To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ford Motor Company, a successor to the glorious Ford GT40 of the 1960s was unveiled in 2003. The GT’s design was a modern homage to the car that had achieved four consecutive Le Mans victories, between 1966 and 1969, and shared virtually every crease and line with the original GT40. However, under the retro bodywork was a fully modern drivetrain, with an all-aluminum 5.4-litre Modular V-8 with 32-valve cylinder heads, a new camshaft, and a Lysholm twin-screw supercharger providing a maximum 11.7 psi of boost, good for 550 horsepower and 500 foot-pounds of torque. Four-piston aluminum Brembo calipers with cross-drilled and ventilated rotors on all four wheels made sure to bring the vehicle to an abrupt stop from any speed.

In keeping with the GT’s legacy of besting Ferrari, America’s new supercar was just that. Its top speed of 205 mph and 0–60 mph time of 3.3 seconds put it in closer competition to the Porsche Carrera GT and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren than the intended benchmark, the Ferrari 360. It really was a Ford that could run against Europe’s best, and win – handily.

The 2005 model offered here, from the distinguished collection of Orin Smith, is finished in the iconic color of Mark IV Red and has all four available factory options: dual racing stripes (white), forged aluminum GT wheels, painted (red) brake calipers, and the McIntosh stereo – the ultimate configuration. Sold new in Petaluma, California, it remained in that state until 2009, and was then acquired for the Smith Collection in April of that year, at which time it had only 2,100 actual miles. It currently has 2,453 miles, reflecting its limited use and careful enjoyment, as does its immaculate, “like new” condition and presentation throughout. The original manuals in their folio are still with the car, as is the factory car cover in its original bag.

An excellent GT to either continue to preserve, or to drive and enjoy, this car has benefited from fresh maintenance and just fitted with a fresh set of tires. As such, it would be a superb addition to any modern supercar or performance-oriented collection.