didn't think we'd top it; I think we just have, though."

Callum says that fewer than 50 people saw the GT before its Detroit unveiling - something which, combined with the lack of focus groups, he says has been a massive help.

The Ford GT will be one of the headline cars within the new Ford Performance sub-brand. Nair believed that Ford Performance vehicles would have a positive effect on the Blue Oval's conventional model range.

"It's good for business to make cars like this," he said. "Performance vehicles attract new customers, keep existing customers and allow us to bring in younger, wealthier buyers into the brand.

"There's an obvious, large new investment in Ford Performance. The real fun is to watch how these new cars will influence future Ford products. Performance is our passion, but importantly innovation with cars like this drives the rest of the range.

"Ford Performance is a halo under which we will deliver performance cars. It will increase our engineering capabilities. Cars like this are a proving ground for passionate engineers.

"[Cars like this] generate great business - sales have been up 70% in the US since 2009, and even more so in Europe. They are bought by younger and better educated buyers."

He added that existing hot ST-branded models helped lay the groundwork for Ford Performance: "ST has helped us create this foundation: 65% of ST buyers are new to the brand. 50 per cent of performance Ford buyers buy a Ford as their next car. 50 per cent of ST buyers are under 35, and 30% earn $100k or more a year."

Nair said a hybrid system would not have suited the new Ford GT's attributes: "We've a lot of work going on around electrification, but the GT is all about efficiency. It's not hybrid because it would add too much weight. We chose to reduce weight, a real focus as this benefits all attributes."

As for the timing of the confirmation of the new GT model, Nair said: "[2014] was a good year for sales [2014] but even through the tough times we've always invested in performance models. Doing it now is not because we're doing well as a company, but instead it's about where we are with the technology.

"Cars like this are embodied in our DNA. I can't imagine our company not producing cars like this. It's good for us and it's in our blood."

Rumours abound that Ford will go racing with the new GT next year in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with the original Ford GT.

On that subject, Nair said: "Clearly the car makes a great platform for racing. Right now we're focusing on production but that's an interesting question."

Q&A with Moray Callum, Ford design boss

How do you set about redesigning a classic?

"It was important to us to design a car that was all about how you'd design a car with the ethos of the GT40 today, as opposed to redesigning the GT40. Yes, we wanted to pay homage to what had gone before - and there are details all over the car that do that - but there majority of the car was created to achieve today's goals.

"Above all, it couldn't be a cartoon of what went before. Frankly, the availability of materials like carbon fibre make things possible today that weren't even close to being available all those years ago."

How quickly has the project come together?

"We started just 14 months ago, and it has come together incredibly quickly. We did a quick scale model, then a full size one in foam and then a clay model really fast. There was a team of seven or eight designers working on the car in a room that we opened and kept out-of-bounds.

"It was a skunkworks project, and we were having meetings in the evenings and at weekends to ensure word didn't get out. That had the benefit of meaning decisions were made quickly and by a tight group."

How early was the powertrain set?

"Very early on, and that helped. We could fix the plan view, work out the cooling requirements, the frontal area and proportions and so on. Having an EcoBoost engine also validates the car - it makes it relevant. But the packaging is still tight, we've had to work very closely with engineering to meet their requirements, hit the aero targets and achieve our design goals."

How close is this car on display to reality?

"Probably 95 per cent. The project is ongoing and developing, but it'll be things like the door mirrors and headlamps that might be refined, nothing more. The intriguing aspect is that a lot of this car is a genuine test bed for us: we're learning so much about construction techniques, material usage, aerodynamic influences and so on."

2016 Chevy Volt Walkaround Reveals Hidden Improvements

The 2016 Chevy Volt is in every way a new-and-improved version of the car that came before it, as General Motors listened to customer reviews and complaints and implemented them into the redesign. This video from AutoBytel gives us a detailed walkaround of the 2016 Chevy Volt with Volt Project Manager Darin Geese, who shows us some of the cool, but less-publicized new features.

Some of the features, like the LED headlights, have been highly publicized, but one nifty feature GM added to the Volt via customer feedback was a lighted charging port. Not only does this help people plug-in their Volt in the dark, but it also provides feedback on the charging status. Another interesting feature is that engineers designed the wraparound taillights as an aerodynamic enhancer feature, helping smooth out airflow while going along with the Volt’s newly-athletic look.

Something else GM improved, but might not be immediately noticeable, is raising and moving back the front air dam. While this improved driving efficiency in the original Volt, customers complained about scraping it on their driveways, so GM changed the position while still making sure the Volt benefits from the reduced drag. GM also added about a half-inch of legroom to the rear seats, and added heated seats and additional air ducts to the back as well, while still allowing for the much-requestioned middle back seat. It’s obvious that GM is going for broader audience with the new Volt from its first advertisement as well.

There’s a whole lot more to the 2016 Chevy Volt than can fit in one post, but suffice to say GM has listened to its customers in an effort to make the new Volt an even more competitive product. I’d say job well done.

Chevy Bolt Could Beat The Tesla Model III To Production

The Chevy Bolt was a great surprise from GM at the Detroit Auto Show, pledging a 200-mile range and a $30,000 price tag…after tax credits, that is. According to Reuters, the Bolt is much more than just a concept though, and production could begin as soon as the second half of 2016, putting it on dealership lots ahead of its main rival, the Tesla Model III.

While GM has been quick to squash these rumors, I was standing right next to a high-level GM executive at the Detroit Auto Show when he told a well-known EV advocate that the automaker “has a habit of bringing concepts to production.” Reuters reports that the Chevy Bolt will be built at an underused small-car factory somewhere north of Detroit, most likely the Orion Assembly plant, which produces the Chevy Sonic and Buick Verano and is producing well below capacity.

However, it could also be built at the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly, where the Chevy Volt and Cadillac ELR are built alongside the Chevy Impala and Malibu. The Opel Ampera was also built here, and it’s located close to the LG Chem plant where the Bolt’s batteries will probably be produced, though the Bolt is reportedly sharing the same Gamma platform as the next-gen Sonic (a car I love more with each passing day). An Opel version of the Bolt will reportedly replace the Ampera to give GM a plug-in offering in Europe, where EV sales have nearly doubled.

GM would be foolish not to build the Bolt, and despite their protestations, it looks like we might get the affordable EV that Elon Musk promised even sooner than we hoped. The question then becomes, will people still wait for the Tesla Model III? Or will they jump ship to the better-known and more-affordable offering from GM?

Breaking: 2017 Chevrolet Bolt 200-Mile Electric Car To Start Production In Oct 2016

Chevrolet Bolt EV concept, 2015 Detroit Auto Show

The Chevrolet Bolt, a subcompact electric car with 200 miles of range, is to go into production earlier than expected, just 20 months from now.

According to a breaking news story early this morning, the Bolt will start production in October 2016--possibly as a 2017 model.

According to a Reuters exclusive this morning, the Bolt--or whatever it is finally named--will go into production at the Orion Township assembly plant in Michigan, where the Chevy Sonic subcompact is also built.

Both cars will use underpinnings from GM's so-called Gamma architecture, but the Bolt will have a flat battery pack under the floor, while the Sonic will use a conventional gasoline engine.

Chevrolet Bolt EV concept, 2015 Detroit Auto Show

According to the report, the production target for the longer-range electric car is 25,000 to 30,000 cars per year.

The price, as announced by GM CEO Mary Barra at last month's Detroit Auto Show, will be $37,500--although she touted the price as a nice round $30,000, which nets out the Federal income-tax credit of $7,500 for purchase of a plug-in electric vehicle..

With production beginning late next year, the Bolt electric car would go on sale early in 2017--either as a 2017 or 2018 model.

A companion model to be sold by GM's German brand, Opel, will also be assembled at Orion Township and exported to Europe for sale there.

Chevrolet Bolt EV concept, 2015 Detroit Auto Show

The Orion Township plant now assembles both the current-generation Chevy Sonic, in hatchback and sedan models, and the Buick Verano compact sedan.

The Sonic was launched as a 2012 model, and will be replaced by a new model during 2017.

Green Car Reports reached out to General Motors, whose spokesperson Annalisa Bluhm provided the following statement:

Bolt EV Concept is just that – a concept. We’re currently evaluating the vehicle program, but do not have any production announcements to make at this time.

Many commentators have suggested the Bolt will compete with the promised Tesla Model 3, also a 200-mile electric car with an expected price of $35,000, that is targeted for production sometime between late 2017 and 2019.

But it is more likely to compete with the next generation Nissan Leaf, expected to be unveiled late this year or early next, which will go on sale as a 2017 model.

Source: Green Car Reports

Major ways GM says the 2016 Volt is improved

On January 12 in Detroit, Chevrolet revealed a hand-built pre-production example of the 2016 Chevy Volt. It was developed based upon extensive feedback from owners of the first-generation Volt who’ve praised the car, but suggested ways it could be improved.

Detroit is where the first 2007 Volt concept was revealed, Detroit is where the original pre-production car was shown, Detroit is where General Motors’ corporate headquarters is – and this was the conspicuous new car’s day to shine.

As a symbol of Chevrolet’s best engineering, alternative-energy tech, design, and connectivity in one rebooted product, the publicity show has now begun as Chevrolet’s marketers begin getting the word out approaching first deliveries the second half of this year.

Much is already known about the fully revised car although road tests and closer scrutiny have yet to happen. In anticipation of more info to come, we sat down with Pam Fletcher and Andrew Farah, GM’s two top engineers overseeing the project, and following are ways they say the 2016 Volt has been improved.

Electric Range

The Volt is all about its powertrain, and most importantly, its gasoline-eschewing electric range expected to be EPA-rated at 50 miles compared to the outgoing car’s 38 miles.

A similar T-shaped lithium-ion battery rated at 18.4 kilowatt hours with fewer but more-efficient LG Chem pouch cells replaces the 2015 Volt’s 17.1 kwh while trimming overall weight by 20 pounds.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Volt Gets Larger 17.1-kWh Battery

Chevrolet officially cites a “30-percent” range increase but this may be 25-42 percent depending on model year of gen-one Volt discussed. The 2011-2012 Volt had a 16.0-kwh pack and 35 miles range. The 2013-2014 had 16.5 kwh and 38 miles rane, and the 2015 has 17.1 kwh — and GM never recertified it so on paper it has 38 miles range despite 0.6-kwh more battery capacity which should be good for 40 or so miles.

Cell storage capacity is 20 percent higher by volume; number of cells decreased from 288 to 192. Discharge rate is 120 kilowatts compared to former 110-kw. This aids performance.

In any case, the 2016 Volt now uses a higher percentage of its total battery capacity as Cadillac did with the ELR, and leaves a slimmer “buffer” of unused energy.

You may note capacity increased only 7.5 percent from 17.1 to 18.4 kwh while 50-miles is an effective increase of 25 percent over the 2015 Volt that might have gone 40 miles.

More of the 2016 Volt’s newfound range and energy usage also comes from up to a 12-percent improvement in the drive unit’s efficiency – the “drive unit” is essentially the transmission paired with two integral motors.

The two-motor drive unit is 5 to 12 percent more efficient, weighs 100 pounds (45 kg) less. The Traction Power Inverter Module (TPIM), which manages power flow between battery and drive motors is built into the drive unit. This cuts mass, size, complexity, eliminates orange high voltage wires under the good, and improves efficiency. Both motors in the new drive unit operate together in more driving scenarios, in both EV and extended-range mode and performance is boosted with more than 20-percent better acceleration.

GM’s OnStar telematics data reveals present Volt drivers travel an average 900 miles between fill-ups and the new car should average 1,000 or more.

The 2016 Volt’s sealed steel gasoline tank has 8.9 gallon capacity and will require fewer gas stops assuming drivers plug-in to get their recommended daily allowance of 50 electric miles – a number that will diminish in cold weather, and will be exceeded under ideal conditions.

This would work out to around 112 mpg – plus electricity costs which are a fraction of gasoline costs even at present low average fuel prices.

The “Voltec” permanent magnet electric motors require less rare earth materials with one using no rare earth-type magnets.

In actuality, 1,000 miles between fill-ups is conservative, and GM’s Executive Chief Engineer for Electric Vehicles Pam Fletcher conjectured many drivers may see 1,500 miles between fill-ups for the extended-range EV.

Total electric plus-gas range is 420 miles compared to the former car’s 380.

In short, the new Volt is an EV with 50 miles range plus 370 miles gas range. The Nissan Leaf by contrast offers 84 miles combined EV range, but has no gasoline backup – or liquid heating and cooling for its battery which has not proven as durable as the Volt’s “pharmaceutical grade” pack and its mere two problems per million cells produced.

One carryover is the engine in cold weather will still come on, a condition known as ERDTT – Engine Running Due To Temperature. Fletcher said Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards mandate the defroster work fast enough, and the engine may be called into duty in cold weather to the chagrin of gas-averse Volt drivers.

No other plug-in gas-electric car – excluding BMW i3 REx) offers this much all-electric range. If one’s driving is within EV range, the gas practically need never be used. This also means the engine gets spared, oil changes and maintenance come at long intervals.

Fuel may be called into use in cold weather to augment the electric HVAC system, and because gasoline itself does have a shelf life.

The sealed system preserves the gas for up to one year, at which point the ECU will burn it off before it gets stale. Volt driverswho’ve made a game of beating the need for gas have gone for hundreds of miles and well over a thousand miles without using gas.

The 2016 Volt’s 25-30-percent extra e-range makes this all the more possible.

Gas Mileage

Fuel usage will be less because due to the 2016′s expected EPA-rated consumption boosted to 41 mpg combined compared to the former 37 mpg.

That’s four mpg better from an all-aluminum Ecotec engine seeing first North American usage in the Volt compared to the former 1.4-liter. Costs will be further reduced because it uses regular instead of formerly required premium costing on average 40 cents more per gallon.

The 1.5-liter Ecotec features direct fuel injection, high 12.5:1 compression ratio, cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable displacement oil pump, and uses regular unleaded gasoline. It will be initially built in Toluca, Mexico and after a $215 million renovation is complete, production will switch to the Flint, Mich. engine plant.

The Volt’s engine by the way does not run when the car is operating on electric power in EV mode. It is in the car as a generator that produces backup energy to power the electric drive unit as well as maintaing the battery state of charge. The engine comes on when the ECU says the battery reaches its “empty” level.

Volt enthusiasts know this as charge-sustaining mode as the generator does not recharge the battery to full. Also not always explained is when in CS mode, battery power may still be drawn upon for higher load demands, such as flooring it to pass someone. In most cases in the drive cycle, even with engine running, the engine is not mechanically connected to the drive wheels and the car is being propelled electrically. At certain points between 55-70 mph or so, the engine can drive the wheels in CS mode. This was done for improved efficiency under these conditions.

Power

The Volt’s new drive unit produces the exact same 149 horsepower (111 kw) as the the outgoing drive unit’s, but with increased torque of 294 pounds feet (398 Nm) compared to the 2011-2015 model’s 273 pounds-feet (370 Nm).

Its new 0-60 mph time is quicker by a half second at 8.4 seconds estimated, and the 0-30 time has been cut by 30 percent to 2.6 seconds. Top speed is now 98 mph, down a couple mph from gen one.

New Platform

The 2016 Volt is the first full redesign for any plug-in vehicle and has received the first North American application of GM’s flexible new Delta II platform.

“The new platform allowed the team to look at every facet of the vehicle from the ground, up,” said Kevin Kelly, manager, Electric Vehicle and Hybrid Communications. “The benefits include improved handling, NVH [noise, vibration, harshness] performance and expanded use of high strength steel throughout the structure for reduced weight, to name a few.”

The new Volt now weighs 243 pounds less while being 3.3 inches longer and 0.8-inches wider.

Fifth Passenger Space

The rear seating area now has seatbelts for five but the middle spot is going to be most comfortable for a smaller person or child. It allows an easier time of attaching a child safety seat too, but otherwise was called a “convenience measure” by chief Volt engineer Andrew Farah.

Rear legroom also increased by 0.6 inches while rear headroom actually shrunk by 0.2 inches. The Volt is still a compact car.

At customer request, Farah said the rear seating is “improved.” Touches include changing the rear door pad shape to let feet swing in easier, there’s more foot room when seated, and ingress and egress are overall better.

“Trying is believing and all you have to do is get in a new one to notice the difference,” said Farah.

Design/Styling

Beauty is subjective but many people have said they like the new look.

Chevrolet says it folded in subtle cues from sportier cars in the GM family, and the sleek car is fresh inside as well.

The new Volt offers Chevrolet’s full suite of technologies including 4G LTE WiFi that’s capable of wirelessly connecting multiple devices. The vehicle also has OnStar telematics, 10 airbags, numerous other safety features, and latest infotainment interface.

As was true on the generation one car, data is extensive including capability to set charging for off-peak hours, set the charging amperage (rate of charge), and monitor how efficiently the car is using energy among other things.

 

“As a direct result of customer feedback we did things like added an optional illuminated charge port, revised the travel cord set storage location and added unique charging features like location-based charging,” said Kelly.

Being a new design, the 2016 Volt benefits from just beginning its life cycle and should keep the look for several years. How this will specifically affect resale value remains to be seen, but it should help.

Price

One pressing unanswered question is how much the 2016 Volt will cost and this will be announced closer to launch.

The Volt is being positioned as a “premium” car but observers are speculating it won’t cost much more if at all more than the present subsidy eligible Volt’s $34,995. Some also guess it could come in at less. GM did pare an untold amount of production costs from the new Volt while saying it has improved it in nearly every respect.

Symbolic Product

The first generation Volt received outsized publicity during the four years since its December 2010 launch, and even since GM began its development last decade. It’s been presented as an American-born solution, has been targeted by some who’ve spoken critically alongside seriously enthusiastic fans.

It’s as much a symbol as it is a product.

 

As was the case before, it’s believed Chevrolet will provide Cadillac-like levels of customer care for Volt drivers including toll-free “Volt Advisors.”

GM has high hopes that having paid its dues, selling 75,000 to date, and folding in lessons and feedback it will be well received by existing fans and early adopters, as well as by “fast followers” ready to consider this evolved car.

The show car is as the production version will be but “under the skin” GM is tweaking and finalizing things. Fletcher was hesitant to say what percent production-ready it is now, saying engineers are still at work polishing it off for customers with high expectations.

“They want it to be perfect,” she said of customers.

And this goal, she said, they aim to meet.

Source: GM-Volt.com