Lynx GT1 resurrects Ford GT racer for the road

Early 21st-century GT1 racing was an awesome spectacle, grids chock full of V12s – think Aston DBR9, Maserati MC12, Ferrari 550 – alongside some top-drawer drivers. It was the perfect fit for the original Ford GT, with its mid-engined layout and powerful supercharged V8, particularly after some GT3 success; the project was taken on by Matech Concepts with Ford Racing’s blessing, though the GT1 racer only raced for one season 15 years ago. 

Now that GT1 vision has been resurrected with this, the Lynx GT1. It’s the work of Lynx Motors and Graham Rahal Performance (GRP) in the US, offering up the tantalising prospect of a ‘street-legal version of the Ford Matech Concepts GT1 Le Mans race car’. With 1,200hp, of course. 

Exact details are a little thin on the ground for the moment. It’s been suggested elsewhere, for example, that Lynx bought Matech’s assets when the Swiss company went bust, which would help explain why this car so closely aligns with that original GT1. And perhaps the 28-unit run is the amount that can be built with the parts available, eliminating the need for any donors from the GT’s 4,050 car production. 

Whatever the exact intricacies of the background are, the GT1 promises to be extreme. Sure, there are some nicer materials inside than any GT of this era could boast, but also the notable inclusion of a manual gearbox. That’s said to be a six-speed Ricardo unit, which would definitely be kept busy if this GT1 really does deliver 1,200hp from the original supercharged V8. It often seemed like the 5.4 was just a shorter ‘charger pulley from another 100-odd horsepower, so maybe now we’ll see just what the old truck motor can do. 

Certainly the mashup of Lynx and GRP seems a smart one, the former offering restomod expertise and Graham Rahal bringing a wealth of motorsport experience to the programme. The latter said: “I’m beyond excited for our company to be involved in something like the GT1 Project, not only to help bring this automobile to market but also to manufacture it at our facility in Indianapolis. It’s an iconic car in its own right, but creating a high-quality, modern version of what the Ford GT40 was at its peak gives us something to be very proud of. I’m very fortunate and proud that Lynx thought of us for this project, as it validates and justifies the investment that we’ve made in our facility here in Zionsville, and I’m extremely excited to get the project underway.”

If the GT1 sees the light of day, it could be truly spectacular, even at however many millions it might come out at. And should a donor car be required, the PH classifieds are always well stocked – this one already benefits from a Whipple supercharger upgrade…