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40 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE SPRING 2024CROSSING THE BLOCK2005 FORD GT SELLING WITH NO RESERVE AT PALM BEACHBRED FROM ACHAMPIONWhile clearly paying homage to the allconquering GT40s that conclusively overtook Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 and ruled that storied race through 1969, the Ford GT of 2005-06 was a totally new design featuring cutting-edge engineering, materials and construction. However, it is people who bring such magnificent machines to life, and credit for the modern Ford GT goes to chief designer Camilo Pardo, a dyed-in-the-wool car enthusiast who moved with his family from New York to Detroit at the impressionable age of 10 as the glorious original American high-performance car movement unfolded at ground zero. Pardo’s design experience is vast and his influence on the automotive industry remains profound today, thanks in no small part to his deep appreciation of the legendary cars that achieved stardom throughout his formative years. His entry into automotive design came at a particularly challenging time in the automotive industry, with domestic manufacturers grappling with massive numbers of competing imports while adapting to the growing volumes of emissions, fuel economy and safety legislation. After graduating from Detroit’s Center for Creative Studies in 1985, Camilo was hired by the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Michigan, and his assignments were farCROSSING THE BLOCK