As we discussed last week in our mention of another mid-2000s supercar heading to RM Sotheby’s annual Amelia Island auction, numbers are very important to the mythology of any automotive brand. The impetus behind re-imagining the classic Ford GT40 as a 21st century supercar was a number, after all—a celebration of the Dearborn-based company’s centennial. A note that was even referenced in the right-side headlight assembly, spelling out “100” in honor of the years since Henry Ford’s reputation was established by another performance car, named “Sweepstakes,” which beat the heavy favorite Harry Winton at the Grosse Pointe Race Track in October 1901, with Ford himself at the wheel, forever endowing his family firm with a high-performance heritage.
2006 Ford GT Heritage
Estimate: $480,000 - $520,000
Naturally, it was with recognition of this long company heritage that the Ford GT was built in the first place, but the Heritage edition specifically referenced the Blue Oval brand’s success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 and 1969, when the winning chassis number 1075 wore a blue-and-orange livery sponsored by Gulf Oil (which, in turn, elevated the GT40 to an even-more-legendary race car club).
For the Ford GT’s triumphant return to the world stage, company executives decided to create an even-smaller run of 343 special-edition examples with Heritage Paint Livery like this 2006 example, representing less than 10% of total production. The Epic Orange and Heritage Blue color scheme were finished with a white oval, on which the owner could put the number of their choosing.
On this example, that number is up for the new owner to decide. Originally, the winning Le Mans car wore the number 9, a fact which is reflected in a David Snyder oil painting, commissioned to match this example, also accompanying the sale.
The fact that the fate of this Ford’s numerology has yet to be determined provides a clue about the nature of this particular GT. A second clue to its unadulterated state is instantly revealed upon opening the GT’s signature, sculpted doors: The protective, dealer-issued covering still remains intact across the door sills, steering wheel, and driver’s seat, hinting at the fresh, as-new condition of this example.
It is no secret that values for the Ford GT are largely determined by the optional extras ordered (this is a “three-option” example, for instance) and the all-important total mileage. Living a pampered life since it was delivered new to Freedom Ford in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, this example showed a mere 2.7 miles on its odometer at the time of cataloguing; the original dealer notices are still hanging on the dashboard.
Prospective owners of Ford’s now-classic supercar want to experience what it felt like to collect the GT as-new. With ten cylinders of power, a manual transmission, and an aesthetic that hits the high notes of Ford’s mid-century racing heritage, the reborn Ford GT is an expression of automotive art that likely will not be equaled in the future, even by Ford themselves. This extremely low-mileage example, then, is as close as one could come to collecting the all-American icon from new; and it will be up to the new owner whether to drive it or keep it pristine for the next generation. Either way, a proud heritage.
