Ford’s string of four back-to-back Le Mans victories back in the late 1960s showed the world that it could take on and beat the very best sports car manufacturers in the world.
Almost 40 years after that first 1-2-3 win in 1966 the road-going Ford GT was launched, to once again take on the established players and beat them at their own game, all the while retaining the old-school look and spirit that defined the original.
At $139,995 it was the most expensive road-going Ford ever but demand was so strong that many were soon changing hands for almost double that on the used car market. Thanks to its 550hp 5.4-liter supercharged V8 it could outperform a contemporary Ferrari 360 and its robust underpinnings made it far less temperamental than anything else with that kind of performance.
Production lasted just two years during which 4038 GTs were built. Values did initially dip after the initial excitement wore off but a good one these days is worth far more than that original sticker price.
While a few of these cars have been used as intended, some, like this Quicksilver Metallic example you see here, have lived a quiet life in various collections accruing the bare minimum of miles. With just 1564 miles registered on its odo, this 2005 Ford GT is about as close to brand new as you can get.
Currently available at specialists Canepa, it is said to be in absolutely perfect condition, so its new owner will have a difficult choice to make. Does he or she keep it as a static display, waiting for its value to keep rising, or do they hit the open road and appreciate it for what it was built to do? With the global move towards a digital driving experience, we feel that this raw drivers’ car has an intrinsic value far beyond just its dollar amount.
Images courtesy of Canepa
