ford gt40

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You can own the original Mk 1 Ford GT 40 press car

There have been plenty of Ford racing cars over the years, but none have a legacy that can hold a candle to the GT40’s. The iconic racer took Ford to victory at Le Mans, earning it a starring role in the recent film “Ford vs. Ferrari.” Though they’re exceedingly rare, GT40s occasionally pop up for sale, and one of the more interesting early examples recently surfaced on the UK’s PistonHeads car sales site.

This Ford GT40 was the original press car issued to journalists in the UK for testing and photography. It was originally used as a show and display car, appearing at the Geneva Auto Show in 1967. It was repainted during that time, changing from its factory Opalescent Silver Blue to Metallic Borneo Green.

After its modeling career and a test drive by Formula 1 champ Graham Hill, the car was sold to a collector who repainted it yellow and took it vintage racing. The GT40 also appeared at the Goodwood Revival in 2007 before being returned to street spec and repainted in its original blue hue.

The Mk 1 road cars are super rare, with only 31 produced, though the entire GT 40 production run only includes 105 cars. Race-winning cars have sold for several million dollars, and a prototype hit almost $7 million at auction 10 years ago. This car’s backstory and gorgeous spec will likely drive its price deep into the millions as well. The price is available on request, and we’re willing to bet it’s a shocker.

That said, there is no shortage of reproduction cars, though they often carry hefty price tags of their own. Superformance offers a painstakingly accurate GT 40 that is so close to the original that parts are interchangeable between new and old cars. While not “real” GT 40s, the cars start at more than $150,000 just for the rolling chassis, and complete cars can sometimes reach a quarter-million dollars.

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October 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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The first Ford GT40 Roadster could sell for around $10 million

One of the coolest Ford GT40s that wasn’t used as a Le Mans racecar is going up for auction at Monterey Car Week. It’s the first of five GT40 Roadster Prototypes ever built, and it’s estimated that it’ll rake in between $7 and $9 million dollars on the auction block. RM Sotheby’s is hosting the auction on August 16 this year, the Friday before the Pebble Beach Concours.

There were 12 GT40 prototypes in total, seven being hardtops and the other five Roadsters. The car appears today as it did when it was originally built — it went through a full restoration in 1983 and also received a “substantial mechanical freshening” in 2003, both times making sure it didn’t veer from its original state. Prior to all of that, it was driven by folks like Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles and Jim Clark. The auction house says it’s the only Roadster that has marched through the decades without deviating from its original form and appearance, except for restorative efforts.

This machine never went toe-to-toe with Ferrari, but it was used as a test car to develop the Mark IV cars that eventually claimed victory at Le Mans. It’s been to vintage racing events and numerous high-profile car shows, including Pebble Beach just last year. If history and lineage means something to you, this car is also said to be the only GT40 that Henry Ford II ever stepped foot into — Carroll Shelby was behind the wheel for that drive.

All the history is great stuff, but we’re rather entranced by just looking at the thing in photos. Any GT40 is stunning stuff, and this Roadster is no different.

August 1, 2019 / Comments Off

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Superformance ‘Future GT Forty’ with turbocharged V6 coming to SEMA Show

Superformance has made plenty of GT40 replicas in the past, and it’s bringing a new one to this year’s SEMA Show that uses a modified version of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 out of the current Ford GT. No, the car isn’t built off the new GT’s chassis, but it ends up looking a bit like the GT from 2005 with a dash of the newest version in front. What makes these Superformance cars special is that they’re built on chassis designed to replicate the original GT40 as close as possible. About two-thirds of the steel chassis parts are completely interchangeable with the original car from the 1960s.

This one happens to have a weird name, Future GT Forty, but the folks over at Superformance appear to have created what looks like an awesome car to drive on paper. The twin-turbo V6 gets Garrett turbos and a fuel system by Aeromotive. A custom exhaust from Magnaflow plays the note out the back, while all engine installation work is handled by V’s Performance. You’ll get a Quaife five-speed manual transmission for this beast too — guaranteed to be more engaging than the seven-speed dual-clutch in the current GT. Ridetech Shockwave provided an air suspension, and HRE wheels get wrapped in sticky Michelin rubber. It’s been painted and stickered by Superformance and Hillbank Motorsports to complete the appearance’s effect.

Unfortunately, Superformance doesn’t provide any power or acceleration figures for the car. We’ll be driving the Future GT Forty after the 2018 SEMA Show to see what Superformance is capable of making, so look out for our first drive review. In the meantime, you’ll be able to check it out at the show in the Magnaflow booth come Oct 30.

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October 4, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 Ford GT ’67 Heritage Edition honors Le Mans legacy at Pebble Beach

In 1967, the all-American team of Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt claimed victory at Le Mans in a Ford GT40 Mark IV. Both drivers went on to become racing legends, and the GT40 has been continually celebrated, inspiring the Ford GT that the company sells today. As a tribute to that famous victory 50 years ago, Ford will honor the 1967 Le Mans car with the 2018 Ford GT ’67 Heritage Edition, which will be on display at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The limited-edition GT boasts glossy Race Red paint with white stripes, as well as the same No. 1 that the winning car wore at Le Mans half a century ago. It also features an exposed carbon package, silver 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, red brake calipers, and silver mirror caps. Inside, the car’s carbon fiber seats are trimmed with leather with red accent stitching. Steering wheel stitching and seat belt webbing are also red, and the paddle shifters are anodized gray. The door sills, air vents, and center console all sport matte carbon fiber. A serialized identification highlights the car’s rarity.

The ’67 Heritage Edition follows the ’66 edition of the GT that Ford debuted last year. That black and silver car honors the GT40 Mark II driven to Le Mans victory by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. We wouldn’t be surprised if Ford continues to make special editions in 2018 and 2019 as well, to honor the GT40’s 1968 and 1969 Le Mans victories.

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August 15, 2017 / Comments Off

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