Is there any significance in this numbering system?

[bitzman]

I was told all the new car serial numbers all end with "40XXXX"?

Does the "40" have any significance?

Is there a clue in there how many they originally planned to make?

Regarding the three '03 Centennail cars when I sat in one I noticed the door sill decal with the SN was all wrong vis-a-vis the present numbering system and said the engine was a V6. So I don't take those cars seriously as real cars that can ever be sold for the street or have they been assigned numbers now? I guess as long as they have Manufacturer's Plates they can be driven on the roads forever.

 

[doccars]

I was at a recent Ford event at (Moroso Speedway Florida). Ford had a small display set up that included a yellow Ford Gt. The VIN number was ....0006. Since the engine compartment was open I was able to read the sticker that stated the legal compliance language as it related to the vehicles road worthiness. It stated that the vehicle could be driven on the road but had to meet compliance issues before it could be sold or registered (I am paraphrasing what I recall and the terms may be slightly different than the actual statements.)

I also noticed that the air intake on one side was spot welded while the opposite side was riveted on and painted. There were also indications of the rear engine compartment rubbing through the paint in several areas where it met the other body panels.

The Ford rep. told me that the car was used for charity events and apparently hot laps at select meets.

I would assume that the vehicle was a preproduction car and apparently not intended for resale.

As an aside, I have been watching the prices approach a more sane level and will be considering ordering/purchasing when they bottom out and I can deal with a dealer that is in touch with a realistic selling price.

 

[bitzman]

Fleet of show cars

There was a fleet of show cars, all with low numbers used for magazine testing, magazine photography, dealer intros etc.. I don't know if they will be allowed to be sold. Intersting if any of the problems you saw as a result of hard use will show up in other cars. Also some may have had heavy cameras attached which may have weighed body panels down more than normal, causing rubbing.

 

[50 BMG]

I would assume that the vehicle was a preproduction car and apparently not intended for resale.

I heard the opposite. My old man and his brother were in Wixom buying #24 about a month ago...and heard from a high up person giving them the plant tour that Ford may very well auction off the first 10 cars.

Wouldn't suprise me if they did auction them; this fellow giving the tour proceeded to tell them the story of the only sonic blue GT that got snuck through the production line and was caught before it was about to be put on the truck...only to be auctioned off a bit later for over 350K at a charity auction.

If they do auction off the first 10 cars or a portion of them...I would sure be pissed if I was that microsoft exec paying 500K+ for #11.