A remarkable piece of automotive history, a 1966 Ford GT40, one of only 30 Road Cars ever manufactured, recently fetched a staggering sum of nearly $7 million at Mecum’s Kissimmee auction.
This particular GT40, boasting a striking Metallic Dark Blue exterior, stands as a testament to its rarity, with a mere 13,442 miles logged on the odometer.
It’s noteworthy that the pinnacle of GT40 sales remains held by a 1968 race car variant, which commanded a price of $11 million back in 2012.
Earlier this year, another illustrious member of the GT40 family, one of the limited 30 original Ford GT40 Mk1 road cars, found its way to a new owner, securing a hammer price of $6.3 million at the January 2024 Mecum’s Kissimmee auction.
Mecum, in their statement, emphasized the exclusivity of this acquisition, declaring it as “1 of only 30 original GT40 Road Cars ever produced,” eventually closing at a final price of $6.93 million, including the buyer’s premium.
This specific 1966 Metallic Dark Blue example, with its odometer reading of 13,442 miles (21,633 km), spent three decades under the ownership of its fourth custodian, never seeing public display during that time, as revealed by Mecum.
Speaking about its rarity, Sam Murtaugh, the COO of Mecum Auctions, drew a parallel to the world of art, stating, “To put it in perspective, when a Picasso masterpiece comes to market, art collectors know that if they don’t act, it may never see the light of day again.”
Underneath its hood lies the same robust 4.7-liter V8 engine found in its track counterparts, boasting an impressive power output of 306 horses, propelling the GT40 Road Car from 0 to 60 mph in a swift 5.3 seconds.
Closing at a final price nearing $7 million, this embodiment of American muscle now stands as the fourth most expensive GT40 ever sold at auction, a testament to its enduring allure and historical significance.
However, the apex of GT40 valuations is still held by the iconic Gulf-liveried 1968 race car version, famously featured in the 1971 film Le Mans, which commanded a staggering $11 million price tag in 2012.
