The Ford GT is America’s only Le Mans-winning supercar, and taking this pinnacle of Ford Performance even further for 2021, Ford is revealing two new enhancements today – the first-ever Heritage Edition inspired by the original model’s first endurance win at the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental race, plus an all-new Studio Collection package offers even more exclusivity and design enhancements.
“For this Heritage Edition, the Ford Performance team went deeper into the Ford GT’s race history and crafted a limited-edition model that stylistically honors the 55th anniversary of the Daytona 24 Hour endurance race that would eventually lead to our successes at Le Mans,” said Mike Severson, Ford GT program manager. “Plus, for customers who want to highlight the carbon-fiber body and functional cooling ducts that help deliver Le Mans-winning performance, the Ford GT Studio Collection offers another new way GT fans can personalize their supercars.”
The announcement of two new variants of the Ford GT were the highlights at the conclusion of 2020 Petersen Car Week, which started airing Wednesday on the museum’s YouTube channel. The virtual event featured 25 hours of original content from manufacturers and enthusiasts, along with automotive lifestyle and auction house activities.
First-ever Daytona-inspired Ford GT Heritage Edition
The latest Heritage Edition to join the storied Ford GT supercar family is a tribute to the winner of the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental, where Ford achieved its first 24-hour endurance win, which is captured in the 2019 film “Ford v Ferrari” – or “Le Mans ’66,” as it is known in Europe.
Co-drivers Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby led a 1-2-3-5 Ford domination at Daytona, kicking off a magical season for the Ford GT40 MK II, with additional 1-2-3 wins at Sebring and Le Mans. This Heritage Edition is the first to feature a livery famous for a race other than Le Mans.
“Miles and Ruby led nearly every lap of the 24-hour race and outpaced the competition by 30 miles,” said Severson. “The win was the first time anyone had threatened Ferrari’s dominance in sports car racing and represented a turning point in the Ford GT race program.”
Inspired by the bold white, black, and red exterior of the 1966 endurance-winning Ford GT40 MK II race car, the new 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition features Frozen White exterior paint with exposed carbon fiber hood adding stark contrast. Asymmetrical Race Red accents on the front fascia and roof edge, driver’s side door, and underneath the rear wing add distinct visuals, while exposed carbon fiber shapes the signature 98 roundel graphics and speak to the supercar’s lightweight body. Unique Ford graphics on the lower rear-quarter panels plus one-piece Heritage Gold 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels paired with red lacquered Brembo monoblock brake calipers complete this new exterior livery.
Inside, the lightweight driver-centric interior features unique appointments including black Alcantara® suede wrapping the instrument panel, headliner, and steering wheel rim, while anodized red paddle shifters and red Alcantara suede performance seats add dramatic contrast to the interior.
For customers looking for an even bolder look, an optional Heritage Upgrade Package includes 20-inch exposed carbon fiber wheels with a unique gloss red-painted inner accent barrel, while monoblock brake calipers are lacquered in black and detailed with Brembo lettering in red.
Inside, ghosted 98 roundels provide subtle contrast on both driver and passenger carbon fiber door panels of this package.
All-new Ford GT Studio Collection graphics package
Ford Performance also pulled the wraps off an exclusive series new to the supercar lineup, the Ford GT Studio Collection. This all-new graphics package with customizable colors highlights key styling elements, including the functional cooling ducts that help the 2021 Ford GT deliver all 660 horsepower during the most strenuous, high-temperature sessions at the track.
Its unique exterior graphics package was born of a design collaboration between Ford Performance and Ford GT manufacturer, Multimatic. It reflects the input of Garen Nicoghosian, Multimatic design head, who has worked on the Ford GT program since its genesis.
“The combination of the stripes and accents invokes the emotion of speed and draws your eye to some of the most prominent features of the GT,” said Nicoghosian. “The fuselage, buttresses, and signature features on the headlights provide visual anchors for the graphics, guiding your eye across the vehicle.”
Only 40 cars are slated to receive the Studio Collection package across the 2021 and 2022 model years. The body and graphics can be customized with seven standard colors or further personalized with an extended palette offering endless color combinations for even greater exclusivity.
Deliveries of the 2021 model year Ford GT begin in early 2021, with Ford GT production wrapping up in 2022.
Classic Recreations, the Oklahoma-based builder of licensed Ford and Shelby American continuation vehicles and restorations has enlisted SpeedKore Performance Group, the Winsconsin-based carbon-fiber manufacturer, to produce carbon-fiber bodies for its Shelby GT500CR models. The first of its kind, the plan is part of an initiative by Classic Recreations in order to create the next generation of contemporary high-performance vehicles with iconic classic American Styling, followed by a Shelby-licensed all-carbon fiber-bodied Cobra.
New Ford Ranger Thunder brings style and enhanced specs to one of Europe’s most advanced pickups. This is an exclusive lineup and is limited to merely 1,430 examples.
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The Oklahoma-based custom coachbuilder Classic Recreations has introduced its latest vehicle – a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The customized vehicle is nicknamed “Hitman” and is the first within an exclusive lineup, marking the start of a collaborative project between Ford Motor Company and Classic Recreations team.
Ford today kicks off its multi-channel ad campaign for the new Escape, a new model with more space, additional new driver-assist technologies and a new hybrid drivetrain for class-leading EPA estimated fuel economy.
A year before Ken Miles set lap records at Le Mans in Ford’s famed GT40, the famous race driver and engineers made waves on the track in the first 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350 fastback coupe. Ford celebrates the legacy 55 years later with a new limited-edition 2020 Mustang Shelby GT350 Heritage Edition Package.
Ford adds its FX4 off-road package to the upscale 2020 Ford Expedition Limited for customers who want to travel further off the beaten path.
With so many motorcycles in Raleigh and fun ATVs for sale tempting you to get wild, if you’re a lover of the Great Outdoors then it’s only a matter of time before you’ve got a super off-road vehicle to hit the trails with. But how are you going to get them there? You’ll need a truck ready that’s ready to haul, especially if you’re bringing a lot of ATVs at the same time.
Global Auto Salon Riyadh, part of the first-ever Riyadh Car Show featuring world-class cars and specialty vehicles, top performance parts manufacturers and celebrities, will be officially opening doors for visitors on November 21, 2019 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Audience to the six-day automotive event will have access to numerous exhibitors from all around the world showcasing their brands and newest products, dozens of industry experts and celebrities, a collector car auction, multiple custom vehicle unveils and an in-depth introduction to Saudi car culture.
The revised 2019 Ford Edge has earned Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety by achieving “good” ratings across all six aspects of crashworthiness tests. IIHS credits some of the new safety features incorporated in the vehicle and awards with the prestigious Top Safety Pick for midsize SUVs.
The famous custom car manufacturer and high-quality billet parts builder Ringbrothers unveiled its latest and advanced 1969 Mustang, known as “UNKL” at the 2019 SEMA Show. UNKL will leave the Spring Green, Wisconsin shop with numerous upgrades and changes, including widened body and exclusive race-inspired theme. Let’s check out more!
