An L.A. Kind of Thing[Photos 116-03067.SCUP 5A through 5F on disc. 5F is of the number one test mule that isn't strictly part of this story.]Ford has been testing prototypes for its upcoming GT throughout Southern California and haven't been shy about it at all. In these photos supplied by Ford, the GT is speed testing on the dry bed of the L.A. River (famous from Grease, Gumball Rally, Terminator 2 and at least one good episode of Starsky & Hutch). It's been pounding down the freeways evaluating everything from sound levels to brake squeal to the ability to not overheat on the way to the airport, while making sure it runs good on the weird civilian gas they sell out here on the left side of the country. It's all really cool.
The black car in the photos is actually, from what we can surmise, the second GT prototype. The first test mule was finished in red paint with a big numeral "1" on the sides and is rumored to be testing in Michigan. Interestingly, the EPA fuel mileage loop is based on a route that runs directly in front of CC's palatial offices, and prototypes pass by regularly. We have yet to see the GT on Wilshire Boulevard however.[Photos 116-03067.SCUP 6A through 6D on disc.]
An SSR in IndianapolisIn May, a truck paced the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. Sure it wasn't a "real" truck towing a load of roofing tar, but the Chevy SSR does in fact have a bed.
The actual pace vehicle for the 500 looks just like one of 25 Signature Series models that are starting the SSR's production run, but it is actually a preproduction example that is now on permanent display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. The back-up vehicle was actually number four of the Signature Series run and will eventually be auctioned off. A third pace-looking SSR (again, not an actual Signature Series SSR) was put on display at the museum in May.
Little was done to the SSRs to make them ready for pace duty. Each got some neat ghost flames on its nose, safety strobe lights were sunk into the tailgate, the aluminum wheels were polished, the suspension was slightly stiffened, oil and transmission coolers were added, and a low-restriction exhaust was bolted up. Left alone was the 290hp aluminum-block 5.3L Vortec 5300 OHV V-8 and the four-speed automatic transmission behind it.
GM racing honcho Herb Fishel did the driving in celebration of his 40 years promoting the sport within GM. By the way, this is the 14th time a Chevy has paced the Indy 500. It's also the sixth Chevy two-seater to pace the race-five Corvettes proceeded it.
Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers[Photos 116-03067.SCUP 11A through 11B on disc.]GM is developing new technologies like forward-looking collision warnings and adaptive cruise-control systems that need to be tested, but the very nature of the testing could wind up with cars bounding into the backs of other cars over and over and over again. So GM has developed a special car other cars can run into with virtually no damage.
Towed behind a Suburban, the rubber car looks sort of like the back half of a Monte Carlo on a small trailer, and it's perfect for testing radar and other sensing technologies with minimal sheetmetal destruction. Of course this begs the question of why they don't just make whole cars out of rubber in the first place?
Bad Boy Focus[Photos 116-03067.SCUP 12A through 12B on disc.]Ford has found itself playing catch-up to Peugeot in the World Rally Championship with its Focus WRC cars. So it has gone back to the drawing board and redesigned the competition Focus for 2003.
The new Focus RS WRC '03 is over 80 percent brand-new according to Ford. The styling has been twisted with a new rear wing and a deep front air dam to improve stability, and the body shell itself is significantly stiffer. The turbocharged 2.0L Cosworth-built Duratec four's mass has been reduced, and a new rear suspension is aboard to take advantage of the improved weight distribution.