Autoblog

'Born of a Blue Sky' brings the Amelia Island Concours to you

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Videos, Chevrolet, Ford, Lamborghini, Porsche

The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance has more clout every year and is getting a reputation as Pebble Beach minus the madness. Held in March this year, it celebrated Ducati and the 50-year anniversaries of Lamborghini, the Corvette Sting Ray, Porsche 911 and the Ford GT40.

Justin Lapriore was there, and seemingly everywhere, getting footage of the various wares on display on the lawns and the sand and the runway. The resulting video, Born of a Blue Sky, is a 16-minute survey of some of the finer sights and plenty of engine sounds. Check it out below.

Continue reading 'Born of a Blue Sky' brings the Amelia Island Concours to you

'Born of a Blue Sky' brings the Amelia Island Concours to you originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amelia Island 2013: 50 years of the Ferrari-slaying Ford GT40

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, Racing

Originally developed with the sole purpose of being a Ferrari rival to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Ford GT40 became a prominent racing machine in the 1960s in both Europe and the US. Not wanting to leave such an important car out of the fun, the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance also took time out from its other celebrations to recognize the 50-year anniversary of the GT40.

Over its short lifespan, the GT40 was offered in a handful of configurations, but the classic short-tailed (Mk I and Mk II) bodystyles were well represented... especially in Gulf livery. James Glickenhaus (of Ferrari P4/5 fame) had his bright yellow Mk IV in the field, and there were several others in this bodystyle, including one that has seen plenty of time on the track judging by its chipped-up nose.

As a fitting statement for the car's lengthy racing history, GT40 Chassis Number 1075 won this year's Concours de Sport award. This car took home the checkered flag at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969, and racked up a total of six wins in just 11 races.

Amelia Island 2013: 50 years of the Ferrari-slaying Ford GT40 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, MISC

The 18th-annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance took place this past weekend, and in one of the show's biggest years yet (bringing in more than 25,000 spectators and attracting more than 300 vehicles), two powerhouses ended up winning the judges' hearts. The top Concours d'Elegance award went to a 1936 Duesenberg SJN, while the Concours de Sport went to one of the celebrated marques, a 1968 Ford GT40.

Owned by Helen and Jack Nethercutt of Sylmar, CA, this flawless Duesy is described as "one of the most powerful open cars of the 1930s," and it displays design cues of the era like rolled fenders and a tapered rear end. The SJN's supercharged straight-eight allowed it to accelerate to 100 miles per hour in just 17 seconds - surely not a disappointing feat for its day.

On a much different level of performance and timelessness, this Gulf-livery GT40 from the Rocky Mountain Auto Collection is not outdone by the elegance of the big Duesenberg thanks to some well-documented racing history. This not only includes winning at LeMans in both 1968 and 1969 - Chassis No. 1075 also managed to win a total of six times in just 11 races.

In addition to these high-profile winners, the 2013 Amelia Island show also celebrated the 50-year anniversaries of the Lamborghini brand as well as sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Porsche 911 and, of course, the Ford GT40. Next year's show is already confirmed to celebrate Italian car builder Zagato, and we wouldn't be surprised to see a Ford Mustang class recognizing the car's 50th birthday.

Continue reading Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors

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RH Motorsports to produce street-legal Ford GT racecars

Chris Tutor — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Ford, Design/Style, Racing

RH Motorsports liked the look of the Matech GT1 so much, they bought all of the company's molds, engineering and complete bodywork for its GT3 race car. With that already-developed knowledge, RH plans to manufacture 20 turnkey, street legal GT1-S cars.

Prototypes of the GT3-S (white in photo above) and GT1-S (silver) were rolled out recently at the annual Ford GT rally at NOLA Motorsports.

The RH crew is teaming up with GT Guy LLC for the build. They will start with a run-of-the-mill(?!) Ford GT and widen the front track four inches. Buyers of the GT1-S will be treated to carbon fiber and Alcantara inside and will have a choice of three engines underhood. If 600 horsepower is enough, the first option is your choice. If not, there's a supercharged 5.4-liter that cranks out 760 hp or a twin-turbo worth 1000 hp.

Current GT owners will be able to pick and choose from both cars' option lists to customize their own cars. The press release (read it below) promises more details - including pricing -soon.

Continue reading RH Motorsports to produce street-legal Ford GT racecars

RH Motorsports to produce street-legal Ford GT racecars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pair of rare Ford GT40s up for grabs in RM's Monterey auction

Drew Phillips — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ford

The list of classic cars slated to go up for auction during the Monterey car week in August continues to grow, with the latest being a pair of two Ford GT40 coupes that will be up for grabs at RM's sale.

"To have the honor of offering one GT40 is a great privilege, but to present two, spanning both sides of GT40 production, is extremely exciting," said Shelby Myers, Managing Director of RM California, regarding the sale. "We are truly honored to have been entrusted by the respective owners of these two cars to present them at our Monterey sale."

First up is a GT40 Mirage (a lightweight version of the GT40) run by John Wyer and Gulf Racing in the 1968 racing season. The car sports the team's legendary Powder Blue and Marigold livery and has both Daytona and Le Mans in its racing pedigree. Adding to its appeal, this GT40 was sold to a production company in 1970 and was used as a camera car for Steve McQueen's film Le Mans.

Second is one of the 31 1967 Mk1 GT40s converted to road use (different than the seven GT40 MKIII produced solely as a road car), with this particular example perhaps being the finest in existence. Having had just two private owners since new, the car boasts under 5,000 miles on the odometer and is in near perfect condition. RM estimates the price tag to be anywhere from $2.3-2.7 million.

Scroll down below to read more about these two special Ford GT40s or check them out in detail in their respective photo galleries.

Continue reading Pair of rare Ford GT40s up for grabs in RM's Monterey auction

Pair of rare Ford GT40s up for grabs in RM's Monterey auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Go Like Hell book about Ford beating Ferrari at Le Mans being turned into a movie

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Ford, Ferrari

Ford versus Ferrari? These two car companies seemingly have nothing in common today. Back in the 1960s, however, things were a bit different. Ferrari ruled the world of motorsports, and Ford was vying for a piece of that international glory.

Starting in 1960, a Ferrari won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six years in a row. Ford wanted to put a stop to that, and in 1966, the Blue Oval entered the winning GT40 Mk II, which ended Ferrari's amazing streak. That was just the beginning, however, because a Ford GT40 would go on to win at Le Mans for the next three years.

The story about these battling automakers was captured in a book written by A.J. Baime, called Go Like Hell. This book takes readers into the heart of the road racing war that was waged over 50 years ago.

Now, the story has captured the attention of Hollywood. Director Michael Mann is in talks with 20th Century Fox to turn Go Like Hell into a movie. This presents us with some interesting questions. Most notably, we wonder which actors will be cast to play the various roles of larger-than-life motorsports icons. Have you got a good idea of who might fit a specific part? Sound off in the Comments.

Go Like Hell book about Ford beating Ferrari at Le Mans being turned into a movie originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford GT designer Pardo selling racy new artwork this week

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:06:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Ford, Celebrities, Design/Style

Camilo Pardo creates his limited-edition "Her Targets" - Click above for high-res image gallery

Camilo Pardo is a name many of you will recognize. He's the man responsible for bringing the Ford GT40 back to life in its modern Ford GT form. Besides penning beautiful automobiles, Pardo also works in other art mediums. The designer has created a very limited-edition run of prints, and the hand-signed work is available at a surprisingly affordable price. Each of the 45 prints is up on 1xRUN.com, a site dedicated to providing limited-edition artwork at low prices. The cost for each print is $80 - Pardo's other work often commands over a thousand dollars, so this is something of a bargain.

If you're interested, you might want to act quickly because all 45 prints ought to move quickly at that price. You can see Pardo's racy take on Chip Ganassi Target Racing's team racing suit in our gallery below or head straight to 1xRUN to grab an example for yourself.

Gallery: Camilo Pardo creates limited-edition Her Targets artwork

[Source: 1xRUN]

Ford GT designer Pardo selling racy new artwork this week originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Matech Competition teases its film Reborn

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:40:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Teaser for Matech Competition's Reborn - Click above to watch video after the jump

Matech took two Ford GTs to Le Mans this year and came back with stories to tell. Having won the GT3 class and built the LMGT1 competitors specifically to return the track that made the GT40's name, it is clear why they wish to crow.

Neither car finished the race, but on their first try both cars finished ahead of some much more seasoned competition. But hey: Ford GT + Le Mans = what's not to like? You'll find the trailer after the jump.

[Source: Matech]

Continue reading Video: Matech Competition teases its film Reborn

Video: Matech Competition teases its film Reborn originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ferrari 250 GTO and Ford GT40 (sorta) reunited in Malibu

Noah Joseph — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Videos, Ford, Ferrari

Ferrari and Ford retro supercars on The Smoking Tire - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Any racing fan nut, automotive enthusiast or classic car nut worth his driving mocs knows the story of the Ford GT40. In the early 1960s Ferrari was on a six-time winning streak at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That's when Henry Ford II initiated proceedings to take over the Maranello sportscar-maker and racing team.

As the story goes, though, the notoriously intractable Enzo Ferrari didn't like the terms and canceled the deal at the 11th hour. Ford was left holding his hat and out of spite commissioned the GT40 with the explicit aim of knocking his Italian counterpart off his high (prancing) horse. The result was that, with the GT40, Ford won Le Mans four times in a row.

Now the Ferrari 250 GTO wasn't one of the cars that won at Le Mans during Ferrari's six-year reign. It was busy winning other categories during the same period. But that's alright, because the car in the video after the jump isn't a real GTO anyway. It is a real Ferrari, though: a 365 GTB/4 Daytona rebodied to look like a GTO. And it's not facing off against a GT40 either - that's actually the modern tribute, the 2005 Ford GT.

Do either of those facts mitigate the sight of seeing these cars take to the mountain roads outside Malibu, California? Hardly. But don't take our word for it, follow the jump to watch the video for yourself and see Matt Farrah of The Smoking Tire take the joyride of his life.

[Source: The Smoking Tire via RideLust]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari 250 GTO and Ford GT40 (sorta) reunited in Malibu

Video: Ferrari 250 GTO and Ford GT40 (sorta) reunited in Malibu originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: New Matech Ford GT for GT1 racing looks and sounds gloriously evil

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Videos, Ford, Racing

2010 FIA GT1 Matech Competition Ford GT - Click above for video after the jump

It wasn't that long ago that Ford was selling a genuine supercar, one that made no excuses as it took on the world's best. The Ford GT had one foot in the past and one foot in the present, with its '60s GT40 good looks and somewhat more modern 5.4-liter supercharged V8. Altogether, some 4,000 or so GTs were built during its production run. Sadly that program ground to a halt in 2006 and nothing has come along from the Blue Oval to replace it. Still, the GT lived on as a great platform for tuners and racers.

One race team that has grown particularly fond of the GT is Matech Competition, and the Swiss team has already raced it to championships in FIA GT3 racing in Europe. The retro roadcar was never intended for racing, but like its forebearer, it is once again hunting Ferrari and Porsche racers on Europe's most famous tracks. After successes in GT3, the GT has shown it might be ready to move up in class. While the small independent Robertson Racing has run a GT in the GT2 class of ALMS for a few seasons with mixed results, it's Matech once again that will take on the next challenge - GT1.

For 2010, Matech has developed their GT1 version of the car that builds on lessons learned during the 2009 campaign when the team ran a prototype in the same class. Although similar in overall looks, Matech tells us that the two cars share no parts whatsoever. With an all-new formula for 2010, that's not very surprising, but 2009 was a development year for the teams. After the jump you can read the press release regarding the car's initial outing, and better yet, there's a video of it in action. The clip is painfully short but will give you goosebumps when the car sprints away. Besides its wonderfully melodic tone, the car looks plain badass, definitely up to the challenge being brought by GT1 competitors like the Nissan GT-R, Reiter's Murcielagos, Aston Martin DBR9s, Maserati MC12s, and our local boys the Chevrolet Corvettes. No wonder the clip is titled "Matech Symphony No.1." Top tip, Johannes!

[Source: Matech Competition]

Continue reading Video: New Matech Ford GT for GT1 racing looks and sounds gloriously evil

Video: New Matech Ford GT for GT1 racing looks and sounds gloriously evil originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick Spin: Superformance GT40 MkI is vehicular sashimi, raw and delicious

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, First Drives, Specialty, Quick Spins

Superformance GT40 MkI - Click above for high-res image gallery

As much as we enjoy piloting modern machinery, there's something special about vintage vehicles, and that something is the pure, unvarnished connection between man and machine. But it's not always good. Things get dicey when the driving experience is a little too vintage. Despite our supreme adoration of the racing greats of yesteryear, clawing at the wheel, pulverizing the brake pedal, dumping buckets of sweat onto the leather seat and having our sphincter perform kegels isn't always our preferred flavor of fun. Some days, we're just not that hardcore. So the vintage vehicles we've come to love most aren't genuinely vintage at all - they're classic bodies wrapped around modern mechanicals. The Rizk RA is a prime example, and now there's this: the Superformance GT40 MkI, a car so raw that if it were edible, they'd slap "organic" on it and sell it at Whole Foods.

Gallery: Quick Spin: Superformance GT40 Mk1

Continue reading Quick Spin: Superformance GT40 MkI is vehicular sashimi, raw and delicious

Quick Spin: Superformance GT40 MkI is vehicular sashimi, raw and delicious originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford celebrates 1966 Le Mans victory at 2006 Le Mans Classic

Stuart Waterman — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Ford

Forty years ago, the determination of Henry Ford II to show the world that his company could build a car to compete and win at the pinnacle of international sports car racing was finally rewarded at the 1966 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford's GT40 Mark IIs dominated the race, finishing 1-2-3 (above), and Henry Ford II was there to savor the moment, joining Carroll Shelby's winning team of Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon on the podium.

At this year's Le Mans Classic, the popular historic racecar event held annually at the Le Mans circuit, the winning GT40 from 1966 will be joined by the second and third place cars (the Shelby team of Ken Miles and Denny Hulme, and the Holman & Moody team of Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson) to recreate the famous 1966 finish in a unique on-track photo op. The latter two cars will also compete in the Le Mans Classic race, vying for a special one-off commemorative winner's trophy to be presented by Ford Europe president John Fleming.

The winning car will also make a run up Lord March's driveway at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, piloted by none other than Dan Gurney (who actually started the practice of spraying onlookers with the victor's champagne when he won at Le Mans).

Full press release and more pics after the jump.

Continue reading Ford celebrates 1966 Le Mans victory at 2006 Le Mans Classic

Ford celebrates 1966 Le Mans victory at 2006 Le Mans Classic originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jul 2006 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood

Alex Nunez — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 08:52:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Etc., Hatchback, Supercars, Ford

With less than a week to go before the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the announcements from participating marques continue to roll in. Ford will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and its 4-year win streak at Circuit de la Sarthe by sending one of its original GT40 racing cars prepared for Goodwood in the 1966 winning livery.

Le Mans winners Dan Gurney (1967) and Jackie Oliver (1969) will drive the black #2 GT40 up the hill next weekend. To reiterate, attendees at Goodwood will get to see Dan Gurney, American motorsports icon of the first order, drive a GT40 up the Goodwood hill. Really, the only way it could be better is if he was driving a Mk IV from 1967, but that's probably being greedy.

While the GT40 is the star attraction from the Blue Oval, they're also sending a modern Ford GT for the hillclimb and a 2006 BP Ford Focus RS WRC (currently second in the WRC manufacturer standings). The Focus will be driven on both the hillclimb and the forest rally stage at Goodwood by its regular pilots, Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen.

A number of privately-owned Fords and Ford-powered cars are also entered in the festival.

(Press releases, photos after the jump)

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood

Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jul 2006 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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