Why is the Ford GT Awesome? It’s Time to Get Up to Speed
From egos and rivalry came one of the greatest American supercars ever made.
Have you run across Donut Media yet? If you haven’t, this one video will give you a taste of what to expect from the rest of their content. You either like it or you don’t. James Pumphrey is a regular narrator, and in this video, he’s presenting the brief history of the Ford GT. If you’re wondering why the Ford GT is such a legend, or perhaps you’re fuzzy on the details, this one is worth a watch.
Pumphrey starts off, naturally, with the original. The GT40. How did the company that mass-produced the Model T decide to build a supercar of Ferrari-beating proportions? Well, in a bid to boost their performance reputation Henry Ford II was trying not to spend a bunch of money developing a car. They decided to purchase a struggling European exotic car manufacturer, that manufacturer was Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari was offended just before the deal was finalized when he found out the deal would have included the racing team as well. He snubbed Ford, which sparked a flame that developed into the GT40.
The competition was fierce, and with the help of Carroll Shelby and Holman Moody, the GT40 took the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in 1966. Notably, Le Mans was, and still is the crown jewel of the European racing world, hence the significance of an American team beating Ferrari there.
Now, fast forward to the current Ford GT, introduced in 2015. Ford goes racing again and wins the GTE class in their brand-new car. That’s introduction to victory in less than two years. To top it off, they won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, commemorating the 50-year anniversary of their 1-2-3 finish in 1966 with the original GT40.
What do you think about the new Ford GT? Drop a comment below and let us know.
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