2023 Ford GT Mk IV Send-Off Is the Final and Rowdiest Version of All

• The 2023 Ford GT Mk IV is the final special edition of Ford's halo car, and just 67 of these track-only models will be built, all by hand.

• Only approved clients will be allowed to hand over the $1.7 million starting price, with Ford planning to make buyer selections in the first quarter of 2023 and deliveries in the late spring.

• The Mk IV features a longer wheelbase, a racing gearbox, a redesigned body, and a larger-displacement engine targeting more than 800 horsepower.

The 2023 Ford GT Mk IV is the last special-edition GT in a year with seemingly no end to the number of special-edition and send-off Ford GTs.

Way back in August 2021, Ford came out with a 1964 prototype-themed livery to honor the GT's final year of production. Then, in February 2022, Ford paid tribute to the Mk I prototypes of the '60s with a special red, white, and gold model. Next came a Holman Moody Edition celebrating Ford's historic 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966. As recently as October, Ford released its racing-inspired LM send-off version of the GT as a nod to the class-winning 2016 car.

The special edition announced today looks wild enough to make each and every one of the earlier GTs look as mundane as the squadron of Camrys you passed on your way home from work. Unlike the rest of the special-edition send-offs that came before, the Mk IV is a track-only car that gets dedicated upgrades on top of visual alterations.

With the track-only GT, Ford increased the displacement of the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6. The engine is now targeting more than 800 horsepower, that's at least an extra 140 ponies compared with the regular GT's 660 figure. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission from the standard car has been replaced with what Ford described as a "proper racing gearbox."

The GT's original suspension has also been upgraded with Multimatic's Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) setup. As a track car, standard road-siped tires aren't really necessary and appear to be replaced by a set of Michelin Pilot Sport racing slicks wrapped around center-lock wheels.

The 2023 GT Mk IV's wheelbase is longer than normal and fitted with a "longtail" carbon-fiber body. In fact, the carbon body has been completely reworked for the Mk IV. All aero elements appear to have been dialed to 11, with a massive front splitter and a set of canards protruding from the front end. At the back, a giant wing is mounted in a fixed position. The full extent of aerodynamic changes isn't clear, but judging by the photos, those changes are extremely performance-focused.

The bulky headlights necessary for roadgoing GTs have been replaced by minimalistic beams that look as if they simply cut through the carbon body. The two channels normally featured on the hood have been replaced by four overlapping vents, a change that drastically alters the look of the Mk IV's face.

The Mk IV gets its name from the 1967 Le Mans-winning GT Mk IV race car, which remains the only American-built and American-operated car to win Le Mans outright. Piloted by Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt, the Mk IV took the lead in the first 90 minutes of the race, building a four-lap lead by the end of the 24 hours. For that reason, Ford is only producing 67 hand-built examples of the Mk IV.

Prospective customers will need to apply directly to Ford, and only approved clients will be allowed to purchase the extremely limited car. Pricing starts at $1.7 million, with Ford planning to make selections in the first quarter of 2023 and begin deliveries in the third quarter of the year.

This isn't the first modern Ford GT to honor the famous 1967 win at Le Mans; that award goes to this version in 2017. Boy, does Ford love a special edition? Still, it looks as if time has run out for Dearborn to make more of them before production ends with the year. Probably.

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