The original Ford GT40 wasn’t built to be civilized. It was engineered for one purpose: crushing Ferrari at Le Mans. More than half a century later, South African manufacturer Cape Advanced Vehicles believes that legendary formula deserves another chapter—not as a museum-piece replica, but as a thoroughly modern supercar.
Meet the CAV GT MkII.
Built in Cape Town by a company that has spent decades crafting GT40-inspired machines, the new GT MkII moves beyond the realm of tribute cars. CAV describes it as a spiritual successor to Ford’s endurance-racing icon, and the spec sheet backs up that ambitious claim. While the silhouette remains unmistakably GT40, nearly everything beneath the skin has been reimagined for the modern era.
At first glance, the GT MkII wears its heritage proudly. The low nose, muscular rear haunches, and mid-engine proportions immediately recall the car that conquered Le Mans in the 1960s. Look closer, however, and the details reveal a far more contemporary machine. Sharper LED lighting gives the front end a more aggressive expression, while the rear bodywork is cleaner and more sculpted than anything seen on the original racer.
The biggest visual difference is one that owners will appreciate every time they climb aboard. Unlike the famously cramped GT40—which earned its name from its 40-inch overall height—the GT MkII has grown taller. That extra space translates into a more usable cabin, additional cargo capacity, and swan-wing doors that improve entry and exit without requiring the roof-cutting door design of the original car.
Beneath the carbon-fiber bodywork sits an aluminum-and-carbon structure that helps keep weight to around 3,240 pounds (1,470 kilograms). Nestled behind the occupants is where things get truly interesting.
Power comes from a 4.2-liter V8 fitted with not one but two superchargers. The result is more than 800 horsepower and a towering 679 pound-feet (920 Nm) of torque. More impressive still is the claimed 9,000-rpm redline, placing the engine’s character closer to an exotic race-bred powerplant than a traditional American V8.
Performance figures are predictably outrageous. CAV claims the GT MkII can sprint from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.0 seconds before pushing beyond 203 mph (327 km/h).
Sending all that power to the pavement is a standard six-speed single-clutch semi-automatic transmission. While that setup may sound old-school in today’s dual-clutch world, CAV plans to offer a modern dual-clutch option in the future. More importantly for purists, a manual gearbox is also in development—a rarity in a segment increasingly dominated by paddle shifters.
The hardware underneath appears just as serious as the powertrain. KW Variant 4 three-way adjustable dampers provide extensive chassis tuning capability, while Brembo brakes with eight-piston front and four-piston rear calipers handle stopping duties. Buyers seeking maximum track performance can opt for carbon-ceramic brake discs. Completing the package is an Inconel exhaust system with active valves, ensuring the soundtrack matches the visual drama.
The CAV GT MkII occupies a fascinating niche in today’s performance-car landscape. It isn’t a continuation car, nor is it a retro replica chasing nostalgia. Instead, it takes one of motorsport’s most celebrated shapes and infuses it with modern materials, modern technology, all-wheel-drive traction, and supercar-rivaling performance.
If the original GT40 was designed to win endurance races, the GT MkII appears designed to answer a different question: What would a GT40 look like if it had never stopped evolving?
Source: Cape Advanced Vehicles