Ford GT

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Lore & Background

The Ford GT began life as a concept car designed in anticipation of the automaker's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its 'heritage' names such as Mustang and Thunderbird. At the 2002 North American International Auto Show, Ford unveiled a new GT40 Concept car. Camilo Pardo, the then head of Ford's 'Living Legends' studio, is credited as the chief designer of the GT and worked under the guidance of J Mays. Carroll Shelby, the original designer of the Shelby GT 500, was brought in by Ford to help develop the GT; which included performance testing of the prototype car. While under development, the project was called Petunia. The GT is similar in outward appearance to the original GT40, but is bigger, wider, and most importantly 4 in (100 mm) taller than the original's 40 in (100 cm) overall height; as a result, a potential name for the car was the GT44. Although the cars are visually related, structurally, there is no similarity between the modern GT and the 1960s GT40 that inspired it. After six weeks from the unveiling of the GT40 concept, Ford announced a limited production run of the car. Three pre-production cars were shown to the public in 2003 as part of Ford's centenary celebrations, and delivery of the production version called simply the Ford GT began in the fall of 2004. A British company, Safir Engineering, who built continuation GT40 cars in the 1980s, owned the 'GT40' trademark at that time. When production of the continuation cars ended, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small Ohio based company called Safir GT40 Spares. This company licensed the use of the 'GT40' trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car. When Ford decided to put the GT40 concept to production stage, negotiations between the two firms failed as Ford did not pay the US$40 million the owners of the name demanded. Thus, the production cars are simply called the GT.

Reader's Guide

The Ford GT holds significance as a modern revival of the legendary GT40, which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four consecutive times from 1966 to 1969. Produced for the 2005 and 2006 model years, the GT was built in limited numbers—approximately 4,038 cars total—and served as a centerpiece of Ford's centenary celebrations. Its development involved key figures such as chief designer Camilo Pardo and consultant Carroll Shelby. The car featured advanced technologies for its time, including a superplastic-formed frame, aluminum body panels, and a 5.4 L supercharged V8 engine producing 550 hp. A naming dispute over the 'GT40' trademark led to the production car being called simply the GT. The GT's legacy includes a Heritage edition with Gulf Oil-inspired livery honoring the 1968 and 1969 Le Mans wins, and a modified version that set a standing mile speed record of 310.8 mph. The Ford GTX1, an aftermarket roadster variant, was also produced in limited numbers. The car's high demand initially drove prices well above the suggested retail price of US$139,995.

Did You Know?

• While under development, the Ford GT project was called Petunia.
• The left headlight cluster was designed to read '100' as part of Ford's centenary celebration.
• Ford did not pay the US$40 million demanded for the 'GT40' trademark, so the production car is simply called the GT.
• A modified twin-turbo Ford GT set a standing mile speed record of 310.8 mph (500.2 km/h).
• The Ford GTX1 roadster was inspired by an open-top GT40 conceived in the 1960s.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

Some people assume the Ford GT is a direct continuation or re-creation of the original GT40, but structurally the modern GT has no similarity to the 1960s GT40 that inspired it. Others mistakenly think the production car is called the GT40, but Ford could not secure the trademark and thus the production version is simply called the GT.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The Ford GT matters as a modern tribute to a legendary racing icon, reviving the spirit of a car that dominated Le Mans and defined an era of American engineering. Its limited production and direct lineage to Ford’s centenary celebration also underscore how automakers can honor heritage while pushing performance boundaries, ensuring the GT40’s legacy endures for new generations.