In 1969 Ford would take their fourth straight and last overall victory in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. This edition of the race was supposed to be a Porsche, Ferrari affair for the victory, with the GT 40 now considered a bit old by racecar standards. Through attrition and a steady, reliable pace; the blue and orange Gulf petroleum backed, John Wyer managed Ford GT 40 of Jackie Ickx and Jackie Oliver would emerge victorious by the smallest of margins over the Porsche 908 of Hans Hermann and Gerard Larrousse.

To illustrate the unexpected and exciting climate that the 1969 race finished, we offer these excerpts from the race report in the September 1969 issue of Road & Track magazine with approximately an hour left in the grueling event:

“…then the ever youthful veteran Hans Hermann set off, the full load of Porsche responsibility on his shoulders, just as Ickx tore through. The crowd could scarcely contain themselves at the excitement. Next lap the Porsche and the Ford were nose to tail; 15 yards apart the lap after; shuttling back and forth as the last laps unreeled. With under an hour left, Hermann came through ahead; next round Ickx repassed; the round after that Hermann led again; then it was Ickx again…

A mere 15 seconds before 2 PM and the finish, the pair fled past the pits, thereby having to cover another desperately tense lap while the flag, going out at 2 PM precisely, ended the race. At last they came into sight, blue 100 yards in front of white, and it was Ford the victors from Porsche – just! Oliver charged though the legs of the police line, and the two triumphant Jackies met on the roof of their gallant GT 40.

The results tell the rest of the tale. Of how the ancient GT 40s took 1st, 3rd and 6th places and won the Index of Thermal Efficiency, really gilding their place in the Hall of Fame….whew, what a race!”

The 1968 race was also won by a Gulf Ford GT 40 with Bianchi and Rodriguez; additionally Wyer would lead the Porsche effort in the 1970s with these famous colors. Is it any wonder that when Ford would reintroduce a road-going Ford GT to the public nearly 40 years later they would feel the urge to commemorate these wins and numerous others in period with a car in the legendary Gulf colors? It would be in 2006, the second production year - which this $13,000 option Heritage Edition would be available. The vibrant colors are gorgeous, but mean so much more than aesthetics to the famed racing legacy of the Ford GT.

Following the GT 90 concept of 1995, Ford unveiled the GT in 2002, to celebrate the Blue Oval’s 100th year, and left no doubt as to its dazzling racing heritage. The new GT was much more than a mere design resemblance. It was a supercar the likes of which Detroit had never before produced, capable of lightning-fast sprints of 0- to 60-mph in well under four seconds, yet tremendously competent in every other discipline of travelling quickly and competently. On top speed alone, it surpassed the Porsche Carrera GT and Mercedes-McLaren SLR. It was even setting new lap records on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife, faster than many of the highly-developed cars from Porsche.

Power comes from a supercharged 5.4-liter dual overhead cam V-8 producing 550-hp that bellows the proper V-8 racing-type exhaust note. This is matched with a Ricardo six-speed manual transaxle featuring a helical limited-slip differential. The engine also has a dry-sump oil system. The brakes are four-piston aluminum Brembo calipers with cross-drilled and vented rotors at all four corners. With great visual effect, when the rear canopy is opened, the rear suspension components and engine are obvious and impressive.

Featuring space-age construction technologies, the GT was produced in four distinct stages, with initial assembly at Norwalk, Ohio’s Mayflower Vehicle Systems; paint by Saleen at the Saleen Special Vehicles facility in Troy, Michigan; engine assembly at Ford’s Romeo, Michigan engine plant; followed by engine and transmission installation (plus interior finishing) at Ford’s former Wixom, Michigan plant. Every car was dyno-tested to insure power output and systems efficiency.

Standing only 44.25-inches tall, the Ford GT features many distinct technologies, including formed frame, aluminum body panels, roll-bonded floor panels, a friction stir welded center tunnel, a "ship-in-a-bottle" gas tank, a cap-less fuel filler system, one-piece door panels and an aluminum engine cover with a one-piece carbon-fiber inner panel. Standard safety equipment includes frontal airbags, antilock brakes and a tire inflation kit instead of a spare tire.

Of the 4,500 GTs originally planned, approximately 100 were to be exported to Europe, starting in late 2005. An additional 200 were destined for sale in Canada. Production ended in 2006 without reaching the planned build number the final tally was registered as 4,038 total cars built over the 2004 to 2006 period.

This “Heritage” Ford GT is one of 343, or 17 percent of 2006 production and this era of Ford GT received its own chapter in the “World Registry of Cobras & GT 40s” in which this car is included. With careful ownership from new, this outstanding Ford GT has its original window sticker and this notes that the car is equipped with the $4,000 McIntosh AM/FM/CD stereo system, the $3,500 lightweight BBS forged-aluminum wheels, and the $750 painted Brembo brake calipers, in this case, in red. As previously mentioned; the Heritage paint scheme was a $13,000 option. The GT also has all of its owner's manuals.

In original condition, the Ford GT is reported as Carfax certified one owner from new with 34,000 original miles and "driven like it should be." It also has a clean AutoCheck and is further noted to have been regularly serviced and also has factory dealer-installed Ford performance exhaust which fully exploits its magnificent engine sound. Full nose 3M paint protection film, new tires, white number rondels and owner’s manual are also park of the package. Additional equipment includes Ebony leather interior, air conditioning, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, foglamps, remote keyless entry, airbags, ABS, leather interior trim elements, carbon fiber elements; power windows, steering and brakes amongst the many head-turning and mechanically advantageous aspects that this car commands.

The 2006 Ford GT is a modern reincarnation of the famous 1960s racecar and looks and performs in a manner every bit as dashing as the original. This one is ready to be driven "with no worries."