Ford’s original GT40 won the grueling Le Mans 24-Hour race four times from 1966 to 1969. Adapted from an Eric Broadley-designed British Lola race car and developed and refined by Carroll Shelby and a crack team of engineers, the Ford GT40 won every major race in which it was entered with drivers like Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Bob Bondurant and A.J. Foyt behind the wheel. A few road-going versions were built, and numerous reproductions exist, but until 2005 Ford Motor Company had not built a modern GT40 with comparable performance. This 2005 Ford GT is a contemporary recreation of the phenomenal GT40 race car. Built around an alloy space frame with an aluminum and composite skin, the sleek body resembles the old GT40s, but it’s roomier inside, more roadworthy and quicker than the 7.0L big-block original. It’s actually 18 inches longer and 4 inches taller than the GT40. Packing a 5.4L DOHC supercharged and intercooled V-8 developing 550 HP at 6,000 RPM and 500 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM, the new GT streaks from zero to 60 MPH in just 3.4 seconds and on to a 205 MPH top speed. Race-inspired 14-inch front and 13.2-inch rear four-piston, cross-drilled and ventilated Brembo disc brakes stop the Ford GT from 70 MPH in just 153 feet. At just 44 inches tall and retaining the original GT40’s distinctive styling cues, the modern Ford GT could outperform a Ferrari Stradale or a Porsche 911 GT3. The GT’s V-8 is backed by a Ricardo 6-speed manual transmission. Its independent front and rear suspension features unequal-length control arms, coil springs and anti-roll bars. Standard equipment included 18-inch aluminum front wheels and 19-inch rears, high-intensity discharge headlamps, Sparco carbon-fiber front bucket seats with leather seating surfaces, a leather-wrapped tilt/telescoping steering wheel, air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD stereo, driver and passenger airbags, an anti-theft system and a car cover. Offered options included a McIntosh 260-watt Audiophile Stereo System, BBS forged-aluminum one-piece wheels, red or gray brake calipers, a painted center racing stripe—as opposed to the standard decal stripes—and side stripe delete. Handling rivals any European supercar of its era. There’s no traction control, skid control and other swishy electronics; driver skill is essential for this car. The reward is a ride that looks like it just left the race track. Inside, a big 220 MPH speedometer and an 8,000 RPM tachometer cap a classy leather interior that’s as svelte as a Porsche’s. Best news of all was the sticker; at $149,995, it was a bargain compared to Ferrari 360 Modenas and Lamborghini Gallardos. Ford built just 4,038 examples, and today they trade for more than double the original price. Munz’s GT is No. 2027, just one of 502 examples built to this specification, and he drove it in the Utah “Fast Pass” event in 2009. Powered by a potent supercharged 5.4L/550 HP V-8 engine paired with a Ricardo 6-speed rear transaxle, this 2005 Ford GT sports a Mark IV Red paint finish with white Le Mans stripes, an exterior combination featured on only 766 of the 2,022 Ford GTs produced for model year 2005. A highly collectible example with all four factory-available options including the aforementioned stripes, this GT is further equipped with red- painted brake calipers, lightweight BBS forged aluminum wheels and an audiophile-quality McIntosh AM/FM/CD stereo system. A true modern automotive icon that celebrates an inspired design process and victorious competition heritage, this “four option” 2005 Ford GT is ready to collect and enjoy.
