How many people can honestly say that they own a car whose purpose is to save lives? When “Drive Cancer Out” began its mission, they were faced with the decision of choosing a car that would be the benchmark of their Anti-smoking campaign. “Drive Cancer Out” is a not-for-profit organization centered on educating children about the consequences of smoking. It is quite ironic though, that this 2007 Ford GT smokes on a regular basis. No, not Marlboro Lights, this GT’s preferred brand is much more expensive. The “Drive Cancer Out” GT smokes none other than 315 Eagle F1’s. How about that for a bad habit?
Previously known as the GT40, the Ford GT is the redesigned road version of the racecar that dominated Le Mans in the late 60’s. Bred from racecar royalty, one would suspect this car to have all the characteristics of a Le Mans champion plus some to boot. The GT definitely looks the part of a supercar; with a height of just 44 inches, the GT would barely reach the waist of an average-sized man. The 5.4 liter DOHC supercharged V8 is tucked away behind the cabin making the GT the only mid-engine/rear wheel drive car produced stateside. With 550 hp and 500 torque, the GT is able to reach a top speed of 205 mph and is able to warp-speed to 60 mph in a “Star Trek”-like 3.3 seconds. An all-aluminum chassis keeps this thing as light as a feather, while still maintaining the structural rigidity needed for one G corners. A six-speed manual transmission links up the monster V8 to 19 inch forged aluminum BBS’s.
Looking in the cockpit, you would think you were in an Apache attack helicopter. Various toggle switches line the dash, diverting your attention from the massive string of gauges glowing directly ahead. In Le Mans fashion, a set of carbon fiber buckets were implemented to keep the passengers from sliding all over the cabin.
The point of this car was to get “Drive Cancer Out” on the map. The GT acts as a moving billboard, exposing “Drive Cancer Out’s” message to daily commuters and soccer moms alike. One thing is for sure, if attention is what you want, attention is what you’ll get, driving this supercar.
For more information on the car and the mission: visit drivecancerout.com.
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