Perhaps one of the most famous stories in the history of sports car racing is the story of the inception of the Ford GT40. Enzo Ferrari was interested in selling the road-car division of his company, so he approached Ford in early 1963, and lawyers were quickly put to work on both sides of the Atlantic to draft a contract. However, upon seeing the final contract, Enzo believed that he was not given enough freedom or control with the racing section of the new company and refused to sign.

Seemingly overnight, Henry Ford decided that if he couldn’t buy Ferrari, he would just have to beat them at their own game. Victory on the track would bring sweet, sweet revenge to Dearborn for this deal gone sour, and so it did. The GT40 utterly dominated at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969, with three examples sweeping the podium in 1966.

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.

This 2005 Ford, wearing production number 57, was one of the earliest GTs to come off the production line, and it is outfitted with “all the options,” which, in the world of Ford GTs, means $5,000 painted body stripes, a $4,000 McIntosh CD stereo system, $3,500 lightweight BBS forged aluminum wheels, and $750 red Brembo brake calipers. In addition to these options, the owner opted to have an upgraded exhaust system installed. It was specifically designed to help the car run more efficiently and at a cooler temperature, and as a result, it was given the blessing from Ford’s engineers as a factory-approved part for the GT. This car has been fastidiously maintained since new and has always been serviced by Ford dealerships that are equipped to work on the GT. Documentation of this GT includes service receipts, the original window sticker, photos of the car during its construction, and a letter signed by Ford engineers, indicating that this GT was driven for additional testing at Ford’s proving grounds. Additionally, it recently received its 5,000 mile service and is ready to drive and be enjoyed in every respect.

As time progresses in the age of the modern supercar, it is clear that we have entered a new age of 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, and this example, which boasts all four factory options and has accumulated less than 5,100 miles since new, is certainly worthy of consideration.