Automotive legends are forged from driven characters, hardened steel, and victories, often both in the boardroom and at the racetrack. The Ford GT40's ongoing history is the penultimate tale of the making of a four-wheeled hero that set records, won the hearts of performance enthusiasts worldwide, and has been reborn to again fuel automotive passion.
After a failed attempt by Henry Ford II to work with Enzo Ferrari on a bid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1963, the once potential partnership turned into a personal grudge match. So, with assistance from British racecar builder Lola, Ford constructed its own GT car. Named for its 40-inch height, the GT40 ultimately bested the Italians in1966 with a phenomenal 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans, forever securing the GT40's place in infamy. Ford continued to dominate the world endurance racing circuit through 1969, when Ferrari withdrew from the series.
Decades later, the true car guys at Ford's Living Legends Studio have lovingly crafted the modern GT40 concept first shown at the 2002 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The same group that created the award-winning Thunderbird, Bullitt Mustang, and Forty Nine concept, sculpted and honed clay models into a shape that is unmistakably GT40. A significant departure from the angular 1995 interpretation dubbed GT90 that helped usher in the New Edge design aesthetic, the GT40 concept is a faithful rendition of the original in production-capable form.
"The GT40 concept should do three things: go fast, handle exceptionally, and look great," says Chris Theodore, Ford's vice president of North America Product Development. "To be true to its Ford heritage, we had to create a supercar that would be uniquely a Ford. Anyone can do technology showpieces, high-displacement engine, and modernistic designs, but there's much more to a GT40. There's heritage and heart. We think this car remains true to the spirit of its predecessors."
Lead by studio chief Camilo Pardo, the team worked through several iterations to effectively conjure the hero from Ford's storied past, resisting the temptation to sculpt harsh modern edges and minimize front overhang. The move away from defined computer-aided-design lines creates the defining organic, muscular appearance that stands in stark contrast to many of the show circuit's recent concepts.
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