2020 Ford GT: Liquid Carbon and Gulf Racing Heritage editions debut at Chicago Auto Show

This is another exciting week for automotive enthusiasts as the state of Illinois welcomes the annual Chicago Auto Show. As with any other car expo, attendees and gearheads can look forward to amazing concepts, impressive production models, and jaw-dropping supercars/hypercars. The Blue Oval emblem drew the most attention with the 2020 Ford GT. The manufacturer not only promises a big performance boost but also offers buyers two special editions: Liquid Carbon and Gulf Racing Heritage. These two will be limited production variants that will eventually become collector's piece later on.

Ford confirms that its production run for its latest version of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race-winning supercar will not be until 2022. Therefore, interested buyers are encouraged to make reservations early unless all of the planned units are already spoken for. Compared to the 2017 through 2019 models, it now boasts 660 horsepower over the 647 horsepower of its predecessors, which is a 13-horsepower gain in total.

This is delivered by the 3.5-litre twin-turbo mid-mounted V6 engine, which is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission delivering all that power to the rear wheels. To ensure that the power plant can withstand the upgraded power output, the 2020 Ford GT also comes with several enhancements. On top of the calibration, the engine now sports gallery-cooled pistons coupled with high-energy ignition coils.

Its engineers reportedly drew inspiration from the limited edition GT Mk II, which was designed for the racing tracks only, reveals Motor Authority. The supercar flaunts a new pair of buttress air ducts that supposedly draw in 50 per cent more air, which coupled with the large intercoolers should provide superior cooling to the turbocharged engine.

Both the Liquid Carbon and Gulf Racing Heritage version will be equipped with the same powertrain but will come with different aesthetics that should delight automotive collectors. As the name suggests, the former is decked in carbon fibre panels with the patterns fully exposed thanks to the clearcoat overlay. In addition to that are sleek carbon fibre wheels, optional titanium lug nuts, and six-point racing harness anchors.

Meanwhile, the Gulf Racing Heritage edition, add a powder blue and orange colourway inspired by the Gulf livery of its Le Man's racing pedigree. The manufacturer then adds a black pinstripe along with an optional carbon fibre number 6. The base model of the 2020 Ford GT retails for $500,000 while the Liquid Carbon commands a $750,000 cost of ownership and the Gulf Racing Heritage goes for $615,000.