Hot Wheels 2016 Ford GT Race and Majorette 2017 Ford GT

More and more diecast manufacturer's are starting to find out more about the 2017 Ford GT supercar and for those who already have one there are the various recolors and race models.  For Hot Wheels the 2017 Ford GT has been a success and continues with a new silver with black stripes GT for 2017 along with the LeMans-winning 2016 GT race car.  On the other side is Majorette's first try at the new Ford GT.

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Majorette 2017 Ford GT

Majorette has released a nice list of castings for 2017, but one that I was disappointed in was this Ford GT.  While Majorette has been making lots of strides to make their vehicles have opening parts, working suspension, and exquisite detailing, a few maladies fall through the cracks.  One of the last Majo's that I reviewed that I never liked was the Audi R8 first-generation: it was crude, the interior sits too low, and there' s much better offerings out there.  (The second-generation R8 will come out soon and this one looks much better)  This Ford GT is another malady as it looks awkward from the get-go.  The first thing is that the car looks rather short with a wider wheelbase than the Hot Wheels version and more ground clearance.  The front has clear headlights that look out-of-shape to the rest of the car, a lower front grille, and Ford logo.  On the sides it has exterior mirrors and a nice touch on the carbon fiber lower side sills, but the flying buttress C-pillar is not see-through.  The rear looks a little better with the flow-through rear spoiler and dual central exhaust tips, though the taillights lack depth as in the Hot Wheels version.  The engine area has detail of the 3.5L turbocharged EcoBoost V6 motor, while the interior has the detailed seats and clean dash layout.  Finally this car lacks any opening features, so with that and some crude detailing this is not one of Majorette's finest castings.

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Hot Wheels 2016 Ford GT race car

On the other side is Hot Wheels who has released a stunning silver with black stripes GT that has blacked-out wheels and it looks gorgeous!  Want more?  Look for the yellow with black stripe recolor soon!  That's not all as Hot Wheels has also designed the LeMans-winning 2016 GT race car.  For the 50th anniversary of Ford's 1,2,3 podium finish at the 1966 24 Hours of LeMans Ford returns to the track with a new GT and nearly wins it all even if it couldn't secure the second-place finish.  Like every race car this one is different from the road-going GT in many ways.  On this blue Hot Wheels version it looks good and the white even looks surprisingly better.  The front has larger round headlights under the covers, the front bumper is slightly redesigned with a lower chin spoiler and side winglets.  On the sides the A-pillar is visible, the lower carbon fiber rocker panel is more prominent, and the exhaust exit on the sides just ahead of the rear wheels.  The hood with the dual vents are carried over, while the roof adds a safety hatch for the driver.

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One of the complaints about the 2017 GT casting is the lack of a flow-through flying buttress.  It has been addressed in this release, though it is a small gap next to the window path.  The car gains Ford Performance racing graphics while the engine cover gains an air vent.  The rear continues with the fantastic afterburner taillights, the dual exhaust ports now vacant, and the rear spoiler is replaced with a taller external unit in plastic that joins the new larger lower diffuser for better aerodynamics.  The engine is the same 3.5L EcoBoost V6 that now makes over 600 horsepower thanks to lesser restrictions and to the same seven-speed automated manual transmission that is beefed up for racing duty.  The interior is a major transformation to a more race-spec car with only a driver's racing seat, a rollbar, and battery and other controls in the former passenger seat area.  The dashboard still remains, but the touchscreen in the center is replaced by toggle switches, the steering wheel replaced with a more race-oriented setup, and the gauges have a more durable digital unit.  The look is much better up front with the lower chin spoiler, while the rear diffuser looks a bid awkward.  On the track the race car excels better than the road car, including trying to handle its long weight through the corners.

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So for now Hot Wheels wins and Majorette loses when it comes to the 2017 Ford GT.

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Update 9/4: The third recolor of the 2017 Ford GT is even more amazing now in yellow with black stripes and still has those blacked-out wheels.  Very sharp, with one downside: in making the inner side pillars match the color of the body the interior is also yellow, too.  Thankfully the tinted windows helps tone down the color.  As for the race car it gets an all-white look with blacked-out wheels for the second recolor, showing off more detailing without the tinted windows even if the all-white look is a bit too much for the car.