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generation GT in 2016, it designed and built a supercar that by in 2.9 seconds, a quarter-mile takes only 10.9 seconds
is light years ahead of the old one in so many respects. and top speed is all the way up to 217 mph.

Some comparisons between the original GT40 and new- And in terms of handling, the modern Ford GT set the
generation GT: all-time lap record at Virginia International Raceway. At
Calabogie Motorsports Park in Canada, the Ford GT was
No one knows exactly how many “original” GT40s were
built, in part because in those days record-keeping was not faster than a McLaren 675LT and a Ferrari 458 Speciale.
great and parts were often swapped out and pieced together High-tech aerodynamics play a key role in the current
from multiple sources, especially if a car had been in an Ford GT’s impressive handling prowess, as does the
accident. In addition, there were several distinct variants extensive use of carbon fiber to keep weight down.
of the original GT40, which had Mark I-Mark IV models. Movable front-air ducts and a large deployable wing
In any case, total production of the first-generation GT40 keep the car in perfect balance front to back, no matter
model was in the low hundreds of cars. what the speed.

When production of the new-generation Ford GTs In addition, hydraulic suspension changes ride height
began in 2016, Ford had originally intended to build when drive modes are changed from the cockpit. The
1,000 units, but upped that number to 1,350 because of suspension lowers the supercar nearly 2 inches when
higher-than-expected demand from buyers. the driver turns the knob from normal mode to track
mode. Such capabilities would have been unfathomable
In terms of specs, the first GT40s had 289 small-block
Ford engines, though it wasn’t long before big block in 1966.
427ci engines – essentially slightly detuned NASCAR And while the original Ford GT40 was a great race car,
powerplants - replaced the smaller engines. with all that’s been learned over the past half a century,
The big-block motors produced 485 horsepower and Ford has taken the concept of what was a great car then
475 ft/lbs of torque, enough to propel the 2,682-pound and improved it to what today is a world-class supercar.
Ford GT40 from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, with a And now is your opportunity to own a pristine, low-
quarter-mile time of 12 seconds flat at 129 mph and mileage 2018 Ford GT – and a very special ’67 Heritage
a top speed of up to 210 mph, though some estimates Edition at that. This kind of opportunity, like the car
were as low as 199 mph. The original GT40 Mk II had a itself, will be gone before you know it.
wheelbase of 95 inches, a coefficient of drag of 0.39 and – Tom Jensen
a height of 40.5 inches. Power was transmitted through For up-to-date information on this vehicle, visit Barrett-Jackson.com
a four-speed manual gearbox.
“The (Ford GT40) Mk II is a flexible car,” wrote Ron
Wakefield in the October 1966 issue of Road & Track.
“It isn’t quiet, of course, but with the big noises going
out the back it’s not horrendous; the ride is about that
of a street Cobra. There’s a realization of great structural
strength, but there are rattles all over.”
While the specs of the original GT40 were impressive,
especially for the mid-1960s, the new-generation GT,
like the one selling at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, are
simply mind-boggling: A 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged
Ford EcoBoost engine produces an eye-popping
647 horsepower and 550 ft/lbs of torque, which
is transmitted through a seven-speed automatic
transmission that produces lightning-fast gear changes.
The new GT is longer (106.7-inch wheelbase) taller
(43.7 inches high) and heavier (just over 3,000 pounds)
than the original, but it’s a lot faster, too: 0-60 mph flies

44 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE SPRING 2021