One to Buy: 870 mile Tungsten Grey 2006 Ford GT
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During the last three decades of the 20th century, the closest Ford came to creating a successor to its four-time Le Mans-winning GT of the 1960s was the RS200: a purpose-built rally special conceived to exploit the FIA’s radical Group B regulations.
However, although the GT and RS200 shared some broadly similar motorsport heritage and a mid-engined layout, the two cars had little else in common. In addition, the RS200 had been a Euro-centric model that garnered little attention in Ford’s homeland where it wasn’t even type approved for sale.
After the RS200 programme seemingly came and went in the blink of an eye (Ford abandoned its Group B programme within months of the RS200’s competition debut), customers had to wait almost another two decades before the blue oval offered another top flight supercar.
This time though it was the machine everyone had wanted: a 21st century world market interpretation of the original GT that retained all its forebear’s essential DNA.
Unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2002, the second generation GT was based around a lightweight aluminium spaceframe with double wishbone suspension all round and massive Bremobo brakes. At its heart was a supercharged 5.4-litre V8 hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Cosmetically, this latest interpretation of the GT theme tapped into the current trend for retro design which enabled Ford’s designers to come up with a machine blessed with instantly recognisable DNA.
Customer deliveries began in August 2004 for the 2005 model year. Production came to an end after the 2006 model year by which time 4038 examples had been completed, all of which were left-hand drive.
In addition to some minor technical changes, the 2006 model year had seen Ford introduce two new colour options for the GT: a Gulf Oil-inspired Heritage Blue Livery and handsome Tungsten Grey (the latter of which replaced Quick Silver Metallic).
541 copies of the 2006 model year GT were produced in Tungsten Grey and one of these with a remarkably low mileage will be going under the hammer at Mecum’s Fort Worth sale in Dallas on November 1st.
Chassis 1FAFP90S06Y402032 was optioned with the super desirable BBS forged wheel package, painted racing stripes and deletion of the adhesive side stripes. It presents in virtually as-new condition having accumulated just 870 miles in the almost two decades that have passed since it rolled off Ford’s SVT production line in Michigan.
