Original vs. personal interpretation: focus on the chassis

Spoilt for choice

If you decide to recreate a Ford GT40 MKIV, you are inevitably faced with the question: How true to the original should the vehicle be? It was clear to me that I had to – and wanted to – make compromises in certain areas. The chassis in particular is an area where I deliberately deviated from the original design. My decision in favor of a modern chassis in this classic guise is based on three main considerations:

1. safety first

The long upper trailing arms on the rear axle, as used in the original, make perfect sense from a chassis point of view. They contribute to good geometry and stability. But what happens if the rear of the vehicle hits an obstacle first in an accident? The design carries the risk that these trailing arms could penetrate the passenger compartment and seriously injure the driver. This risk was unacceptable to me. Safety first, and that’s why I decided to use a more modern, safer design that minimizes such dangers.

2. driving stability and controllability

With an output of over 500 hp, a displacement of 7 liters, more than 700 Nm of torque and a vehicle weight of only around 1100 kilograms, the GT40 MKIV is already a beast. Without modern driving aids such as ABS or traction control, a vehicle like this demands everything from the driver. In order to better control the enormous power and dynamics, I wanted a chassis that was as simple and controllable as possible in terms of its basic kinematic design. A complicated or vulnerable geometry would only have led to problems here. With my modern solution, I have found a compromise that combines stability and riding pleasure.

3. a claim to modernity

Of course, a certain amount of ambition also plays a role. I wanted a car that was not only safe and controllable, but could also keep up with the chassis technologies of modern GT3 cars. I was less interested in historical correctness than in meeting my personal demands in terms of handling and performance. It’s impressive how far technology has come in the last 60 years and I wanted to use these advances to get the best out of my project.

My car, my decision

I am aware that not everyone will like my decisions. There are certainly purists who are critical of my approach. But ultimately I’m building this car for myself. It’s my dream, my project and my interpretation of a GT40 MKIV. The mixture of classic design and modern technology is what makes the vehicle so special for me – and that’s what matters.