Reproducing a modern-day version of a legendary racing icon like the Ford GT40 would be a tough task for even the most experienced design and engineering team. Add to that a requirement that the new car look exactly like the old car while meeting all current safety and emissions standards without giving up an ounce of performance, and any lazy designer or engineer would avoid the assignment like the plague. But the guys on Ford’s now disbanded Special Vehicle Team (SVT) were not lazy. They knew what this resurrected icon meant to Ford and how important it was to transform the legendary racer into a modern masterpiece worthy of representing the Ford brand on its 100th birthday. There would be no second chances; this new car had to be the best performance machine America had to offer. Consider the mission a success. Not only did the team capture the look of the original GT40 but they also created a car capable of teaching the best exotics Europe has to offer a lesson while undercutting their price tags by half. The 500 horsepower, mid-engined, supercharged 2005 Ford GT was an instant hit around the globe, and with performance numbers like 0-60 acceleration in under four seconds and quarter-mile trap times measuring less than twelve seconds, the Ford GT lives up to everyone’s expectations.
