Ford has unveiled a new special edition of its Ford GT supercar, inspired by its iconic ancestor's first endurance win in the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental race.
The win, which was captured in the 2019 film Le Mans '66, began a magical season for the GT40 Mk II, with additional wins at Sebring and Le Mans. The GT Heritage Edition is the first GT to feature a livery famous for a race other than Le Mans.
Just 50 GT Heritage Edition cars will be available globally, of which less than 10 are likely to arrive in the UK, according to a Ford spokesperson. These will touch down early next year and will cost around £400,000.
The model is marked out by a white-black-and-red exterior that mimics the look of the 1966 Daytona-winning car, with red accents on the front fascia, roof leading edge and driver’s side door and underneath the rear wing.
An exposed carbonfibre bonnet contrasts with a mainly white body, while signature 98 roundel graphics complete the parallels between this car and the GT40 Mk II, which famously sported the number.
Inside, the GT Heritage Edition gains black suede detailing on the instrument panel, headliner and steering wheel and red detailing on the shift paddles and seats.
The car rides on 20in forged aluminium wheels paired with red Brembo monoblock brake calipers. Buyers can replace these with 20in, red-detailed carbonfibre wheels and black brake calipers for an extra cost.
The GT Heritage Edition retains the standard GT’s 3.5-litre V6 engine, generating 638bhp, which is relayed to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic gearbox. This allows the car to sprint 0-62mph in around 3.0sec and hit a top speed of 216mph.
Ford GT programme manager Mike Severson said: “For this Heritage Edition, the Ford Performance team went deeper into the Ford GT’s race history and crafted a limited-edition model that stylistically honors the 55th anniversary of the Daytona 24 Hour endurance race that would eventually lead to our successes at Le Mans.”
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A 2018 for sale at £900k. If you have the clout to get on the order form its going to be a great investment.