Imagine if all of the greatest supercars that were ever built were under one roof, which one would stand out? It would have to be the Ford GT. The Ford GT is an American icon first built in the sixties by Ford to challenge Ferrari.
When Ford brought back the Ford GT in 2016, it was greeted with a wealth of excitement. The return of the American icon meant that Ford once again had a car capable of challenging Ferrari. It was no coincidence that Ford relaunched the Ford GT on the 50th anniversary of its historic win at Le Mans, Ford's goal was to win the iconic endurance race once again.
The Ford GT is single handedly responsible for redefining the way the rest of the world perceived American supercars.
From its historic win at Le Mans, Carol Shelby's influence, and it's battle with Ferrari, the Ford GT has always been at the forefront of the supercar industry.
Ford vs Ferrari
Very few rivalries are able to transcend generations the way that this one does. The rivalry between Ford and Ferrari has been around since the 1960s. The rivalry between Ford and Ferrari is historic that it was turned into a movie, needless to say, it was an instant hit.
The rivalry between the two car manufacturers started when Henry Ford II decided to create a performance division of the Ford Motor Company, but instead of building a supercar from scratch, Henry decided that he would acquire one. The supercar that Henry Ford II had set his eyes on was the Ferrari.
Ford had agreed on a deal to buy a 90% stake in Ferrari, only for Ferrari to back out of the deal at the last minute, Henry Ford II was not happy. He decided that he would make his own supercar, one that would be able to challenge and even eclipse Ferrari. That supercar was the Ford GT40, an American original that was capable of competing with Europe's elite.
Henry Ford II wanted to crush Ferrari, so he enlisted the help of American hero, Carroll Shelby. Shelby was tasked with creating a car capable of beating the Ferrari at Le Mans, and he did. After a few trials along the way, Shelby eventually transformed the Ford GT40 into a supercar cap capable of winning Le Mans.
In 1966 the Ford GT40 won Le Mans, beating Ferrari on its way to a historic win. The GT40 went on to win Le Mans three more times, establishing itself as one the greatest cars ever built.
Return of the GT
For almost 30 years Ford did not make any supercars, at least none on the level of the Ford GT40. On the 100th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company, they brought back the Ford GT. The Ford GT was inspired by the iconic Ford GT40 and was only available for a limited period between 2004-2006.
The Ford GT had a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine that produced 550 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. The GT had a top speed of 205 mph and could go from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds. The Ford GT could also hold its own in a drag race, it could complete a quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds.
Ford GTs Swan Song
Ten years after Ford stopped making the GT, Ford brought it back for what it claims to be the final time. In true Ford style, they unveiled a new Ford GT at the Detroit auto show in 2015. The body of the Ford GT is made from carbon fiber, It has a 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine that produces 647 hp and has a top speed of 216 mph.
Reclaiming Le Mans
On the 50th anniversary of its first win at Le Mans Ford re-released the Ford GT with one thing on their mind, to conquer Le Mans once again. Ford's love affair with Le Mans was set to continue. The no.68 Ford GT claimed the victory ahead of bitter rivals Ferrari at the 2016 Le Mans endurance race. The victory came exactly 50 years after their historic 1,2, and 3 finish at Le Mans in 1966.
Ford GT Liquid Carbon
The Ford GT Liquid carbon has a bare carbon fiber body instead of the standard blue coat of paint synonymous with the new Ford GT. The special edition Ford GT takes three times longer to make than a standard Ford GT and will cost you around $750,000.
The New 2020 Ford GT Liquid Carbon has the same 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo engine found in a regular Ford GT, but unlike a regular Ford GT, the Liquid Carbon produces 13 more horsepower for a total output of 660 hp.
Ford GT Heritage Edition
Ford unveiled the new Ford GT Heritage Edition as a tribute to the historic Ford GT40. The car has the same gulf-oil racing livery paint scheme that was found on the GT40. The First Ford GT Heritage edition was sold at auction for $2.5 million, with the proceeds going to charity.
Ford GT MK II
The Ford GT MK II is the track version of the Ford GT. The MK II has a 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo engine that produces 700 hp, making it the most powerful Ford GT ever built. The car is a collaboration between Ford and Multimatic and only 45 of them will be made. The track-orientated MK II will be sold for $1.2 Million.