The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969 ( the 1966 GT40 being the Mk II, 1967 the Mk IV, and 1968-1969 the oldest chassis design, the Mk I). Ford GT40 is so far the only racecar built in America (Mk IV only) to win overall at Le Mans (1967 Mk IV). GT40 was built to win long-distance sports car races against Ferrari (who won at Le Mans six times in a row from 1960 to 1965). Chassis # P-1075, which won in 1968 and 1969, is the first car in Le Mans history to win the race more than once with the same chassis, and only one of two cars to have won with the same chassis) using a Ford engine originally 4.7- liter, enlarged to 4.9-liter (also known as a 5.0) with special alloy Gurney-Weslake cylinder head. Large displacement Ford V8 engines (4.2 liter, 4.7 liter and 7 liter) were used in this GT40, compared with the Ferrari V12 which displaced 3.0 liter or 4.0 liter.
The Ford GT40 was named the GT (for Grand Touring) with the 40 representing its overall height of 40 inches (1.02 m, measured at the windshield) as required by the rules. Early GT40 were simply named “Ford GT”. The name “GT40″ was the name of Ford’s project to prepare the cars for the international endurance racing circuit, and the quest to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first 12 “prototype” vehicles carried serial numbers GT-101 through GT-112. The “production” began and the subsequent cars, the MkI, MkII, and MkIIIs, (with the exception of the MkIV, which were numbered J1-J10) were numbered GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145, were officially “GT40s”.
The name of Ford’s project and the serial numbers dispel the story that “GT40″ was “only a nickname.” The Ford GT40 kit car used a 4.2 liter V8 making 350 bhp, and then the car was raced and tested at Nürburgring, Reims and Nassau. By 1969, the winning GT40 had 425 BHP and was timed at 217 mph along the Mulsanne Straight. The Ford GT40 and its speed were instrumental in sweeping rule changes which were introduced after the 1969 race in order to curb the high speeds of GT racing. The new rules were introduced at the end of 1969 and limited engine size, ending the Ford GT40 successful winning run at Le-Mans.
At the 1995 Detroit Auto Show, the Ford GT90 concept was shown and at the 2002 show, a new Ford GT40 Concept was unveiled by Ford. Today the Ford GT supercar first produced in 2003 pays homage to the Ford GT40, possibly Fords finest. The new Ford GT40 uses a 5.4 liter V8 making 550 horsepower with a top speed in excess of 200 mph. Arriving in prototype form just in time for Ford’s Centennial celebration in 2003, the Ford GT debuted for 2004 as the modern, road-going interpretation of the Ford GT40 endurance racing car that beat Ferrari and swept the 24 Hours of Le Mans race four years in a row from 1966-’69.
The Ford GT40 was named the GT (for Grand Touring) with the 40 representing its overall height of 40 inches (1.02 m, measured at the windshield) as required by the rules. Early GT40 were simply named “Ford GT”. The name “GT40″ was the name of Ford’s project to prepare the cars for the international endurance racing circuit, and the quest to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first 12 “prototype” vehicles carried serial numbers GT-101 through GT-112. The “production” began and the subsequent cars, the MkI, MkII, and MkIIIs, (with the exception of the MkIV, which were numbered J1-J10) were numbered GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145, were officially “GT40s”.
The name of Ford’s project and the serial numbers dispel the story that “GT40″ was “only a nickname.” The Ford GT40 kit car used a 4.2 liter V8 making 350 bhp, and then the car was raced and tested at Nürburgring, Reims and Nassau. By 1969, the winning GT40 had 425 BHP and was timed at 217 mph along the Mulsanne Straight. The Ford GT40 and its speed were instrumental in sweeping rule changes which were introduced after the 1969 race in order to curb the high speeds of GT racing. The new rules were introduced at the end of 1969 and limited engine size, ending the Ford GT40 successful winning run at Le-Mans.
At the 1995 Detroit Auto Show, the Ford GT90 concept was shown and at the 2002 show, a new Ford GT40 Concept was unveiled by Ford. Today the Ford GT supercar first produced in 2003 pays homage to the Ford GT40, possibly Fords finest. The new Ford GT40 uses a 5.4 liter V8 making 550 horsepower with a top speed in excess of 200 mph. Arriving in prototype form just in time for Ford’s Centennial celebration in 2003, the Ford GT debuted for 2004 as the modern, road-going interpretation of the Ford GT40 endurance racing car that beat Ferrari and swept the 24 Hours of Le Mans race four years in a row from 1966-’69.
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