Why the Ford GT will favour shorter buyers

Ford has indicated there will be two potential limiting factors for parties interested in its upcoming GT supercar: money and height.

The first part of part of that answer is little surprise given the GT will be limited to an annual production of only 250 vehicles, along with a purchase price of several hundred thousand dollars. However physical stature looms as an unexpected hindrance that taller buyers may need to consider when the halo model lands in 2016.

Ford revealed more elements of the GT's interior to media in Detroit this week. Chief among the cabin's features is a fixed seating position and moveable pedal box, similar to that found in Ferrari's La Ferrari hypercar.

The fixed seat was essentially brought about because of the GT's low-slung roofline, which wouldn't have otherwise been compatible with a conventional sliding seat. Weight was another catalyst for the fixed seating position, due to the heavy steel hardware required in sliding seats.

Speaking with Drive, Ford's exterior design director Craig Metros said the fixed seating position would impose height restrictions for taller drivers.

"We aimed for the 95th percentile, so it will probably cater to 95 per cent of heights," he said.

"It's a little bit more complicated [than a traditional moving seat]. However, if you have a normal back and headrest and you have your seat moving back and forth, then suddenly, you have to move the front windscreen forward and the entire cabin changes. It's worth the investment to keep the seat fixed, I would say

"You have to account for a lot more if the seat wasn't fixed."

The chief designer at Ford Performance, Jamal Hameedi, said he had no problems fitting in the car but envisaged the roofline imposing some size limitations.

"I'm 6 foot 2 inches (187 cm tall) and I fit in the car with a helmet," he said.

"At six foot five I think you're going to have to start contorting your body to start getting in the car.

"At the other end of the scale, the car's actually very friendly if you're a shorter driver."

Of course the other limiting factors for Australian buyers is that the GT will only be built in left-hand drive. Ford representatives defended that decision in Detroit, indicating there wouldn't be the necessary scale to vindicate right-hand drive investment.

Unlike the last GT released in 2005, the latest supercar features a more comfortable interior replete with different surface treatments and soft-touch materials at the contact points.

Ford sourced inspiration for such materials from numerous applications, including space travel.

A large digital instrument cluster, deeply bolstered bucket seats and minimalist centre facia are the standouts of the interior. The GT is also bereft of a traditional gear change selector – instead using a steering-wheel mounted control similar to those found on Ferrari production cars.                         

In designing the cabin, Ford designers pictured themselves travelling at speeds of above 300km/h and then prioritised what instruments and features would be most important in terms of ease of use.

"You want everything at your hands, you don't want to have to go looking," said Hameedi of the interior.

"We imagine we were travelling down the autobahn at 320km/h and then thought about what we need immediately in front of us and what we don't."