At the onset, let us tell you that the Ford GT GTX1 does not come built by Ford per se. Ford built the Ford GT, but it underwent several modifications to become the GTX1, none of which were made by Ford, although they did come approved by Ford. The car is rare, and vaunted although the desirability of the Ford GT is pretty up top as well.

But what makes the GTX1 so rare, who made it and why would anyone shell out more than half a million for it? These are some questions that need to be answered for people to realize it’s worth and give it a forever home, because this one, even at $595,000 is a steal as compared to what the current market rate of a classic Ford GT is today…

That said, a 2005-2006 Ford GT can be had for about half of this amount, for $300,000 or thereabouts. So is the Ford GT GTX1 worth its astronomical price? Let’s go into its history and specs to find out what makes it all that special…

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Made By Mark Gerish

Long Before The Ford GT GTX1 Was Made, Gerrish Made A Convertible Ferrari 250 GTO
via DriveTribe

There’s Ford and there’s Mark Gerish. The latter being a college dropout who can turn any car into a veritable masterpiece. Long before the Ford GT GTX1 was made, Gerish made a convertible Ferrari 250GTO. Clearly, taking a hacksaw to a car worth a ton of money did not deter him in the least.

When Gerish saw the Ford GT, he saw the promise of something better, even though initially, Ford was not all that interested considering the Ford GT was selling like hotcakes. But when they wanted to do something special for the 2005 SEMA with the GT, Mark Gerish and the Genaddi Design Group popped back into the picture.

The first order of things was to turn the Ford GT into a convertible, and this did not happen by simply chopping off the roof. Many of the body panels had to be swapped by specially fabricated panels, and this how the hardtop Ford GT turned into the Targa-top Ford GT GTX1. In this way, Gerish also removed the impractical doors that the GT had, making parking a whole lot easier for everyone.

The suspension was layered and now hung lower, and while the engine was retained, it too underwent many modifications including a new exhaust and some massive retuning. The car looked good, better than the GT. While one has to say that the rigidity of the car may have been compromised a bit because of all the modifications, in no way was this a weakling.

So good was the car, that Ford endorsed it and let Mark Gerish make and sell as many as he wanted.

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The Impressive Specs Of The GTX1

So Good Was The GTX1, That Ford Endorsed It And Let Mark Gerrish Make And Sell As Many As He Wanted
via Mecum

The Ford GT at the time jetted 550 horses, the GTX1 took this number higher and it now stood at 700 horses, which is still more than the power of the Ford GT today. The acceleration was mind-blowing and the distinctive howl was another thing that blew fans away and made it sound way more violent than the GT. The glass cover on the engine added to the whole charm of the car, and it looked more like a Porsche Carrera GT than a Ford GT at the end of it.

The Ford GT, at the time in 2005, was priced at $140,000. Gerish's GTX1 added another $38,000 to the same, making it cost $178,000 back then. In today’s money, this is almost equivalent to $215,000, but for a 700-horsepower car on a manual transmission, and a convertible, it was well worth the price then, and now.

A total of 50 Ford GT GTX1’s were made, so for a car this rare, it's only fair that prices stay up and above the half-a-million mark.

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The $595,000 Model

The Ford GT At The Time Jetted 550 Horses, The GTX1 Took This Number Higher And It Now Stood At 700 Horses
via Carscoops

The car was such a hit that Gerish and Ford felt that they could build 500 GTX1. But not even 100 were made and reports vary, putting the actual number of cars at anything between 38 and 50, built by Gerish and the Genaddi Design Group.

This particular car is supposed to be the sixth GTX1 made, and painted in a shade called Mark II Black Clearcoat, wearing silver racing stripes. Obviously, it looks like a dream and has only 1,755 miles on the meter, making this a rarely used car, as well as a rare one. It is also registered with Shelby American Automobile Club Registry and was featured on Motor Trend's Bitchin' Rides as well.

The asking price of $595,000 may sound steep but basically is only fair given the supercar performance of this beauty. Currently listed by RK Motors in Charlottesville, the clock is ticking on this one. Would you be the one driving it home? Whosoever shells the requisite  $600,000 for this car will be one proud owner, for the car is as beautiful as it is powerful and its rare numbers make it a long-term collectible.

Sources: DriveTribe, Carscoops, CarandDriver, RKMotors

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