Like I Said, Jeremy is Full Of It

[SVT_MAN]

RichardJensen: You're absolutely right. I still think it's an important distinction that the project was not an entirely American effort. I don't think Clarkson would touch the car with a 10 foot stick if its heritage had NOTHING to do with England. Just my 2 cents. Maybe he would. Maybe I'll email him and ask him? I'm SURE he'll give me an accurate answer

[Edstock]

But that's not the MK IV. The truly revolutionary GT40, and the first one to win Le Mans.

 

Not to argue, but the manufacturer says the Superformance monococque chassis-tub is 90% identical to the GT-40 tub as used in the 427 MK II. How much different is the MK IV tub? Was it entirely new? Wheelbase, track changes?

 

So, nobody makes the MK IV. Well, if I ever win the lottery, I'll console myself with a Superformance MK II with an aluminum-block 460 with the BOSS heads and fuel-injection. That metallic color sure looks cool.

[RichardJensen]

 

This is a MK IV ahead of what looks like a MK I.

 

There is nothing shared between these two cars.

[BlackHorse]

What is the argument here richard? Back in the 60's Ford tried to buy Ferrari and the deal fell through. Henry Ford II then established the Ford Advanced Vehicles Division and "IN ASSSOCIATION WITH LOLA CARS OF ENGLAND" they developed the Ford GT 40. Putting a picture of two different versions of the car and saying "look they're nothing alike" is like putting up an 07 Mustang and a 67 Mustang and saying, look, they're nothing alike. Yeah we know, but it doesn't change the fact that in the cars origin it had ties to England and in that heritage is probably where Clarkson decided it was "english" enough for him.

Edited September 21, 2007 by BlackHorse

[RichardJensen]

No argument.

 

Just clarifying how different, and I mean -different- the MK IV was from the MK II.

 

Thing is, saying that the MK IV and MK II are related is a huge stretch. The MK IV was a world-beater, a record setting car that represented a quantum leap forward in sports car/prototype racing.

[Arniect]

Comments on the Ford GT program from the 60's.

 

the Ford Gt 40 was developed in England based on a Lola Design.

 

However the MK IV was designed and built in Dearborn at Kar Kraft. A whole new vehicle. As Richard stated, he is correct as he is most times.

 

That picture is Le Mans 1967. The 2nd car is a GT40 MKII. That year Ford ran the MKIV's and MKII's. The MKII's had been beaten at Daytona and were no where near as fast as the new Mk IV's, but they were reliable, if the MkIV's broke Ford still had a chance to beat the P4's from Ferrari.

 

mkII's had the 427 engine, the first versions ran small block ford's. MkIV's also ran the 427. Same basic 427 as was run in Nascar. much of the engine work was done at Holman and Moody in Charlotte. A young Robert Yates was one of the engine guys at H+M.

 

AJ and Dan in the #1 car were supposed to be the Rabbit's. run fast till they broke, and make Ferrari run fast to keep up with them. To everyones surprise, they never broke. It was a good thing they did not , Mario took out half the Ford team when he spun and collected several of his teammates.

 

AJ had quite month, he won his 3rd Indy in May and 3 weeks later showed the "sporty car" boys he could wheel a sports car with the best of them.

 

Dan won Le Mans and 7 days later won The F1 Belgian GP at Spa in his own AAR Eagle.

[TStag]

Firstly I love the you tube vid in the first post. That car is the totally bonkers MG SV, which is made from Carbon fibre and had the option of a nitrous oxide kit. It was MG's way of saying "good bye world" before it went bust and got bought by the Chinese. It has lots of faults but lot's to like about it too, including the engine. Rumours are the tooling has been bought and it will be made in either the USA or Blighty.

 

Secondly Clarkson is a comedian who started out as an auto journalist. Take him with a pinch of salt.

 

Finally some of Clarksons views on US cars are representative of Europeans at large. The problem is that US cars aim for a lower RRP than cars sold over here. But if a US car is shipped into Britain the price is put up to match the local competiion with only modest improvements. That means we end up comparing cars like the Jeep Cherokee to the Land Rover LR3 or the very rare Lincoln Navigator to the Range Rover. In addition cars sold here must be designed with twisty roads in mind this is not true of the USA. So as much as I adore the Mustang I have to accept it's no BMW 3 series.

 

Anyway just my thoughts, but if you ever get the chance to play with an MG SV, take it!!!!