Ford has teamed up with the world’s leading mobile glass supplier to help build its next supercar.
The new Ford GT will feature a Corning-made Gorilla Glass hybrid windshield, pegged as 30% lighter than normal glass.
Corning is, of course, best known for supplying display glass for many leading smartphones – including the iPhone 6S, the Samsung Galaxy S6, and the LG G4.
The glass in the Ford GT is a little different however, designed specifically to be lightweight and robust for vehicle-grade applications.
“Gorilla Glass hybrid is a great example of how Ford works with suppliers to innovate in every area of our business,” says Ford VP Hau Thai-Tang.
He continues: “
Corning is supplying Ford with materials for the windshield, engine cover and bulkhead glass.
Ford says these improvements “positively impact acceleration, fuel economy and braking performance”.
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“During development, we tried different glass variations before we found a combination that provided both weight savings and the durability needed for exterior automotive glass,” says Paul Linden, Ford’s body exteriors engineers.
“We learned, somewhat counter-intuitively, that the strengthened interior layer of the windshield is key to the success of the hybrid window,” Linden adds.
Corning says that the glass, which is 25% to 50% thinner than traditional window laminate, was tested using projectiles, rollover trials and wind tunnels.
Note: The original title of this article was: “Ford’s next supercar is built with Gorilla Glass – just like your iPhone”. However, it should be noted that while iPhones are built using glass bought from Corning, Apple says it doesn’t use “Gorilla Glass” branded screens. The title has been amended to reflect this.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
