Calling all @Ford Motor Company fans! In today’s video, @Doug DeMuro races his 2005 Ford GT, against the Petersen Museum’s original 1967 Mark III GT40. This is the first in a series of drag races the museum is hosting to not only exercise its vehicles but really test the performance of these amazing machines.
Of the seven Ford GT40 Mark IIIs built, only four were delivered with left hand drive like this car. This rare street-legal example (serial MK3 1105) was originally owned by well-known Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan, who drove it sparingly—and never in the rain. The Mark III differed from earlier versions in that it had round rather than oblong headlights, an extended rear deck with room for luggage, a less rigid suspension and a more comfortable interior. Powered by a 289-cubic-inch 306-horsepower Ford V8 engine coupled to a ZF 5-speed manual transmission, the low-slung car can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 5.3 seconds. Top speed is approximately 165 miles per hour. The GT40 model designation was derived, in part, from its low height, which was a mere 40 inches from ground to roof.
The original mid-1960s Ford GT-40 was so well remembered that the company was inspired to introduce this updated version for the modern market more than 40 years later. Doug Demuro’s 2005 GT supercar based on an in-house design exercise, the supercharged Ford GT combines the mid-engine configuration of its predecessor with modern performance, comfort, and safety features. Inexpensive compared to other mid-engine exotics like Ferrari and Lamborghini, Ford GT can accelerate from zero to 60 in just 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 205 miles per hour. Like retro-styled vehicles from other manufacturers, the GT showcases modern engineering in a package that calls to mind Ford’s rich history.
