Ford’s Ferrari

Way back in 1963, Enzo Ferrari reached out to Ford Motor Company, suggesting they acquire his “street” car operation, allowing Enzo to devote his full attention to building racing cars. Ford leapt at the deal, agreeing to purchase Ferrari for $10 million. However, when the delegation from Detroit arrived in Maranello to sign the agreement, Enzo backed out of the deal. Henry Ford II was so incensed he gave his engineering department a simple command: Build a Ford that will beat a Ferrari, within 1 year, at the 24 Hours Of Le Mans, a race dominated by Ferraris. The 1964 GT40 was the result, but it wasn’t until 1966 that Henry got his wish when GT40s finished 1-2-3 at Le Mans, the first U.S. cars to ever accomplish this feat. Ford marks the 50th Anniversary of this astounding victory with a massively updated Ford GT (the “40” referred to the original car’s 40-inch height and was dropped years ago). Powered by a 600 hp, twin-turbo V6 linked to a 7-speed transmission, it gives patriotic gearheads a Made In The USA alternative to traditional supercars. The all-new GT’s carbon fiber exterior is best described as drop-dead gorgeous, while the interior would make any test pilot feel right at home, or make any accountant feel like a test pilot; Ford.com.