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Will the Ford GT make 630 hp?

Ford intends to build just 250 examples of the next-generation GT annually when production begins next year. That's low even by supercar standards, but anyone with an Xbox One can drive the highly anticipated model right now in the demo for Forza Motorsport 6. The car is even on the cover of the retail version, but the game might be giving a glimpse at one of the upcoming vehicle's biggest secrets. According to the specs page, the GT makes 630 horsepower and 539 pound-feet of torque, according to Motor Authority. Weight is shown at 2,890 pounds with a front/rear distribution of 43/57. Until now, Ford's only comment on the GT's output from its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 is "more than 600 horsepower," and that's certainly the case here. If accurate, the figures make the new model 130-hp more powerful than than the last GT, while also being hundreds of pounds lighter. Compared to modern competitors, the GT would be less powerful than a Ferrari 488 GTB and heavier than a McLaren 675LT. Unfortunately, Ford isn't commenting on the numbers in the game. "As we stated back at NAIAS, the Ford GT will produce more than 600 horsepower, and we can't speak to what Forza includes as specifications in their video game," company spokesperson Matt Leaver said to Autoblog via email. Don't think this is all doom and gloom, just yet. For one thing, more than numbers make a great car. Plus, the GT is still quite some way out from production, and spy shots still show it under development. Even if these figures are accurate at the time of Forza's development, that doesn't mean that they can't change in the meantime. Related Video:

1914 Ford Model T at Historic Greenfield Village | AutoblogVR

We drive all of the newest and most sophisticated cars, but a 102-year-old Ford is one of our recent favorites. Senior Editor Alex Kierstein headed to historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI, to learn to drive a Model T in the latest AutoblogVR segment. Kierstein picks up the Model T fairly quickly, despite its controls. Though they were designed more than a century ago to be simple and easy to use, driving a Model T is complicated and counter-intuitive to the modern motorist. But by the end of his lesson, Kierstein has it all figured out and is enjoying himself. In our other new segment, Detroit Manufacturing, Senior Editor Greg Migliore showcases the city''s industrial might. He tours a modern Fiat Chrysler factory that churns out Dodge Durangos and Jeep Grand Cherokees and then wanders the ruins of the mythical Packard Plant. There's also some tasty and unexpected twists in this VR episode. Each week, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll preview them here on Autoblog, but for the full immersive experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too! Ford Jeep Automotive History Driving Classics Videos VR Original Video Detroit ford model t tour 360video

Lincoln 'not true luxury' yet, says Ford design chief

Lincoln is "not true luxury," according to Ford's design boss, J Mays. His statements come from a story in The Detroit News that saw candid language on the issues facing Ford's troubled premium brand. Notably, there's a need for a strong character, with Mays saying, "Every brand needs to have a DNA and a unique selling point and things in the vehicle that make you think, 'That's that particular brand.'"
With a range of rebadged Fords, it's not hard to see why that DNA is missing. Mays hinted that a full recovery for Lincoln will be a ten-year process, that's been kicked off with the MKZ sedan. While that car is still largely a Ford Fusion under its extremely pretty wrapper, it's the first Lincoln in some time to inject its own unique take both through the exterior styling and through interior features, such as the vertical, pushbutton gear selection.
Some analysts weren't so certain about Mays' 10-year estimate. Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics thinks it'll be more like 30 years before Lincoln can show a true return to form. The issue, as Hall explains it, is that, "luxury has a degree of exclusivity," that Lincoln just doesn't have. Michelle Krebs from Edmunds adds, "it's definitely a wanna-be luxury brand," comparing the troubled American brand with Infiniti and Acura, two other brands that have struggled to find their place in the luxury market.