Jay Leno is half comedian, half car fanatic. And the quirks of being one of America’s best-known television personalities is that the 67-year-old gearhead is one of the first people to take delivery of the all-new Ford GT supercar.
A wildly different animal from the 2005 Ford GT, the second generation has been developed as a racing car first, then a road-going car. “Oh, but it has the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 also available in the F-150 pickup truck!” It surely does, but the automaker went to extreme lengths to make it as performance-oriented as possible from its six cylinders and 60° V angle.
Jay makes a point that the 2017 Ford GT lacks in the sound department as far as exoticness is concerned, but that’s not the defining characteristic of the mid-engined bruiser. As Leno puts it, along with plenty of other notable people in the business of reviewing cars, it’s the unbelievable chassis.
There’s also the matter of how aerodynamics blend perfectly with looks. Speaking of the aesthetics, the 2017 GT doesn’t try to be a 21st-century tribute to the Le Mans-winning GT40, but an all-new chapter in the Ford Motor Company’s strive to push the performance envelope that bit further.
Optioned with titanium wheels and adorned with two orange go-faster stripes, Leno’s newest addition to his multi-million dollar garage also wears protective film on just about every element of the exterior, windshield included. Interestingly enough, the comedian refrained from speccing it up with the titanium exhaust system, implying that the drop in weight is too insignificant and the improvement in sound isn’t all that noticeable.
With all due respect, the driving footage reveals that Leno was right with his choice. Even when pootling along at city speeds, it’s hard not to notice that the cabin is inundated with the hubbub of the 3.5L TT V6. Opting for the titanium exhaust would’ve compromised the NVH levels even further.
Jay makes a point that the 2017 Ford GT lacks in the sound department as far as exoticness is concerned, but that’s not the defining characteristic of the mid-engined bruiser. As Leno puts it, along with plenty of other notable people in the business of reviewing cars, it’s the unbelievable chassis.
There’s also the matter of how aerodynamics blend perfectly with looks. Speaking of the aesthetics, the 2017 GT doesn’t try to be a 21st-century tribute to the Le Mans-winning GT40, but an all-new chapter in the Ford Motor Company’s strive to push the performance envelope that bit further.
Optioned with titanium wheels and adorned with two orange go-faster stripes, Leno’s newest addition to his multi-million dollar garage also wears protective film on just about every element of the exterior, windshield included. Interestingly enough, the comedian refrained from speccing it up with the titanium exhaust system, implying that the drop in weight is too insignificant and the improvement in sound isn’t all that noticeable.
With all due respect, the driving footage reveals that Leno was right with his choice. Even when pootling along at city speeds, it’s hard not to notice that the cabin is inundated with the hubbub of the 3.5L TT V6. Opting for the titanium exhaust would’ve compromised the NVH levels even further.