Written by independent automotive journalist Donald Farr

Dressed in Heritage Blue with Orange in tribute to the Gult Oil GT40’s back-to-back victories at LeMans in the 1960s, this 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition (Lot #1370) was in the spotlight at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.

On September 29, 1968, in a race delayed three months by social unrest in France, a Ford GT40 Mark I driven by Lucien Bianchi and Pedro Rodriguez took the checkered flag to win the 1968 24 Hours of LeMans. Campaigned by Britain’s John Wyer Automotive Engineering and painted in sponsor Gulf Oil’s powder blue and orange colors, the Number 9 GT40 finished five laps ahead of the second-place Porsche 907 to secure Ford’s third straight win at the LeMans classic, a string of victories that began in 1966 with Henry Ford II’s demand to “beat Ferrari’s ass.” Shelby American and Holman-Moody delivered with a commanding 1-2-3 finish in 1966 to end Ferrari’s dominance over the previous six years.

In 1969, Weyer returned to LeMans with his Gulf Oil GT40s. This time, driver Jackie Ickx passed the leading Porsche 908 on the final lap to take the win, amazingly in the same GT40 that had won in 1968, making chassis number 1075 the first car to ever win LeMans twice. The blue and orange car is now on display at The Henry Ford Museum, accompanied by the description, “For a car to finish, much less win, is a major achievement. For a car to win [LeMans] twice is nothing short of extraordinary.”

The history-making accomplishment of the Gulf Oil GT40 was not lost on Ford Motor Company when the automaker revived the GT40 as the Ford GT for the 2005-2006 model years. When colors were announced for 2006, the palette included Heritage Blue with Orange in tribute to the Gulf Oil GT40’s back-to-back victories at LeMans.

Ford’s new supercar took the automotive world by storm ‒ and surprise ‒ when it was announced as a “GT40” concept car ‒ with hints toward possible production ‒ at the 2002 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. On June 13, 2003, a Ford news release made it official: “Today, the all-new 2005 Ford GT supercar comes to life.”

Looking remarkably similar to the GT40s of the 1960s, the rare 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition (Lot #1370) that was offered at No Reserve at the 2016 Scottsdale Auction illustrates how Ford design director J. Mays applied his “retrofuturism” styling to bring the Ford GT into the modern era. Its drivetrain was decidedly modern: a supercharged, mid-mounted four-valve 5.4-liter for 500hp mated to a Ricardo 6-speed manual transaxle. Unlike the original GT40, the new iteration came with the comforts and conveniences of a touring car, including air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo and tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The Ford GT immediately captured the hearts ‒ and wallets ‒ of enthusiasts and collectors who could afford the $150,000 base price, not counting the “availability” mark-up added by many dealers. Ford purposefully kept production low, with just 2,022 built for 2005.

For 2006, Ford added a pair of special colors to the already special supercar: Tungsten Grey to commemorate the GT40s 1-2-3 LeMans victory in 1966 and this “Heritage Edition” in the blue and orange livery of the Gulf Oil-sponsored GT40 that won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1968 and 1969. Only 343 Heritage Editions were produced out of the 2,011 Ford GTs built for 2006, bringing the total 2005-2006 Ford GT production to only 4,033.

With only 5,718 miles, this orange and blue GT is essentially a brand-new car and came with documentation, including a pair of original Window Stickers, one framed and the other in new condition. The car displays the Number 6 in honor of the GT40 that won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1969.

The GT40s of the 1960s and the 2005-2006 Ford GTs are once again in the spotlight as Ford reintroduces the Ford GT for 2016 and takes the marque back to LeMans to try for another win on the 50th anniversary of the GT40’s first victory in 1966.

– Written by independent automotive journalist Donald Farr

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