Cape Advanced Vehicles has been quietly building GT40-inspired machines in South Africa for close to three decades. More than 220 have rolled out of its workshop since the company first opened its doors, and that alone is a remarkable achievement for any low-volume specialist. But after all that time doing one thing exceptionally well, CAV has decided the moment is right to do something entirely different.
Meet the GT Mk II — a twin-supercharged brute producing 597kW (800hp) that draws clear visual inspiration from Ford’s legendary GT40, yet stands very much on its own terms.
A Modern Take on a Timeless Shape
At first glance, there’s something that takes a moment to place. The headlight design gives it away immediately — this is no recreation of a 1960s icon. The GT40 bloodline is evident as your eye moves across the body, but nobody is going to confuse this with a Ford product, whether that’s the original race car from Le Mans glory days or the modern Ford GT from the mid-2000s. The CAV GT Mk II is sleeker, more refined, and sits in a visual category all of its own.
It’s also considerably larger than the car it pays tribute to, which is very much a good thing if you actually plan to use it. There’s a proper luggage compartment, and while the doors don’t slice into the roofline in the classic GT40 fashion, the swan-wing configuration opens wide enough to make entry and exit genuinely civilised.
What Lies Beneath
CAV describes the GT Mk II as a restomod rather than a ground-up original. The car is built around an existing chassis, one that the company hasn’t officially named, constructed from a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre. Looking at the pillars and the roofline, there’s a strong case to be made that this is a second-generation Audi R8 that has been extensively restored and reimagined to create the final product.
Twin Superchargers and a 9,000rpm Ceiling
The engine is the story everyone will want to talk about. CAV has kept the Audi 4.2-litre V8 that originally sat behind the driver in the R8, but where Audi only ever offered that unit in naturally aspirated form, and only in the first generation, CAV has gone ahead and strapped on a pair of centrifugal superchargers feeding into a carbon fibre intake manifold.
Two superchargers. On a 4.2-litre V8. In 2025. It’s an unusual choice, and that’s precisely what makes it brilliant.
The result is 597kW (800hp) at 7,800rpm, with the engine pulling cleanly all the way to 9,000rpm. Peak torque comes in at 880Nm (649 lb-ft), a figure that, paired with that stratospheric rev ceiling, promises a driving experience unlike anything else on the road.
Gearbox, Chassis and Performance Figures
Three transmission options are on the table: a six-speed single-clutch semi-automatic as standard, a dual-clutch alternative for those who want faster shifts, and a manual for those who want the full experience. The manual is, obviously, the one to have.
All-wheel drive is standard across the range, and six selectable power modes allow the driver to dial in how much of that 597kW (800hp) they want at any given moment. The carbon fibre bodywork and aluminium structure keep the kerb weight to 1,347kg (2,970 pounds), which puts those headline figures into sharp context.
Zero to 100km/h (62 mph) takes 3.0 seconds flat, and the GT Mk II will run to a top speed of 328km/h (204 mph).
Suspension, Brakes and Exhaust
The hardware list doesn’t disappoint. KW Variant 4 three-way adjustable dampers sit at each corner, giving serious scope for setup changes whether you’re on road or track. Braking duties fall to Brembo callipers, eight-piston units up front and four-piston at the rear, clamping large iron discs. Carbon ceramic brakes are available on the options list for those who need even more stopping power.
The exhaust system is constructed from Inconel, an ultra-lightweight superalloy, and features active valve control for variable sound output. It’s the kind of detail that shows CAV hasn’t cut any corners in the engineering of this car.
40 Cars, 60 Years On
The timing of the launch is no accident. Cape Advanced Vehicles is releasing the GT Mk II to mark the 60th anniversary of Ford’s legendary 1-2-3 podium sweep at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966, one of the most celebrated moments in motorsport history.
Just 40 examples will be produced, a number chosen deliberately as a nod to the GT40 name. Twenty of those will wear Miles Blue metallic paint with the orange and gold livery you see in the launch images. Two further special editions are planned, and if CAV follows the Le Mans theme as expected, expect one to appear in black with silver stripes and another in gold and red.
The End of an Era
There’s a significant footnote to all of this. With the GT Mk II taking centre stage, CAV says the new model will replace its long-running GT replica, the car the company has been building continuously since 1999. That means the end of the road for the traditional replica that made the company’s name over the past 26 years, and the beginning of what is either a bold new chapter or a considerable gamble.
Given what CAV has revealed with the GT Mk II, the smart money might just be on the former.
