By Bill Thorpe
In mid-November I received a phone call from a neighbor asking if I would like to drive with him to Brazil, Ind., to see someone he knew take ownership of a famed 2017 Ford GT.
To me, that’s more fun than going to the North Pole to see Santa’s workshop, so off we went on a fantastic adventure to admire one of the rarest cars in Ford’s elaborate history of auto making.
Blake Hartman was a most gracious host and shared all the little things making his car so special with me. He even opted for the all- carbon fiber wheels that really set off the finishing touches for sure.
In a Nov. 4, 2015, “Car Nutz” story, a detailed history of Ford racing its GT-40s in the 24 Hours of Lemans in the mid-1960s and winning against Enzo Ferrari’s famous cars was shared with readers when we showed off Terry Hankins’ 2005 model. To celebrate that 40th milestone, a street version 2005-06 GT example was offered by Ford to the public in limited quantities.
To mark the 50-year anniversary of that event, Ford introduced at the 2015 North American Auto Show its plans to update a new limited number of GTs in 2016. Production actually got underway in December 2016 at the rate of one car per day at a facility in Ontario, Canada. The first car sold to the public went to Jay Leno, as did the first GT in 2005. Leno sure is in the right place at the right time ... you could say. Ford is expected to produce only about 1,000 of these cars by 2020.
The GT is powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine that produces 647 horsepower. It is capable of doing 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Quarter-mile times were 11.1 seconds at 130 mph; top speed was 216. EPA mileage estimates suggest 11-18 mpg. Sticker prices range from $450,000 to $500K, but only if you’re fortunate enough to be chosen by a committee overseeing the sales of the GT.
Maybe this summer I’ll get an invite to the Putnam Park Road Course near Greencastle and see Blake turning hot laps in his amazing automobile!
Until next time, happy cruisin’!
In mid-November I received a phone call from a neighbor asking if I would like to drive with him to Brazil, Ind., to see someone he knew take ownership of a famed 2017 Ford GT.
To me, that’s more fun than going to the North Pole to see Santa’s workshop, so off we went on a fantastic adventure to admire one of the rarest cars in Ford’s elaborate history of auto making.
Blake Hartman was a most gracious host and shared all the little things making his car so special with me. He even opted for the all- carbon fiber wheels that really set off the finishing touches for sure.
In a Nov. 4, 2015, “Car Nutz” story, a detailed history of Ford racing its GT-40s in the 24 Hours of Lemans in the mid-1960s and winning against Enzo Ferrari’s famous cars was shared with readers when we showed off Terry Hankins’ 2005 model. To celebrate that 40th milestone, a street version 2005-06 GT example was offered by Ford to the public in limited quantities.
To mark the 50-year anniversary of that event, Ford introduced at the 2015 North American Auto Show its plans to update a new limited number of GTs in 2016. Production actually got underway in December 2016 at the rate of one car per day at a facility in Ontario, Canada. The first car sold to the public went to Jay Leno, as did the first GT in 2005. Leno sure is in the right place at the right time ... you could say. Ford is expected to produce only about 1,000 of these cars by 2020.
The GT is powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine that produces 647 horsepower. It is capable of doing 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Quarter-mile times were 11.1 seconds at 130 mph; top speed was 216. EPA mileage estimates suggest 11-18 mpg. Sticker prices range from $450,000 to $500K, but only if you’re fortunate enough to be chosen by a committee overseeing the sales of the GT.
Maybe this summer I’ll get an invite to the Putnam Park Road Course near Greencastle and see Blake turning hot laps in his amazing automobile!
Until next time, happy cruisin’!
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