Ford GT supercar to be built in Ontario

Ford Canada president and chief executive Dianne Craig says the automaker has 30 years of experience working with Markham, ON,-based Multimatic.

Craig made the announcement at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto but did not provide any details about how many of sleek sports cars Ford expects to make in Canada or if any new jobs would be created.

Multimatic produces parts and components for automakers. It also has a motorsports division that provides engineering and race program management.

Ford unveiled the new GT at the Detroit auto show last month.

The GT is one of more than 12 new Ford Performance vehicles coming by 2020. It joins Focus RS, F-150 Raptor, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT350R in the growing Ford Performance lineup.

Beginning production late next year, the GT hits the road in select global markets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford GT race cars placing 1-2-3 at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“As we at Ford drive innovation into every part of our business, it’s worth remembering that our first innovation as a company was not in a laboratory, but on the racetrack,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and chief executive officer, referring to Henry Ford’s win of a 1901 car race that inspired financial backers to invest in his company. “We are passionate about innovation through performance and creating vehicles that make people’s hearts pound.”

The all-new GT supercar features rear-wheel drive, a mid-mounted engine, and an aerodynamic, two-door coupe body shell. It is propelled by the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever – a next-generation twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 producing more than 600 horsepower.

The GT makes extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon fibre and aluminum – enabling outstanding acceleration and handling with improved efficiency.

Ford’s commitment to and capability in delivering technologies typically offered only in elite vehicles is evident in the GT. These include advanced active aerodynamics, such as a deployable rear spoiler, and a host of material and technology innovations to help better serve the driver, such as SYNC 3 – the latest version of Ford’s advanced connectivity system.

“The GT is the ultimate execution of an enthusiast supercar,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “GT includes innovations and technologies that can be applied broadly across Ford’s future product portfolio – another proof point that Ford continues raising the performance bar while ultimately improving vehicles for all of our customers.”

With files from The Canadian Press