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When Ford decided to develop a modern tribute to motor sport's most famous race, the 24 Hour of Le Mans, it used the combined services of Mayflower Vehicle Systems and Arup. Arup's automotive specialists helped to complete the 1960s-inspired GT in just 24 months, half the time of a traditional vehicle programme.
Arup's analytical approach to design saved time and money for Ford. The firm investigated options for material selection, extrusion size and shape, casting design and alternative joining techniques. This provided an optimised design that surpassed the client's expectations.
Drawing on its specialists' knowledge of, and familiarity with, aluminium, Arup developed new techniques to maximise stiffness and durability on the GT. Accurate analysis reduced dependency on prototyping. Condensing the usual two prototype build levels to a single one saved time and money.
Arup's specialists used expert knowledge of computer-aided engineering (CAE) in the automotive industry to accurately predict the performance of the GT in crash, noise, vibration, harshness and durability. Enhancements to the firm's in-house software, Oasys PRIMER, D3PLOT, and T/HIS, improved CAE procedures and reduced the time it took to develop the vehicle.
The result is a car that captures the excitement of the original model while showcasing modern engineering and technology.
