The "Ford GT Highlights" disk I'm referring to is the dealer 'orientation' DVD with Rick Titus as host. It is only 30 minutes long but still excellent. Every dealer got one copy - they might not even remember getting it so one can make inquiries and might get lucky. Its certainly worth owning.
It contains an introduction and overview of the car; has a section "living with the GT" with some basic tips; but the real cool part is they show the making of "The One" commercial, which was shot in two days at Thunderhill in northern CA. And it has the commercial itself.
The helicopter pilot for the aerial shots said he has shot a lot of car commercials but this is the first car that he could not keep up with. In the making of the ad, they used various apparatus hung off the car, which is interesting to see. Also, in one shot of the GT coming past an apex it is flabbergasting to see that the film crew were mere inches away as Rod Millen blasts by going at least 30 mph, maybe even 50 mph. Talk about trusting the driver.
FYI when they do the burnout pictures Rod actually hits the rev limiter just after the launch. And in the ad where you see him in power oversteer mode, that is actually Turn 1 at Thunderhill at the end of the front straight. He slowed down for the corner to do the drift - he told me that when on a hot lap he was maxxed out in 3rd gear usually at the end of the straight and just nudging into 4th, doing about 140 MPH. For comparison purposes, when I drove my stock Porsche 997S there, I was doing just over 100 MPH at the same point.
The director of the ad is Jeff Zwart, a well-known driver in his own right (used to campaign a Porsche). If anyone knows how to contact Jeff please let me know privately.
BTW if you have not been to Thunderhill it is well worth driving that track. Its very technical and you will get more out of the experience if you have a technician that will help set up your car (any car you take) for the conditions. If you want to go, check the weather first though. Be aware it is bloody hot - when we were there it was 107 - 110 F. and the track temperature was at least 130. Also, the 'hotels' in nearby Willows are really just motels, and their air conditioning is very feeble so if you can't stand heat avoid the summer months for sure. There is nothing to do in Willows except eat & drink beer, so if your better half wants to go on the trip <she> better like sitting around at the track becuz there is no alternative. Better bring a car for her to drive at the track or she'll be bored stiff. When we went last year a bunch of us from the Pacific NW drove down and the drive was a blast. We went on to SF and Sonoma later and I'd recommend that too.
I wish some one could get a copy online so we could all see it.
