Ford GT 2017

Lore & Background

The 2017 Ford GT carries the weight of a name that has meant something special to Ford fans since the original 1960s Le Mans hero. In the Forza world, it slots in as the spiritual successor to that legacy, a car that Ford itself positioned as a limited-run, driver-focused supercar rather than a grand tourer. The franchise's designers lean into that identity: the GT feels alive, responsive, and a little bit wild, especially when you let the twin turbos spool past 5,000 rpm and the rear end steps out under hard braking.

Within the games, the Ford GT is not just a fast car—it is a statement. In Forza Horizon 5, it is one of the headline S2 vehicles, often featured in promotional material and early-game showcase sequences. In Forza Motorsport titles, it appears on the most demanding circuits, where its mid-engine balance and low weight give it an edge in tight, technical sections that pure horsepower cars struggle with. The community has long debated whether it out-drives the Ferrari 488 GTB or the McLaren 650S, and that debate is part of the car's charm.

The 2017 model year specifically marks the first production run of this generation, and in the games it is presented as the definitive, clean-sheet version before minor updates in later years. For players who earned it through a Grand Prix or a high-stakes Horizon event, unlocking the Ford GT feels like a small ceremony—a moment where the game says, 'You made it to the top.'

Reader's Guide

Ford GT (2017) – S2 class. Stock, it produces roughly 647 hp from a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, weighs in the neighbourhood of 3,200 lb, and posts a handling rating that places it firmly in the top tier of S2 cars: quick off the line, composed through fast corners, and slightly twitchy if you lean on the throttle too aggressively out of slow hairpins.

Tuning levers in Forza Horizon 5 and the Motorsport titles include: engine performance upgrades (mild power gains, not transformative), suspension geometry and damper tuning (where you feel the most real difference), brake upgrades, wheel and tyre swaps (lighter wheels cut unsprung mass and sharpen turn-in), a rear wing or air dam for high-speed stability, and a small weight-reduction package. You cannot swap the V6 for a different engine family; the car is locked to its own powerplant, so your gains come from balance, grip, and rotational speed rather than raw extra horsepower.

The trade-off is subtle: chasing maximum straight-line speed with a bigger wing and stiffer dampers will make the car feel nervous in the low-speed, twisty sections that the GT is best at. A lighter, more neutral setup rewards smooth, long-corner driving and lets the mid-engine weight distribution do its work.

Build philosophy: treat the Ford GT as a driver's car, not a rocket—dial in the suspension for balance, keep the weight light, and let the twin-turbo V6 do the talking.

Did You Know?

• The 2017 Ford GT's 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 produces more power than many naturally-aspirated V8s of its era, yet it weighs significantly less, giving it a power-to-weight ratio that rivals dedicated track cars.
• In Forza Horizon 5, the Ford GT is one of the first S2 cars many players encounter, making it a common 'first supercar' and a frequent subject of community comparison threads against the Ferrari 488 GTB and McLaren 650S.
• Ford limited production of the 2017 GT to roughly 1,000 units worldwide, a scarcity that the games echo by making it a late-unlock or high-cost vehicle rather than a free starter car.