Just a little over a week ago Ford completed an historic comeback by finishing first, third and fourth at the 24 hours of Le Mans with the No. 68 Ford GT of Sébastien Bourdais, Joey Hand, and Dirk Müller crossing the finish line at the historic road course as the LM GTE Pro class winner.
“Building a new car and racing it at Le Mans is a monumental task. We took it on and we conquered the biggest challenge in sportscar racing: the Le Mans 24 Hours.” said Mark Fields, president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company after watching his cars cross the finish line.
Now to honor the achievement that inspired this effort, Ford has announced they will produce a limited edition Ford GT heritage-themed car based on the GT40 Mark II that won Le Mans in 1966, piloted by racing legends Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, product development, and chief technical officer explains why, “The 2017 Ford GT ’66 Heritage Edition is a stunning tribute to the car that kicked off Ford’s string of Le Mans victories in 1966.”
In addition to the standard running gear – 600 hp 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine, carbon fiber body, aluminum subframes, adjustable suspension and more – the ’66 Heritage edition features a black exterior, silver stripes, #2 emblazoned in a white circle on the hood and doors, and 20-inch gold satin wheels with black lug nuts. This 2017 GT translates that iconic ’60s motorsports style for a modern era. As such it is available in either a matte or gloss exterior and sports an exposed carbon fiber trim package.
The ’66 Heritage GT also features several special interior details. The carbon fiber seats are wrapped in black leather with pillowed inserts. Leather also adorns the A-pillars, instrument panel and headliner. Completing the theme are gold accents on the shift paddles, headrest braces and instrument panel. The steering wheel is leather wrapped, just like the original racer, and the seatbelts are finished with Ford performance blue webbing.
If you were lucky enough to have your application accepted for a 2017 Ford GT, talk to your dealer now, because these cars will be rare. More information is available at FordGT.com