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You'll have to apply to purchase a Ford GT

With the 2017 Ford GT rumored to cost around $400,000, an anonymous insider says that the company is taking a very exclusive approach in deciding who gets to own these supercars. The Blue Oval isn't forgetting its roots, though, and some current customers might get the first crack at the coupe's extremely limited production numbers. Reddit user 3031983 claims to work at a dealer and have access to an internal Ford website, which is where this info comes from. The ordering process for the latest GT begins in early 2016, and any interested buyers need to file an application with Ford first. Anyone can submit the request, but Ford is giving top priority to current GT owners. Once selected, customers will be walked through the personalization process and will eventually complete the purchase through a dealer certified to sell the GT. Autoblog reached out to Ford, and the company confirmed that all of the user's details are accurate. The concierge-style service certainly isn't uncommon with other high-end vehicles, though. It's also understandable that the Blue Oval would want to work closely with wealthy, enthusiast buyers, rather than just shipping its supercar off for dealers to sell. The user also reports that Ford is limiting global production of the GT to just 250 units a year, which the company confirms. That makes the Blue Oval's supercar truly exclusive for its early life. For comparison, Ferrari only built 499 LaFerraris, and there were 918 Porsche 918 Spyders. Related Video:

Ford adding second supplier for F-150 frames

Metalsa, the company that builds steel frames for the aluminum-bodied Ford F-150, is still having trouble providing enough frames to supply the two factories that build the pickup. The snafu is preventing Ford from selling as many of the country's best-selling truck as it could, and eating into profits - even though the bottom line is still breaking company records. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ford has picked Michigan company Tower International as a second frame supplier and expects to have inventory up to a proper level at the beginning of Q4 of this year. Neither Ford nor Tower would confirm the development - Automotive News got comments from a source and pieced together bits of info from Tower's financial statements and local press reports. Tower currently builds body structures for several vehicles, including the F-series, and the Bellevue, Ohio factory that will build F-150 frames previously manufactured frames for the Ranger and Econoline. According to a story in the local Sandusky Register, Tower will add one production line at the end of next month to begin shipping frames in October, and another line in April 2016. Something like 138 full-time workers and 364 robots are expected to carry out the work. Tower's most recent financial statement said that capital investment will be necessary to get everything set up, but the contract will be worth $140 million in yearly revenue.

Xcar gets the scoop on Ford's strategy for the GT at Le Mans in 2016

Ford's plan to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 with the latest GT might have been one of the worst kept secrets in motorsports in recently memory. Even before the road car debuted at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, rumors were flying about the Blue Oval's strategy. The wait for the official announcement just before this year's race was certainly a long one, but it was probably worthwhile just to see the competition version's spectacular looks. Xcar recently got the chance to interview Ford about the company's objectives for the new racer's development. Both the GT racing and street programs are meant as ways to advance cutting-edge technology and potentially let it trickle down to less-expensive models in the future. This is especially the case when it comes to finding ways to make carbon fiber cheaper and better. Of course, the supercar is also a showcase of what Ford can do competitively, and apparently there are patent-pending suspension parts the company isn't even talking about yet. Ford would love to score a class victory at Le Mans next year, and is pretty clear here and in its earlier promo video that it sees Ferrari as a major rival in the race. While that makes sense historically, the cross-town competitors at Corvette could be an even bigger challenger. That squad has a more recent legacy of success in the 24-hour challenge, including a victory in the GTE-Pro class this year. Related Video: