|
Years Represented: 1966?
Class: Group 4 Sports Car
Type: coupe
Country: England & America
Hosts: GT2, GT3
Price: $500,000 (GT2) // $2,749,999 per trade (GT3)
Construction: fibreglass body on steel tube frame
Length: 169" / Width: 70" / Height: 40"
Wheelbase: 95.5"
Track: 54" front & rear
Curb weight: 2,200 pounds
Ground Clearance: 4.5"
Front Tires: 5.0 x 15"
Rear
Tires: 7.0 x 15"
Brakes: disc / disc
Front suspension: double wishbones / coils / anti-roll bar
Rear suspension:
multi-link / coils / anti-roll bar
Engine: 289 cubic-inch OHV V8
Aspiration: normal
Construction: iron block/ aluminum
heads
Fuel System: single 4-barrel carb.
GT2 Tested HP: 310 @ 5,700 rpms
GT2 Tested torque:
328 @ 4,000 rpms
GT3 Tested HP: 322 @ 5,900 rpms
GT3
Tested torque: 338 @ 4,000 rpms
Pound / HP ratio: 7.1 (GT2) // 6.83 (GT3)
Pounds
per liter: 65.45 (GT2) // 68.1 (GT3)
Credits / HP: $1,612.90 (GT2) // $8,540.36 (GT3)
Valves / cylinder: 2
Bore x stroke: 4" x 2.87"
Redline: 6,000 rpm / RPM Limit: 7,000
Layout: Mid Engine
/ Rear Drive
Transmission: 5-speed manual
```````````````````GT2`````````````````````````````GT3
0-60 mph: ``3.8 seconds
3.816 seconds
0-100 mph: 8.5 seconds 9.000 seconds
400 M: 12.139 @ 120 mph 12.157
@ 116.3 mph
1 KM: 21.929 @ 157 mph
22.198 @ 149.2 mph
Test Track: 1:28.859 (GT2)
Top Gear RPM at 60 mph:
2,050
Top Speed at Redline (GT3)
1st: 47.0 mph
2nd: 70.0 mph
3rd: 99.8 mph
4th: 133.9 mph
5th: 193.36
mph @ 6,500 rpm (GT2)
```````178.7 mph @ 6,200
rpms (GT3)
|
| GT40 road car in GT3. |
-----------------EXTERIOR / HISTORY------------------
What was it like to be in Dan Gurney's shoes and drive one of the top
relics from the '60s? Let's find out.
Firstly, the Ford GT40 was developed to win races, period. Its entire purpose
(let's be clear about this) was to race in events which had been European-dominated for years, and to win them.
In
the early '60s, Henry Ford II broke a manufacturer's ban on racing, wanted to buy Ferrari, yet in the end was forced to stop
negotiations. Fiat eventually got the deal because they were willing to own Ferrari, but also let them stay truely
independent in racing and production ....something Ford wasn't as willing to do.
An apparently hot-headed man,
Henry kept pushing for a deal; approaching Lola, Lotus, and Cooper (all of whom were more experienced with racing),
but no deal was forthcoming. Ford had already worked with Lola and Lotus in Formula 1 and Indy-car racing, but hadn't
worked together with either company on a GT. Lotus and Ford almost struck a deal, 'til Ford learned Lotus-boss Colin
Chapman wanted to develop a car, but wanted it to be known as a Lotus. And of course, Ford wanted the GT to be known
as a Ford.
Finally (and just as the Mustang prototype was being invented with a 1.7 liter V4 mid-engine,
to compete with the rear-engine Chevy Corvair, perhaps), things were starting to get on track. Ford was about to make
racing history.
When cruising various GT games (GT2 or 3), we can buy or win the results of Henry II's obsession. It's
the Ford GT40 "road car", although GT2 simply calls it the '66 GT40. For
a half-million dollars, it can be yours in GT2, though it was originally built by Ford's Advanced Team over in England and
sold for a mere $18,500! This road-going version can only be won in GT3, but it can be traded
between memory cards after this for (guffaw) $2,749,999.
Since it's called the "GT40 Road Car", and
has no production year like the '66 in GT2, it's hard to say which model this one in GT3 is supposed to be. I believe
it's an Mk 1. If you look closely, the car in both GT2 and GT3 has smaller cooling vents. It also has short,
roundish bodywork (eliminating is as an Mk.II), and features twin (rather than quad) headlights. Quad lights
were found on Mk III and IV models.
The GT40 road car doesn't appear at all in the 4th game. Instead,
we have newer Ford GTs to play with. And, in GT2, 3, and 4, we also have the Gulf racing car, which can be won as a prize
in all 3 games. This review shall focus mostly on the road-going versions, with occasional info on the Gulf racer. I
will eventually do a seperate review for the various new-millenium Ford GTs found in GT4, too.
Anyways, there
were many versions of the GT40, so here's a brief history on how this car got developed. Actually, it probably won't be all
that brief...
First and foremost, "GT40" was never this model's official name. Originally, Ford wanted
these cars to be called Ford "GT"s (as they are today). For whatever reason, the nickname "GT40" (which is a reference to
the car's height of 40 inches) stuck, and this is the name we all know it as today. Besides the models listed below,
there were some early experimental models based on a Lola prototype.
Mark
I:
From 1964 to the end of '65, Ford was in the midst of something special.
Never before had they dumped so much money, resources, and man-power into the development of a single car-type. John Wyer,
England's team manager for the famous Shelby Cobra, was now working on this new project. Strange as it may seem now,
early prototypes (pre-Mk 1) weren't initially successful. The front-end in particular had a nose that created lots
of lift; not something you want when you're travelling at 200 mph, unless you've got a death wish. Also, the gearbox unit
was unreliable. Broken gears are a bad thing to have at any time; race or no race.
The original engine, a 4.2
liter aluminum unit with pushrods, which was borrowed from the Lotus/Ford Indy car, was deemed too weak, but Ford went
ahead and used them initially.
Early versions of the Mark I raced at Le Mans (THE quintessential endurance then as
now), but had to retire early in both 1964 and 1965. There is some reference that these early attempts by Ford were not
taken very seriously by other teams more experienced with endurance racing, especially in that first year (1964).
However, a
289 cid-equipped GT40 did win at both Daytona and Sebring in '65. Other than this, 1964 and '65 were mostly
learning & development years (rather than winning ones). After this, things improved.
New rules for 1966
meant that at least 50 production cars had to be made ready for sale to the public for anyone to continue
racing in the GT class, and this requirement was met by Ford by the end of 1965. For this reason, its hard to say
whether the "road" car in our games is either an Mk. 1 or an Mk. II, since some '66 cars were actually built
in '65 (Mk 1 territory). But again, I'm just going by what I see in the game, and comparing these cars to real-life
pictures. Either way, the road car that is featured in GT2 is the one that we can buy for $481,500 MORE
than it sold for back in the '60s. Again, we can't buy the GT40 road car in GT3, but we can win or 'trade' one.
Mostly, the Mark 1 was produced in England--the result of 4 different companies working in tandem. There was little
difference between the racing and road-going versions of the car, except that externally, the road cars featured shiny Borrani
wire wheels. Other than this, both versions of the GT40 shared the same steering, ride, suspension, braking, and general driving
qualities. The road car interior was further softened with trim and sound-deadening equipment, a heater, radio, and real
glass windows. A total of 85 Mark 1s were produced during this time.
The road car wasn't as powerful, of course, but
the difference was marginal: Ford initially used a 260 cid Fairlane V8 engine, installed by Shelby, which produced 335 hp.
The competition engine, by comparison, was equipped with a lighter flywheel and no muffler, and produced 380 hp. Not much
difference, eh?
On the tracks, of course, Ford sometimes made their cars more powerful, but the original,
basic racing engine had 380 to start with. Within short time, Ford started using 427 cid big blocks in
GT40s for racing, in a desperate attempt at more speed and early wins.
Mark II (1966-67):
In 1966, Ford and Shelby upped the ante to compete
against rivals such as Ferrari's new 330 P3. At Le Mans during the previous year, Ford hastily equipped a few Mk
1 GT40s with 427 cid Ford Galaxie V8 engines, which could reach 210 mph down the Mulsanne
straight.
Unfortunately, Ford lacked the appropriate time to develop this auto, and gearing/transmission failure
caused them to drop out, even though the GT40 qualified 10 seconds faster than any Ferrari. To solve this, a stronger KarKraft
transaxle replaced whatever they had been using in the previous season.
The Mark II's engine was a detuned
NASCAR-proven 427 cid V8 with aluminum heads, which was 50 lbs. lighter than before. It was also equipped with a 4-barrel
Holley carb instead of three Webbers as found in the Mark 1. It had a better gearbox, longer nose with improved cooling capacity,
and Girling disc brakes, which lasted about 13 hours and could easily be changed in 5 minutes during a race.
The differences
between a Mk 1 and an Mk II car are subtle; mostly it's the longer nose on the II, which isn't as curvy as it was
for Mk 1s. There are also additional cooling vents for brakes and engine on the Mk II. A note of interest: the brakes
turned out to be the worst part of this car in real-life, which is simulated within the game quite well as
we'll see later.
Anyways, in this important year (1966), the GT40 dominated rival Ferraris, Chaparral 2Ds, and the
new Porsche Carrera. Three Mark IIs won at Daytona, four led and won at Sebring (one of them being the super-modified
J car, which featured a chassis weighing just 85 pounds), and of course, Ford won at Le Mans 1-2-3. Only at Monza and Nüburgring's
1000 KM events did Ferrari win with their new 330s. Porsche won at Targa Florio with their 906 model, but Ford had earned
the most points; meaning that in 1966, Ford took the constructor's championship for prototype and series production
cars.
An interesting story happened at Le Mans in 1966. Ford needed to win here, otherwise, their special team GT
program would lose its money as Ford targeted it somewhere more profitable. But none of this would matter, since three GT40
Mk IIs kept a good steady pace well ahead of other makes, and GT40 drivers therefore didn't need to push their
cars to their absolute limits. Instead, if they could endure the full 24 hours, they knew victory was theirs.
Two out of three of those leading GT40s were running a close race with one another. Ford, who really wanted
a win badly at this point, was in a tough spot. Should the two competeing cars run a race against one another, pushing
each other to their limits, but possibly suffering some sort of failure in the process? Or should the race be "fixed",
each car driving a softer run, knowing their cars could make it all the way? If the race was fixed, who should win, and who
should come in 2nd?
Ford decided there would be a tie, so that no driver would leave on a bad note. They wanted to arrange
it so that each car would pass the finish line next to each other. Problem is, the organizers of Le Mans decided that the
geographical difference between each car at the start of the race (which was about 60 feet) would be taken into account, therefore
whichever car had covered more ground during the event would be declared winner.
What happened just at the race's
end took everyone by surprise. Ken Miles (who was touted as Ford's best, most dedicated driver) didn't like the "photo finish"
idea, and slowed his car significantly just before the finish, so that the car driven by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon
won the race.
In a final twist, that grumpy driver who ruined Ford's planned photo-finish at the '66 LeMans (Ken Miles)
died just two weeks afterward in one of Ford's lightweight J-cars. The J-car was based on Appendix J rules, which allowed
prototypes of an extremely unregulated nature; but at the time of Miles' death, the J hadn't been sufficiently tested...matter
of fact, it can be said the Miles unfortunately was the ultimate tester of this car during its development. The
rear aerodynamics created too much lift during Miles' run at Sears Point, causing the car to crash and burn in seconds.
Mark III (1967?):
Man,
I hope somebody reads this stuff some day...it sure is a lot of work! Anyways, the Mark III was strictly a road-going car.
I initially thought Gran Turismo features Mk IIIs, however, the car in our games have dual, rather than quad headlamps.
GT2 does have what PD calls an Mk III, which is hidden within the game's coding, and can only be seen
with a gameshark or some other such device as a body-only code. When looking at it, is surely does have elements found on
an Mk III. Problem is, it's got racing bodywork, and Mk IIIs were never raced.
In real-life, many changes
were made to the Mk III including safety regulation features, a new lighting scheme, and extra room towards the back of the
car (for trunk space!). Notice that the road car in our game does not have an extended trunk area. In the real-life
Mk. III, the interior was further refined with upholstery and better seats, though they couldn't be adjusted; instead, one
had to slide the pedal assembly to get more or less legroom when driving a GT40. The original Lotus Europa shared this same
feature (adjustable pedals rather than seats). Overall, the Mk. III was a softer, friendlier GT40.
The Mark III
featured a 289 cubic-inch V8, which was the same engine found in the new hot-selling Mustang, of course.
New track rules in 1968 meant that engines no larger than 3.0 liter engines could be raced in prototypes, while
5.0 liter engines were the max for production-based GTs. This meant Ford could no longer bolt in their massive NASCAR powerplants.
So therefore, the GT40 Mk. III has a smaller engine.
Amazing but true: production of the Mark III died as costs rose
and Ford's Advanced Team went kaput. A total of just seven or eight of them were built according to some websites....but one
site I visited says up to 31 were produced. Perhaps the fact that the GT40 Marks 1, 2, and 3 were heavily
built in Europe, rather than in America, had something to do with the death of the Mk III (see below). Ford was keenly interested
in making sure the next generation of GT40s were American made. I've also read that people weren't as interested
in buying Mark IIIs, which were softened versions with a bulkier body compared to earlier Mark 1s and IIs.
Still another
theory I've read is that the Mk III suffered in early road-testing, and Ford wasn't interested in putting energy
into something that could turn out to be a quality/safety disaster issue. But I think the fact that the Mark
III represents (perhaps) a false start by Ford, who at the time may have been unsure which direction to go, has something
to do with why so few of these were made.
Mk IV: 1967-1970.
This version, which was longer, sleeker, and more aerodynamic overall, was the
only one which was truely American-built; right in Wisconsin. KarKraft got the contract. Although the GT40 racing car
that appears in GT2 and GT4 has a 1969 model year (and the racing car of GT3 once again has no model year), it's impossible
that the car in these games are Mk. IVs. The body style of these game-cars is the same as what we'd find on an Mk I: a short,
stocky body with lumpier fenders.
However, this doesn't mean PD is entirely at fault. Various teams still raced Mk 1s
and IIs during the IV's reign. In fact, car #6 (the Gulf racer in our game) happens to be chassis #1075, which
was built in 1968, and was mostly piloted by Jacky Icyx in '68 and '69, along with about a half-dozen other drivers.
It won lots of races, so it doesn't surprise me PD modeled this particular car.
In any event, it's a shame
PD didn't model the Mk. IV in any game...it's supposed to have better aerodynamics as I said earlier. Critics of
the GT40 made note of the fact that before Mk IV, these cars had been essentially European models built in Europe (besides
the engine and some other assorted parts). With the Mk IV, Ford wanted to put these naysayers to rest.
The GT40 (Mk
Is, IIs, and IVs) took care of business on the tracks for a couple more years, winning LeMans again and again in 1967, 1968, and
1969, and taking overall championship points for those seasons as well. Since they couldn't use those giant engines
anymore, Ford managed to tweak the 289 instead for both 1968 and '69. But its days were numbered, as Porsche sorted out
their soon-to-be-dominant flat-engine 917.
By 1970, it was over. The GT40 was finally outdated. Ford seemed to give
up; Henry Ford II had proven his point to the world, and officially dropped sponsorship for elite FIA/GT racing.
Road
cars during the Mk IV era were (as I understand it) Mk 1s or IIs with smaller 289 cid engines, though it's hard
to say ALL of them were built this way. I've read that Ford used 260, 302, and 351 small blocks in some cars sold to pedestrians,
reserving the 427 for racing while they could. But to be fair, there is lots of confusing info all over the 'net,
some of it without a doubt is false. But let's finally talk about the GT40 as it appears in Gran Turismo.
Lightweight,
skittish, and prone to all sorts of behavior (both cooperative and bothersome), this is one best left to the pros. The
road car of GT2 is somewhat more useful than the one of GT3, since we can't modify front downforce for a road
car in GT3, but in either game one can successfully roast some Ai if they know what they're doing. We can find
this car with seven different color schemes. Weight can't be removed in either game the GT40 Road Car appears
in, since it features [R] bodywork. But at 2,200 pounds, this one is already light enough...maybe
too light. The Gulf racing car also weighs 2,200 pounds.
Now let's start with the good stuff.
|
| '69 Gulf racing car in GT4 at Sears Point |
-------------------ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN--------------------
So, when we buy a car (or win it) that is essentially race-proven without apology, what we
get is a #*@$ing fast piece of machinery.
The short-stroke / fat bore V8 motor in this auto winds up quickly,
throwing the 40" tall GT40 to 100 mph in ....just...8.5 seconds, and what is significant is real GT40s were also
clocked making 100 mph in about 8.5 seconds. This rocket-like acceleration, plus significant power upgrades, make even
the road car competitive in every race GT2 has to offer (except those in which it can't enter due to too much power).
This is also true in GT3, though in this game some limits are eventually met, due to its lack of front downforce. Where the
GT40 lags in GT3, the GT40 Gulf racing car makes up.
We all know that the GT40 occasionally makes
an appearance in various races of GT2 including: the Apricot Hill Endurance, Historic Sports Car
Challenge, and sometimes the GT World Cup itself. In GT3, this car rules the Pro-level
MR challenge, but makes few other appearances. I can't remember if the '69 Gulf GT40 ever makes appearances in GT4
as an Ai car or not. It probably does somewhere.
Anyways, whenever we see a GT40, it will often outpace all the
other AI competition with few exceptions, and we'll only be able to keep up with it if we've got a similarly fast car.
At the GT2 Historic Cup in Rome, drivers who are not very experienced can forget trying to
keep up with it; the GT40 will tackle the corners of Rome's full circuit with little effort. The only way to keep up with
it is to buy a car, then race-modify it so downforce can be added.
Although the GT40 MK road car costs a bundle of
cash (and it can only be won in the third game), it is equipped with everything we'll need, including racing
tires. We can't make changes to its brakes, suspension parts, muffler, etc... all this is installed automatically
and permanently! One thing to buy, however, are additional engine parts, of which there are 3 NA tunes
available in either game. They are expensive, but Stage 3 in GT2, raises this car's power up to 652 hp...a
full 342 hp higher than stock. Oddly, the GT40 sports car accepts less power in GT3: 580 hp
@ 6,200 rpms after maintenance/oil change. The 1969 Gulf GT40 won randomly via
the GT2 Mid-Engine Challenge comes with 492 hp standard. It's possible to win a Gulf car in GT3 randomly
from the Pro-level World Championship.
It's also possible to win one in GT4, but I'm forgetting which races you'll
need to enter. This car (as it appears in GT4) can be equipped with a Stage 3 NA kit, or Stages 3 or 4 turbos as
well. At best, 650 horses and 565 foot-pounds can be had with the natural-aspirated
tuning or 720 horses with 585 foot-pounds with that Stage 4 turbo kit. With this much power,
the Gulf only loses traction in lower gears when full boost kicks in near 6,000 rpms, but this is easily avoidable if the
driver backs-off the gas. It still has a confident rear, but since those rear tires get heated up faster than the fronts,
early braking becomes paramount; as the front tires will usually stay cold for longer as the rears warm up.
At
times (in GT2), you might just want to run your Ford detuned, depending on the race, and this is not just for HP requirements.
I find that this car sometimes does better at tracks like Rome or Trail Mountain when using Stage 2 parts instead of Stage
3. There is less wheelspin, less hyper-active behavior, and the car is much easier to control. But in GT3, things are much
different. Even with full Stage 3 tuning, the GT40 feels much more confident, and is not so unstable and tail-happy. It leaves
corners of all kinds with little fuss and wads of leech-like grip. :)
The racing gearbox this car is equipped with
in GT2 will go the extra mile. Oddly, the car in GT3 is equipped with a fixed gearbox, and we'll need to buy the
racing box. But I find that stock gearing in GT3 can be used for many situations, and I never miss the racing
unit's flexibility since the 289 cubic-inch OHV engine takes care of business; so long as revs are kept above 3,000 rpms.
A fully-tuned car with appropriate gearing can easily top 200 mph and beyond.
For those of you on a serious GT40 quest, it is IMPERATIVE that you learn to fully-tune its
limited-slip, unless you plan on cheating with traction-controls. And here's why.
------------------CHASSIS / HANDLING-----------------
Let me try and put it this way: GT40s are fast as hell, but also extremely tempermental,
especially as power gets raised. Don't even THINK of racing one and expecting an easy ride. Wins are often awarded not just
by driving your virtual car against others, but also by keeping its worst qualities from taking control.
GT2:
Even with maxed downforce and dialed-in suspension settings, this car is constantly on the verge of spinning
out, countersteer is needed out of corners much more than a need to modulate throttle and brakes. Now it doesn't start off
this way. In any GT game, the GT40 starts its career as an extremely grippy car, which breaks adhesion occasionally
yet can quickly get it back. Beginners should still steer clear, though...only those of us who are experienced will learn
how to keep this car within the bounds that help us win.
The car in GT3 is a different machine. Maybe I'm getting
better as a driver, but even with full tuning, I find the car in this game handles corners extremely well, once braking
has been properly accomplished. Different computer programming and all that.
.... Now entering those corners
requires some skill. Polyphony Digital did a fantastic job getting '60s-era brakes on this car; which means poor braking
response going into those turns. Even the GT40 race car isn't exempt here, but at least the race car has downforce
that can be raised to help. To survive in the road car, we can totally rely on its power, but also we'd better respect
those brakes, giving this car plenty of time to enter corners properly.
In any game (GT2, 3, or 4), bumps can cause
exaggerated behavior in a GT40, whether racing at a rough track like Trail Mountain, or a track with smaller bumps like the
long curve on the inside of the Midfield Raceway (Turn 4). At times, the GT40 will want to fly, especially if a rumble strip
is driven over too aggressively. Most of the time, springs can be set a lot lower than the factory has set them, and
rebound dampers should never be set higher than 4 in my opinion.
Finally, the 1969 GT40 Gulf racer in GT4 is perhaps the most realistic car of all since it
has all the faults: poor braking, entry-corner understeer, and aerodynamics that hold the car to the track well....'til
the driver is trying to brake & turn at the same time. I'm talking about the smallest degree of steering here; literally,
you can lose it all in a FLASH if you're not careful in GT4's version of the GT40 racing car. Trust me on this: straight-line
brake as much as possible, until cruising at less than 75 mph (even on racing tires)...that's my suggestion.
The GT40's light
weight tubular steel under-frame is prone to twisting forces in GT4 as well, making the Gulf liable to even more exaggerated
high-speed behavior -- so get that rigidity refresh every 2,000 to 5,000 miles or so.
The GT40 (as I said earlier)
was built to win, the original guys who raced it were truely brave to take such a flimsy car up past 200 mph regularly. It
shows in the game; whether you think you're the hottest guy on virtual tracks or not...you may find that this car may truely
be your match, making you give up gaming with it in frustration for an easier ride.
...But learn to control these beasts,
and they will win again and again, just like they did in real-life.
----------------------------PROS---------------------
1). Obviously very fast, powerful engine. Rocket-like acceleration can take us past 200 mph with the right tuning.
2).
Racing parts (including transmission, tires, etc.) are standard equipment on this ½ million dollar car in GT2, and also
on the Gulf racing version of GT4.
3). Extremely light weight. Power to weight ratio ranges
from 7.1 to just 3.37 in GT2! In GT3 it'll fall to 3.79, which is still respectable.
4). Transmission, suspension,
limited-slip differential, and downforce are all fully-adjustable in GT2. Add brakes to this list for GT3.
5). I found
the stock gearing of the car in GT3 extremely flexible; useful at many tracks ranging from Route 11 to Laguna Seca to Midfield
Raceway.
6). Same thing with the stock LSD: in a car with up to Stage 1 power, the stock limited-slip (all GT40s had
them) often lets out just enough to be flexible, yet doesn't ruin with too much freedom. Turn in, lay on the power, hold on!
In general, a full-custom limited slip is better with more power, of course.
7). Three major engine upgrades...NA
tunes, whatever. Stages 2 and 3 extend the rpm limit an extra 400 in GT3. The GT40 race car of GT4 also accepts Stage 3 and
4 turbos.
8). In a GT40, you pros will simply crush.
9). Check out those shiny
15" wire wheels! This car always looks good, even with GT2 shoddy graphics. GT4's Gulf car has the correct orange rims mounted.
-------------------------CONS------------------------
1). High price (GT2), which
doesn't include engine upgrades. In GT4, the car can be won, yet trades cost almost 3 million credits!!! if your
buddy ever wants to buy one from you.
2). In GT3 a GT40 can only be won randomly, which means you may have to wait
to find that perfect color, and it also means you'll need to wait as your prize is alotted, with three other possible prizes
randomly. You'll also need to buy a lot of parts (even tires) for the car once it's been won.
3). A highly
grippy car, yet built to the standards of its day. The GT40 is competitive against moderns in Gran Turismo, but difficult
to navigate most of the time. This is truer in GT2 and 4, not as drastic in the 3rd game.
4). '60s-era brakes...State
of the Art for their day, but not up to modern GT specs at all. Stand on them early to get the GT40 under control well
before that corner, otherwise face inevitable sliding and/or trail-braking. In GT2, brakes can't be adjusted for
some reason.
5). Extemely tempermental handling and steering. The light weight of the GT40 kills stability at times,
especially over bumps, which cause all kinds of issues during races (again, not so true in GT3).
6). This car is not
for amateurs or even intermediates, though at $500,000 to $2,749,999, it's hard for a less-experiened driver to afford one
of these in the first place.
7). Redline area leaves little room for over-shifting for GT2 cars or GT3/4 cars with
less than Stage 2 tuning.
8). It can take a PhD. in physics to fully master the GT40's settings. Either that, or a
dose of good tuning luck!
9). Engine sample for the GT2 car sounds weak and unpolished...like they held the microphone
too far away or something. Formulanone/Pupik describes it as "strips of paper caught in a fan".
10). Front downforce
can't be manipulated on the GT3 road car.
11). '60s-era engine with a limited low-end torque curve. Below 3,000
rpms, it hasn't got much to give.
12). Wheels can't be changed on the Gulf car from GT4.
Published:
July 9th, 2004
Re-Edited several times.
Latest re-edit: January 6, 2009
|
