I shall offer a definition of Grand Touring automobile once published by John Bond a past editor of Road and Track:
An automobile capable of extremely high speed over long distances and carrying only two people and their luggage.

That presupposes that the luggage capacity is rather small, and in the case of GT racers, one FIA approved suitcase. After all, if you can afford to spend your time scurrying across the countryside at relatively high speeds you don't need much more than a VISA card and a toothbrush, do you? Buy what you need at your destination. The condition of "long distances" presupposes sustained comfort for long periods of time at speed, and "high speed" is relative to other machines of the day, but triple digits at least, sustained for long periods of time. Because "two people" might reasonably be defined as a man and a woman, the ordeal must likely be conditional on civilized rapport during most of the trip between the two of them, continuing upon reaching their destination. No irritability, no cussing, no frustration save the iddiotas in lesser machines who get in the way. Of course the perfect testing ground for these machines would not necessarily be race tracks, but rallye circuits. Sustained high speeds for two people and minimal luggage over vast distances in relative comfort and efficiency, while communicating amicably. The Porsche 904 comes to mind with its FIA minimum suitcase space. Lots of power and sustained speed ability. What a beautifully designed machine for that purpose. Later, the Porsche GT1 represents to me the ultimate GT for traveling across vast stretches of countyside at high speeds safely and in great comfort (well, OK, maybe a little cramped). An altenative to air travel.

The 928 fits that catagory well. My 928 lets me arrive in a place like Colorado or Indiana, after a run from California rested and ready to resume a drive after dinner. And it does it while maintaining triple digit speeds plus for hours (or so I'm told ). And it does it safely. And I can carry on an intelligent conversation with a mate while I'm doing it if I so desire. I never put the rear seats up in my 928. A Ferrari 456 comes to mind also. If you want to see other GTs, visit the Concorso Italiano in Carmel Valley during the weekend of the Monterey Historics every year. Pay the admission and weep at what you don't own. ( or not yet anyway).

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a dinner date with a nice lady in Los Angeles (just 400 miles away) tonight, and I can't be late. Perfect night for a drive in my 928..............!! Maybe we'll go for a drive down the coast
after dinner. Then I'll drive back to Sunnyvale. Not a problem in my 928.

 

Then what's the Ford GT??? GT....An over used, worn out term. How about a Hyundai elantra GT?

The 928 is a comfortable sports car that has long range capability. Designed by a true sports car company (Porsche when it was run by non-family members) instead of a marketing company (the new Porsche).

 

It's a GT, the ad says so.



Rich

 

Why would the Ford GT not be a grand touring machine? Does it not fit FIA regulations, or did it when it was homologated? Does it not offer two people and their one suitcase long rang high speed comfortable touring capability?

Here are the rules: http://www.fia.com/sport/Regulations/f1regs.html
And again here: http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/FBD76CB5394B61DEC125730C0054E53A/$FILE/GT_Champ-2007_WMSC-def.pdf?Openelement
And again here: http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/604FEB1A39F4C4E2C125730C00554609/$FILE/AppJ_Art_258.pdf?Openelement

The rules are clear and reading them will reveal the basic configuration of GT1, GT2 and GT3 cars acceptable for competition in those FIA classes.

 

Let's see, assuming a ride "down the Coast" after dinner of 30 miles that's a total of 860 miles traveled for the dinner date. If you complete the date by 11PM, (we'll assume you don't get lucky, simply because you're too anxious to get back behind the wheel) you should be back in Sunnyvale sleeping soundly by 2:30 AM.
A 125mph run up 101 on a Friday night would be hardly noticed.
It's a damn good thing you have a 928.

 

And a V-1.
Who said anything about 101? What a speed trap. What.??........is 125 so fast???? ( Not that I would know anything about these things.) Yes, it certainly is a damn good thing I have a 928.

 

GT is car two people choose to drive from New York to Los Angeles or from Nordkapp to Gibraltar as quickly as possible when they have unlimited choice what car to take.

 

Wanted one of these ever since reading about Dan Gurney and Brock Yates taking one cross country in the Cannonball Baker.

 

The Jenson Interceptor. No thanks.

 

I had a convertible Jensen Interceptor and the lines and look are much better. A Chrysler 440 didn't hurt either. It was a very nice car.

 

Or how about this one:

 

Actually, it was a performance option on the Tempest, then the Le Mans. And eventually the Ventura.

 

If I put the back seats in my 540iT down, does it qualify? I'm fairly certain it can carry a small suitcase in that configuration.

 

With respect to the Ferrari 365, that sure seems like it might have been in the photo pile of designs to emulate when Porsche started work on the 928 in 1971.

52/48 weight balance with a long hood. Sure seems possible to me.
BTW, before this thread, I had never heard of a Jensen Interceptor.
Or a Gremlin GT

 

Ferrari drivetrain configuration is exact same as 928 except details like dry sump and lower center of gravity torque tube and gearbox it allows.