Sadly, the new Ford GT seems to be more known for resale drama than its performance in motorsports and on the street. Here’s one way to win hearts and minds: add the famous Gulf livery. I don’t think it’s looked better than this to date.
Over the past couple years (yes, the GT has been around a bit now) Ford has dropped Heritage Editions of its performance halo car. First it was black and silver to honor the GT40 that officially won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, and then it was red and white to commemorate the ‘67 Le Mans win where Ford famously trashed Ferrari.
Now the Heritage Edition, which dropped at the Monterey Car Week festivities in Pebble Beach, pays homage to the 1968 and 1969 Le Mans-winning GT40. As such, it’s in the famous light blue and orange Gulf Oil livery, one of the best paint schemes any car can have.
Specifically, this paint scheme is a callback to Ford GT chassis No. 1075, which is one of the only cars ever to win Le Mans twice. And it does look lovely on the new GT. It’s better overall in brighter colors, and much more eye-catching than the dowdy black Heritage Edition GT from two years ago.
Other touches here include optional No. 9 graphics on the hood and doors to salute that two-time Le Mans winner, exposed carbon fiber A-pillars, blue and orange seat stitching and other fine cosmetic touches. This Heritage Edition GT will run for two years, and the 2020 model year car will feature No. 6 graphics, which is the number worn by 1075 when it won Le Mans in ‘69.
And like every Ford GT it has a 650 horsepower, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. I suppose if you’re going to get one of these, Gulf livery is the one to have.
Just, you know, don’t try to re-sell it.