The Ford GT, no matter the generation, is certainly one of the most iconic and collectible American sports cars of all time. Owning one is an enthusiast’s dream come true. It’s a rare occurrence even if you have the money needed to purchase one. Simply put, they hardly ever come up for sale. To get a chance to own a raced version? Nearly impossible. Well that time has arrived as Lance Miller of Carlisle Events is selling his ultra-rare Ford GT1, which is one of six built and one of only four left on the planet.
I knew one day I had to own one! — Lance Miller, Carlisle Events
“…I have a racing background and when I saw Matech build the GT3 cars I was impressed, but once I saw the GT1 cars that were made specifically for the 24 hour of Le Mans, I knew one day I had to own one!” Lance said back in 2014. “My dad had his dream car, the 1960 Le Mans-winning Cunningham #3 Corvette and it’s ironic that while I was helping bring his dreams into reality in 2010 at Le Mans, at the same time, I was seeing my dream car in person for the first time. I’m literally pinching myself in disbelief because to me, these are the ultimate racers of today and I’m privileged to be a caretaker!”
Lance Miller of Carlisle Events is selling his unicorn-rare Ford GT1 racer, so this piece of sportscar racing history could be yours. (Photo Credit: Dupont Registry)
• Carbon front and rear disc brakes with six-piston calipers
• Michelin tires
• X-Trac six-speed sequential gearbox
Though Ford Motor Company never had any plans to actually race the second coming of the legendary Ford GT40, known simply the Ford GT, a European company called Matech Concepts took it upon itself to bring that GT mojo back to the racetrack. Twenty five Ford GT chassis were acquired from Ford and built to run in the European GT3 series. Later they fulfilled the dream of running the 24 Hours Of Le Mans with the Ford GT1 in hopes of repeating the original GT40’s Le Mans magic.
While the GT1s did not fare as well as the 1-2-3 finish in 1966, they showed promise in their 2010 Le Mans debut. They were successful in their overall racing history, notching five poles, four wins and five more podium appearances during the 2010 and 2011 racing seasons. This particular GT1 was raced in the 2010 season as the #40 car and was able to bring home several top-fives.
Starting with an already solid Ford GT supercar chassis, this GT1 was modified to meet FIA regulations and improve performance. In fact, other than the chassis itself and the taillights, everything else has been custom built to maximize performance on the racetrack. These modifications include state-of-the-art brakes, aerodynamic body modifications and all the safety aspects needed to race. Gone is the supercharged, 5.4-liter Modular engine and in its place is a 5.3-liter, 650-horsepower Roush-Yates Racing engine capable of pushing this Ford GT1 to speed of around 200 miles per hour.
The car is listed for sale on the DuPont Registry for $800,000 dollars and would surely make the perfect Christmas gift for any car enthusiast. The lucky new owner will definitely have a cool piece of American sports car history. You can check out the listing for yourself here to find out more.