The new 2017 Ford GT is mobbed after its world debut in January 2015
There’s an ongoing discussion among new Ford GT fans: To stripe or not to stripe.
The 2005-2006 Ford GT looks very good with the stripes
The new Ford GT is among the most dramatic vehicle designs ever created. It shows obvious ties back to the original GT40 and the 2005-2006 Ford GT, but it’s a clear break from the past. That past is rife with stripe-bearing Ford GTs, all of them looking quite good with stripes over the hood, roof and engine cover. But does this stripe treatment transfer to the new Ford GT?
The 2018 Ford GT Heritage has stripes to pay homage to the original 1967 Le Mans winner
There are plenty of new Ford GT samples with and without stripes, and you can always check out the Ford GT configurator to experiment with different exterior colors and treatments. I personally like the stripes on the original GT40 and the 2005-2006 Ford GT. The older cars also look great in solid colors, though in general I prefer them striped.
Liquid Red with silver stripes looks great…but does really improve the car’s appearance?
The new Ford GT isn’t as clear cut for me. I think it’s because the car’s dramatic bodywork already creates a pretty complex design. I’m not sure it really needs the longitudinal stripes given the flying buttresses and large air intakes. And yet, depending on the new Ford GT’s color, and the stripes’ color, the contrast can further emphasis the Ford GT’s visual impact.
This Liquid Red Ford GT eschews the stripes, and looks great without them
I think some colors, like Liquid Red, Shadow Black and Frozen White, look stunning without any stripes. Other colors, like Ingot Silver, Liquid Gray and Triple Yellow, look fabulous with stripes (red or blue stripes on silver, black stripes on yellow and blue strips on gray).
A solid Liquid Blue Ford GT looks really good — no stripes necessary
Liquid Blue, which happens to be the color I’m getting, is the toughest call for me. The new Ford GT looks great in Liquid Blue, with or without stripes. Because my version is also a Carbon Series model it comes standard with exposed carbon fiber stripes. I haven’t seen a new Ford GT in Liquid Blue with carbon fiber stripes, probably because Ford hasn’t built one yet.
The Ford GT configurator gives a sneak peak on how my Ford GT Carbon Series will look
However, using the Ford GT configurator to create a Liquid Blue version with alloy stripes and carbon fiber wheels provides a pretty close approximation of what my Carbon Series Ford GT will look like. I think it looks great, but I won’t know for sure until I see the real thing after it’s built. Here’s hoping I’m right…