The LeMans endurance race victory has always been one of the most sought-after race wins for almost all high-performance car makers. In the 1960s, Enzo Ferrari was dominating the LeMans for a continuous winning streak of 6 years, in which Ferrari obviously won 1st for 6 years, but they also won 2nd along with the victory.
That means the first second and for a few years the third position was also held by Ferrari. No other manufacturer was able to compete with Ferrari, until Ford decided that enough is enough. Let’s see how the Ford GT40 was born.
The 1966 Ford GT40
So now, the Ford Motor Company was keen on defeating Ferrari at the LeMans and breaking their streak. Hence, the Ford GT40 was born. Initially built in the UK, the Ford GT40 MK2 proved itself as it went on to defeat Ferrari for first, second and even the third position.
The MK2 was the one that went on to win the LeMans with a larger 7.0-litre engine. This engine helped Ford win the LeMans as it was incredibly powerful and reliable. The MK2 was equipped with a 4 speed manual transmission to deal with the racer’s heavy torque. Today, the MK2 GT40 is regarded as one of the most legendary race car of all time.
2005 Ford GT – Rebirth Of A Legend
After 7 failed attempts to bring a mid-engined sports car to the road, Ford finally decided to just copy the design of its original GT40 and make it newer and safer. Who knew such a hilarious idea would eventually move on to creating one of the most iconic and legendary sports car of all time?
The Ford GT debuted in 2005, and its production was confirmed at the 100th anniversary for the Ford Motor Company. The Ford GT was literally just a modern reinterpretation of the legendary GT40. Under the rear was a 5.4-litre supercharged V8 mounted just afront the rear axle, making 550 Horsepower.
The Ford GT was now an instant icon, 6-speed manual, supercharged mid-mounted v8, and the handsome design of the GT40 made everyone drool. The GT could accelerate from 0-100 in just 3.3 seconds and had a top speed of over 320KM/H.
Ford GT – Interior
The interior was incredibly crisp. It followed a simplistic race car route, which is where it hid its charm. It had 7 analogue gauges mounted just in the driver’s view and an aluminium shift knob. The interior was maintained with a classic racecar philosophy that gave this vehicle it’s charm to sell out quickly.
Ford GT 2016 – Another LeMans Victory!
The 2016 Ford GT won its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, specifically the LM GTE-Pro category, with the #68 car driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Joey Hand, and Dirk Muller. This victory occurred on June 19, 2016, exactly 50 years after Ford’s first overall victory at Le Mans in 1966. The 2016 win was in the same class as the 1966 victory, where Ford achieved a 1-2-3 finish with the GT40.
This, yet again, made the Ford GT an icon, and now the new one was even more handsome and desirable. The 2016 Ford GT debuted with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that made 647 HP which is paired with a 7-speed Getrag dual-clutch transmission. This might sound like a downgrade, but the newer Ford GT was an absolute track behemoth, as evident from the 2016 LeMans victory.
The Design Philosophy roughly remained the same, and the car was very much recognisable as the iconic Ford GT. Now the new one was even more sophisticated with an active rear wing, front air intake and side intakes. The side intakes were so dramatic and massive on this car, you could fit a whole person through it. The demand was so high for the new GT that Ford had to increase its production from 500 to 1500 Units.
Ford GT And GT40 – Modern Day Value
2005 Ford GT
- Current Value: Approximately 297,000 to 638,000 USD
- Converted to AED: 1,089,990 to 2,341,460 AED
2006 Ford GT
- Current Value: Approximately 360,000 to 1,375,000 USD
- Converted to AED: 1,321,200 to 5,046,250 AED
2016–2017 Ford GT
- Current Value: Approximately 852,500 to 2,500,000 USD
- Converted to AED: 3,128,675 to 9,175,000 AED
ord GT40 (1960s)
- Current Value: Approximately 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 USD
- Converted to AED: 18,350,000 to 25,690,000 AED
Ford GT Verdict – Infinite Legacy!
The Ford GT and the GT40 will remain as one of the most iconic race cars of all time, with customers demanding these cars even today. The used market has treated these cars like royalty, as evident from the pricing above, and the Ford GT is one of the most sought-after raw sports cars even today.
