Gentlemen,
In the last two weeks 3 things have occurred resulting in a little reflection on my part. 1. The one year anniversary of my new Ford GT delivery, 2. The GT Forum Road Atlanta Rally, and 3. The Penske Auto Museum U.S. GP gathering in Scottsdale, AZ.
Over the last decade I have told more than one perspective GT buyer that if they purchased a Ford GT AND got involved with this Forum it would change their life. More than one of them subsequently told me I was right and that it did change their life....for the better.
From the day the new GT was announced I genuinely felt and proclaimed that if I didn't get one...my life would be ruined. I know, I know, hyperbole as regards the big picture. But undeniably true as to how I wanted this old man's life to proceed. I knew in my gut from the moment the new car was announced that it would be unlike my very special 2006 Ford GT. This new GT, like the 134 1960s Ford GT's, would make history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Most of the new Ford GT's would be acquired by a hard-core group of owners who appreciated their legacy, their beauty, and the company & men who created it in pursuit of a victory in France half a century on.
Even if they didn't pull it off I wanted to own a piece of it. And if they succeeded, the car would be priceless to me....and they did.
One week ago I lit up my bright yellow Ford GT in a garage containing about 30 others, new and old. With my windows rolled down it was a glorious sound, supercharged V-8's and twin Turbo V-6's sang out while staging up. The one hour drive to Road Atlanta in our ridiculous convoy of Ford supercars was a thrill few automotive enthusiasts will ever experience. Shaking hands and conversing with the men who won at Le Mans in a not too dissimilar Ford GT was surreal. And having Raj & top Ford executives visit might have seemed routine at the time, but years from now it will be looked back upon as historic.
The La Ferrari, 918, and P1 are all amazing cars, but they didn't race. They didn't win Le Mans. The Corvette and 911 did race and win at Le Mans but that's not why they were created. They needed to be flaked and formed and modified and changed to win there. The original 1960s Ford GT's were designed and built to win at Circuit De La Sarthe, and so was the new Ford GT. It's the closest thing to the cars actually racing that's being sold today, and that makes it special.
When it's all over and done with about 1300 new GT's will have been made. A comparable number of Ferrari F40s & 918's have been built but unlike the Ford GT the Porsche and Ferrari were special because of their performance, the GT is special because of it's race history and purpose.
A 1966 Ford GT may not be a great performance car by modern standards, but I watched three of them haul ass down the Mulsanne straight two years ago 200 yards ahead of my 2006 GT and they had a magic that transcended statistics. So does my 2017 GT.
Which takes me to last Sunday at the Penske Museum and our U.S. GP party hosted by Penske Ferrari. It was great to see Ferrari come from behind and win to the delight of all of the Ferrari owners present. I knew very few of them but they all knew my yellow 2017 Ford GT that has been a fixture at AZ auto events this past year. Really nice guys and most welcoming including the dealership GM.
After the race I spent two hours examining all of the latest and greatest offerings from Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Maserati, Acura, Range Rover, and BMW at Penske’s massive Automall. Some really cool stuff. But there wasn't anything there on the ground or in a brochure that I would have traded my new GT for. Not even close.
Heading home, I turned right onto the 101 freeway in light Sunday traffic and there was no one in sight. Boom, a few seconds later I had accelerated at warp speed all the way back to 1966 on the Mulsanne......stepped on the brake and felt the rear wing slam upright to slow for that right hand turn, and decelerated back into the reality that I'm taking this race bred Ford GT home and it's mine. Yeah baby. Would it have really ruined my life if I didn't have this car? No, Charley is coming home to the U.S. in December and there are bigger things in my life than cars. BUT...damn this car has made my life a lot more fun, full, and enjoyable. Just wonderful.
Chip
In the last two weeks 3 things have occurred resulting in a little reflection on my part. 1. The one year anniversary of my new Ford GT delivery, 2. The GT Forum Road Atlanta Rally, and 3. The Penske Auto Museum U.S. GP gathering in Scottsdale, AZ.
Over the last decade I have told more than one perspective GT buyer that if they purchased a Ford GT AND got involved with this Forum it would change their life. More than one of them subsequently told me I was right and that it did change their life....for the better.
From the day the new GT was announced I genuinely felt and proclaimed that if I didn't get one...my life would be ruined. I know, I know, hyperbole as regards the big picture. But undeniably true as to how I wanted this old man's life to proceed. I knew in my gut from the moment the new car was announced that it would be unlike my very special 2006 Ford GT. This new GT, like the 134 1960s Ford GT's, would make history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Most of the new Ford GT's would be acquired by a hard-core group of owners who appreciated their legacy, their beauty, and the company & men who created it in pursuit of a victory in France half a century on.
Even if they didn't pull it off I wanted to own a piece of it. And if they succeeded, the car would be priceless to me....and they did.
One week ago I lit up my bright yellow Ford GT in a garage containing about 30 others, new and old. With my windows rolled down it was a glorious sound, supercharged V-8's and twin Turbo V-6's sang out while staging up. The one hour drive to Road Atlanta in our ridiculous convoy of Ford supercars was a thrill few automotive enthusiasts will ever experience. Shaking hands and conversing with the men who won at Le Mans in a not too dissimilar Ford GT was surreal. And having Raj & top Ford executives visit might have seemed routine at the time, but years from now it will be looked back upon as historic.
The La Ferrari, 918, and P1 are all amazing cars, but they didn't race. They didn't win Le Mans. The Corvette and 911 did race and win at Le Mans but that's not why they were created. They needed to be flaked and formed and modified and changed to win there. The original 1960s Ford GT's were designed and built to win at Circuit De La Sarthe, and so was the new Ford GT. It's the closest thing to the cars actually racing that's being sold today, and that makes it special.
When it's all over and done with about 1300 new GT's will have been made. A comparable number of Ferrari F40s & 918's have been built but unlike the Ford GT the Porsche and Ferrari were special because of their performance, the GT is special because of it's race history and purpose.
A 1966 Ford GT may not be a great performance car by modern standards, but I watched three of them haul ass down the Mulsanne straight two years ago 200 yards ahead of my 2006 GT and they had a magic that transcended statistics. So does my 2017 GT.
Which takes me to last Sunday at the Penske Museum and our U.S. GP party hosted by Penske Ferrari. It was great to see Ferrari come from behind and win to the delight of all of the Ferrari owners present. I knew very few of them but they all knew my yellow 2017 Ford GT that has been a fixture at AZ auto events this past year. Really nice guys and most welcoming including the dealership GM.
After the race I spent two hours examining all of the latest and greatest offerings from Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Maserati, Acura, Range Rover, and BMW at Penske’s massive Automall. Some really cool stuff. But there wasn't anything there on the ground or in a brochure that I would have traded my new GT for. Not even close.
Heading home, I turned right onto the 101 freeway in light Sunday traffic and there was no one in sight. Boom, a few seconds later I had accelerated at warp speed all the way back to 1966 on the Mulsanne......stepped on the brake and felt the rear wing slam upright to slow for that right hand turn, and decelerated back into the reality that I'm taking this race bred Ford GT home and it's mine. Yeah baby. Would it have really ruined my life if I didn't have this car? No, Charley is coming home to the U.S. in December and there are bigger things in my life than cars. BUT...damn this car has made my life a lot more fun, full, and enjoyable. Just wonderful.
Chip
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