GT40
The sunning GT40 took Le Mans victory spoils four times between 1966 and 1969 – and racing pedigrees don’t come much better than that.
AS with the modern GT, the GT40 was designed to take on Ferrari. However, its battle was on the racetrack, not the road.
In 1963, bosses at Ford spent millions of pounds trying to buy the Italian firm outright, but were turned down at the last moment.
In retaliation they went all out to humiliate Enzo Ferrari at the Le Mans 24 Hours – a race his cars had dominated since 1960. The end result was the stunning GT40, which eventually took victory spoils at the French classic four times on the trot, between 1966 and 1969 – and racing pedigrees don’t come much better than that.
Better still, seven lucky buyers were able to get their hands on special roadgoing versions.
As with its racing cousin, it stood just 40 inches off the ground, had the same shark-like nose, flowing lines and distinctive doors that cut into the roof. Inside, the basic cabin is trimmed in leather, although the near-horizontal driving position remains, as do the engine noise and incredible heat. But all of this is forgotten once you’ve fired up the 306bhp 5.0-litre V8, which delivers scorching acceleration and a spine-tingling soundtrack.
Impeccable motorsport credentials, supercar performance and gorgeous looks – the GT40 is a true four-wheeled great. That must make our final three very special indeed...
* Performance: 5/5
* Heritage: 5/5
* Style: 5/5
* Driver appeal: 3/5
Vote for your favourite fast Ford here, in our exclusive reader survey
Details
Model tested: GT40
Chart position: 4
