When Road & Track magazine finally got an opportunity to take a close look riding as a passenger in the then-new Ford GT 40 in their May 1965 issue, it had recently scored its first victory in the February 1965 Daytona Continental 2,000 Kilometers with Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby sharing driving duties. The famed 1966 Le Mans 1-2-3 sweep was still nearly one year away. It was observed that the Ford GT 40 “gets an awful lot of power to the ground as soon as the power is needed. In direct contrast to other competition cars, driver comfort was obviously a concern of the designer, so that the GT can be driven for long periods without making undue demands on the stamina of the driver. The noise level is comparatively low inside the car, and the flow of fresh cool air through the driving compartment is carefully controlled….It is apparent that the Ford GT is one of the most sophisticated competition cars ever built.”

It is with these accolades in mind, along with the rich history of numerous World Sportscar Championship wins that for the 100th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company, Ford decided to revive its legendary supercar after teasing the public with numerous concept cars.

The first Ford GTs reached their owners in late 2004, and it was clear that Ford had a fantastic car on their hands; one that was handedly capable of surpassing the Porsche Carrera GT and Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR and coming perilously close to the Ferrari Enzo in terms of top speed, all for just a fraction of the cost. With a nearly identical silhouette to the original GT40, the heritage was undeniable, and it was destined to be an instant classic.

Ford wanted to show that at 100 years old and 40 years after the GT 40 program began, it was still capable of producing a world-class supercar. Ford even released a commercial during Super Bowl XXXVIII that proclaimed the new Ford GT to be the “Pace Car for an Entire Company,” which was a bold statement coming from a company that at the time owned both Jaguar and Aston Martin.

This 2005 Ford, according to documentation from Ford Performance, is vehicle #1868 of a build of 2,022 for the 2005 model year; only 4,038 in total production would be realized over the entire construction period. It is also #211 of 237 finished in Mk II Black. To further add to the rarity, this Ford GT was also ordered as one of 58 Mk II Black cars with the painted over-the-body racing stripe not ordered and the tape side stripes deleted; it is also one of 11 Mk II Black stripe-delete cars that received the grey brake calipers. It is clear that this is a very special 2005 Ford GT; the approximate 2,500 miles on the odometer are actual and illustrates the careful treatment that this car has received.

The Ford-supplied window sticker copy shows the Ford GT first arriving at Ramp Motors, Inc. in Port Jefferson Station, New York. Naturally, the finish of the car today is consistent with the specifications denoted on the window sticker copy; Mk II Black with no racing stripe and side stripe delete. It also is optioned with the forged lightweight BBS aluminum wheels ($3,500), which are fitted with Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, McIntosh Audiophile Sound System ($4,000) and the grey painted brake calipers ($750). The standard equipment is plentiful and includes such features as a forged aluminum capless refueling system; leather-trimmed seats with carbon fiber structure; leather interior trim on the door panels, armrest, header, bulkheads and pillars; air conditioning, tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel, stainless steel dual exhaust, high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights, airbags and remote keyless entry.

A peek in the engine bay reveals lots of aluminum finish, including the structural bracing, which provides ample indication of the engine’s potency. Being that this is represented by a midship-mounted dual overhead cam 5.4-liter, 550-hp aluminum V-8 engine with sequential multi-port fuel injection with dual injectors per cylinder and a Roots-type supercharger – it is easy to conclude this car is purpose-built for performance. This renowned powerplant is paired to a Ricardo six-speed manual transaxle. The 106.7-inch wheelbase platform also has four-wheel independent suspension with double wishbones and Brembo antilock four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. Taking pride in adding in the “Gas Guzzler” tax, plus the Destination and Delivery charge and the MSRP totaled $161,595 out the door when new.

As time progresses in the age of the modern supercar, it is clear that the industry has entered a new age of design for its high-speed automobiles. Many manufacturers are opting to use paddle-shift transmissions and hybrid powertrains in order to make their cars as fast as possible, while also arguably removing the amount of driver skill and effort requisite to tame such a high-strung automobile. The Ford GT is considered by many to be one of the last great analog supercars, and as a result, they have been highly sought-after by collectors since the minute they left factory grounds. Ford GTs, with undeniable visual connections to one of the greatest racing cars of all time, have already proven to be collectible. In the 12 years since the first GT rolled off the production line, Ford’s new GT has proven to be nothing short of a modern-day classic. It was produced in limited numbers, its design harkens back to one of the greatest racing cars of all time, and it has looks to kill, making it easily one of the most iconic automobiles built and designed in the early 21st century.