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Ford GT40

Ford’s answer to Ferrari: four straight Le Mans wins, 1966–1969.12

Researched October 29, 2026 from 34 sources

Also called

  • GT40The 40 suffix began as a nickname for the Ford GT’s roof height: 40 inches.3

At a glance

0300600
306–550 hpPower
0510
4–6.2 s0–100 km/h
0175350
257.5–346 km/hTop speed
0400800
405–644 N·mTorque
07501,500
816–1,060 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.4571516

Built at
FAV/JWAE, Slough, UK (Mk I–III); Wixom Assembly, USA (Mk IV)57
Units built
105 originals, 1964–1969; 40 Safir Mk V continuations, 1981–2000514

The story

Henry Ford II vowed to build a Le Mans challenger after his Ferrari buyout failed. The 1964–1969 GT40 family paired American V8s with British beginnings: Ford Advanced Vehicles built the Mk I in Slough.45

1964: April debut; Shelby takes over19641965: First Daytona win; Mk I deliveries begin19651966: Mk II sweeps the Le Mans podium19661967: All-American Mk IV breaks 5,000 km19671968: Gulf Mk I wins Le Mans and world title19681969: Fourth Le Mans win; original run ends19691981: Safir revives the GT40 as the Mk V1981 Lola Mk6 GT (Mk6): 1962–1963Ford GT40 Mk II (Mk II): 1965–1967Ford GT40 Mk III (Mk III): 1966–1969Ford GT40 Mk IV (Mk IV): 1967Safir GT40 Mark V (Mark V): 1981–2000Mark VFord GT: 2004–2006 197019801990200020102020
GenerationsBefore and afterMilestones12345789141725
Show the numbers
YearWhat happened
1962–1963Lola Mk6 GT (Mk6)
1965–1967Ford GT40 Mk II (Mk II)
1966–1969Ford GT40 Mk III (Mk III)
1967Ford GT40 Mk IV (Mk IV)
1981–2000Safir GT40 Mark V (Mark V)
2004–2006Ford GT
1964April debut; Shelby takes over
1965First Daytona win; Mk I deliveries begin
1966Mk II sweeps the Le Mans podium
1967All-American Mk IV breaks 5,000 km
1968Gulf Mk I wins Le Mans and world title
1969Fourth Le Mans win; original run ends
1981Safir revives the GT40 as the Mk V
  1. 1964

    April debut; Shelby takes over

    Unveiled in England on April 1, the GT40 retired all three Le Mans entries; Carroll Shelby took over the program after the season.5

  2. 1965

    First Daytona win; Mk I deliveries begin

    Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby won at Daytona in February. Mk I deliveries began in May; 31 road-trim cars would ultimately be built.567

  3. 1966

    Mk II sweeps the Le Mans podium

    The 485-hp 427 Mk II used Kar Kraft’s T44 four-speed and swept Le Mans 1-2-3, ending Ferrari’s six-year winning streak.8910

  4. 1967

    All-American Mk IV breaks 5,000 km

    Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt’s US-built, honeycomb-chassis Mk IV won Le Mans, first past 5,000 km. Gurney sprayed Henry Ford II with champagne.12511

  5. 1968

    Gulf Mk I wins Le Mans and world title

    Gulf-Wyer’s 4.9 L Mk I used O-rings to fight head-gasket failure, won Le Mans and clinched the International Championship for Makes.2512

  6. 1969

    Fourth Le Mans win; original run ends

    Jacky Ickx walked at the start, then beat Porsche with Jackie Oliver in the Mk I. It sealed four straight Le Mans wins as original production ended.1513

  7. 1981

    Safir revives the GT40 as the Mk V

    Safir’s continuation kept sequential chassis numbers, added zinc-coated steel and CV joints, and reached 40 cars with the final Mk V in 2000.14

Every generation

  • Lola Mk6 GT
    Mk61962–1963
  • Ford GT40 Mk II
    Mk II1965–1967
  • Ford GT40 Mk III
    Mk III1966–1969
  • Ford GT40 Mk IV
    Mk IV1967
  • Ford P68
    P68
  • Ford GT
    Ford GT2004–2006

Power over the years

From 350 hp to 550 hp in 3 years.

0200400600 196419661968 hp 1964 · 350 hp · Mk I prototype: 4.2 L, four Webers1964 · 390 hp · Mk I prototype: 4.7 L at Reims1965 · 306 hp · Mk I road: single Holley1965 · 335 hp · Mk I road: optional Webers1965 · 380 hp · Mk I race: four twin-choke Webers1966 · 485 hp · Mk II: single Holley1967 · 306 hp · Mk III road: 4.7 L, single Holley1967 · 520 hp · Mk II: twin Holleys1967 · 530 hp · Mk IIB: revised 7.0 L engine1967 · 550 hp · Mk IV race coupe1968 · 425 hp · Gulf Mk I: Gurney-Weslake heads 550 hp Mk IV race coupe 350 hp Mk I prototype: 4.2 L, four Webers
24671215161718
Show the numbers
YearHorsepowerModel
1964350Mk I prototype: 4.2 L, four Webers
1964390Mk I prototype: 4.7 L at Reims
1965306Mk I road: single Holley
1965335Mk I road: optional Webers
1965380Mk I race: four twin-choke Webers
1966485Mk II: single Holley
1967306Mk III road: 4.7 L, single Holley
1967520Mk II: twin Holleys
1967530Mk IIB: revised 7.0 L engine
1967550Mk IV race coupe
1968425Gulf Mk I: Gurney-Weslake heads

Versions

12 versions worth knowing, with their power.

  • Racing

    Mk I customer racing

    1965

    380 hp
  • Mk I road car

    Standard

    Mk I road car

    306 hp

    31 built

  • Limited

    Safir Mk V continuation

    1981–2000

    40 built

  • Racing

    Mk II

    1966

    485 hp

  • Standard

    Mk III

    1966–1969

    306 hp

    7 built

  • Racing

    Mk IV

    1967

  • Racing

    Mk IIB

    1967

    530 hp
  • Gulf/Mirage lightweights

    Racing

    Gulf/Mirage lightweights

    1967–1969

    3 built

  • Racing

    Mk II Factory Lightweight

    1966

    3 built

  • Mk I Prototype Roadster

    Racing

    Mk I Prototype Roadster

    1965

  • Racing

    Alan Mann Mk I Lightweight

    1966

    425 hp

    2 built

  • Racing

    X1 experimental roadster

    1965–1966

How to spot one

Look for

  • The '40' refers to its roughly 40-inch height; look for a chiseled nose and upswept tail.39
  • Door tops cut into the roof, so opening a door takes a section of roof with it.1
  • Mk I cars have large front intakes and rear-body cooling ducts in a low, rounded body.1
  • Some have a Gurney bubble: a door-top bump Phil Remington designed for Dan Gurney.24
  • Gulf blue and orange is a famous racing scheme, but replicas wear it too.1

Year by year

  1. 1965 Mk I production

    Most production cars replaced the pointed prototype nose with a flatter front; the earliest examples can retain the older shape.6

  2. Early vs. later Mk I

    Early Mk Is and road cars used Borrani wire wheels; later racers used BRM magnesium wheels with six spokes.19

  3. 1966 Mk II

    Rear-window-side intake scoops and rear-deck brake-cooling pods distinguish the big-block bodywork.16

  4. 1967 Mk III debut

    Paired round headlights sit higher in the front fenders; chrome bumperettes and a longer luggage tail mark the road derivative.37

  5. 1967 Mk IIB

    Reworked nose and tail; the rear section loses the earlier Mk II's snorkel air intakes.17

  6. 1968 Gulf lightweights

    Some lightweight bodies have extra-wide rear arches and a fully vented spare-wheel cover; Gulf rear panels also gain outlet vents.20

Don’t confuse it with

  • GT40 Mark V

    Near-identical Mk I styling; continuation chassis start at GT40P-1090, so inspect the chassis plate and build record.14

  • Photo of a Ford GT40
    GT40
    Photo of a GT40 replicas
    GT40 replicas

    GT40 replicas

    Replicas also wear Gulf colors; paint alone cannot confirm identity. Chassis identity and documented history matter.1

  • Photo of a Ford GT40
    GT40
    Photo of a Ford GT (2016)
    Ford GT (2016)

    Ford GT (2016)

    Look for the newer GT's futuristic lines and radiators positioned on both sides just ahead of the rear wheels.2

Prices

Value today $4.4M–$6.9M29

Price when newAuction saleValue todayPrices on a log scale
$10K$100K$1M$10M$100M 197019801990200020102020 Value today: $4,405,000–$6,930,000 1964 · $14,560 · UK competition; approx. £1=$2.801965 · $18,200 · UK Mk I; approx. £1=$2.801967 · $18,500 · US base, Mk III1969 · $18,118 · UK Mk III; approx. £1=$2.40 1964 · £5,200 · UK competition, 1964; approx. £1=$2.80 2012 · $11,000,000 · 1968 Gulf/Mirage lightweight P/1074, Monterey2019 · $7,650,000 · 1965 Roadster Prototype, Monterey2024 · $4,405,000 · 1967 Mk I road coupe P1069, Broad Arrow2024 · $7,865,000 · 1969 Lightweight, 1,524 miles indicated, Monterey2024 · $6,930,000 · 1966 MkI Road Car, 13,442 miles indicated, Kissimmee2025 · $13,205,000 · 1966 Mk II P/1032, Miami2025 · $7,040,000 · 1966 MkI Road Car, 4,472 miles indicated, Kissimmee $13.2M Miami, 2025
356710202931323334
Show the numbers
YearPriceAmountDetail
1964Launch price$14,560UK competition, 1964; approx. £1=$2.80
1964Price when new$14,560UK competition; approx. £1=$2.80
1965Price when new$18,200UK Mk I; approx. £1=$2.80
1967Price when new$18,500US base, Mk III
1969Price when new$18,118UK Mk III; approx. £1=$2.40
2012Auction sale$11,000,0001968 Gulf/Mirage lightweight P/1074, Monterey
2019Auction sale$7,650,0001965 Roadster Prototype, Monterey
2024Auction sale$4,405,0001967 Mk I road coupe P1069, Broad Arrow
2024Auction sale$7,865,0001969 Lightweight, 1,524 miles indicated, Monterey
2024Auction sale$6,930,0001966 MkI Road Car, 13,442 miles indicated, Kissimmee
2025Auction sale$13,205,0001966 Mk II P/1032, Miami
2025Auction sale$7,040,0001966 MkI Road Car, 4,472 miles indicated, Kissimmee
2026Value today$4,405,000–$6,930,000

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

  • Versions

    • Why each of the 12 versions matters

  • Legend

    • 13 stories from its legend
    • “Four Le Mans wins across three Marks”
    • “Shelby's first GT40 race was a victory”

  • Generations

    • The story of each of the 7 generations

  • Market

    • 4 things to check before buying one
Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 34 sources
  1. Buyer's Guide to the Ford GT40 - Sports Car Market sportscarmarket.com
  2. 24 Hours Centenary – The American benchmark Ford GT40 24h-lemans.com
  3. Ford GT40 (1967) review – the car built to spite Ferrari | evo evo.co.uk
  4. Ford GT40 Mk1 Prototype Guide — Supercar Nostalgia supercarnostalgia.com
  5. Ford GT40 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  6. Ford GT40 Mk1 Guide — Supercar Nostalgia supercarnostalgia.com
  7. Ford GT40 Mk3 Guide — Supercar Nostalgia supercarnostalgia.com
  8. 1966 Ford GT40 P/1015 | Shelby American Collection shelbyamericancollection.org
  9. 1967 Ford GT40 MK III – Petersen Automotive Museum petersen.org
  10. 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II | Miami 2025 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  11. 24 Hours Stories: Dan Gurney starts podium Champagne spray tradition 24h-lemans.com
  12. Big bangers of the sixties: Ford GT40 April 1989 - Motor Sport Magazine motorsportmagazine.com
  13. 30 cars and 90 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 21/30 : The Ford GT40 (1969) 24h-lemans.com
  14. GT40 History - Peter Thorp letter | Safir GT40 Spares gt40.com
  15. 1967 FORD GT J-7 | Shelby American Collection shelbyamericancollection.org
  16. Ford GT40 Mk2 '66 Guide — Supercar Nostalgia supercarnostalgia.com
  17. Ford GT40 Mk2 & Mk2B '67 Guide — Supercar Nostalgia supercarnostalgia.com
  18. GT40 #1075 – A Two-Time Le Mans Champion thehenryford.org
  19. Rejuvenating GT40s December 1975 - Motor Sport Magazine motorsportmagazine.com
  20. 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lightweight Racing Car | Monterey 2012 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  21. 1966 Ford GT40 MkII Factory Lightweight For Sale At Auction - Mecum Auctions mecum.com
  22. Hot Ride at Riverside - Testing the Ford GT40 Roadster caranddriver.com
  23. 1966 Ford GT40 Alan Mann Lightweight | Gooding Christie’s goodingco.com
  24. What it’s like to drive a Ford GT40 | GRR goodwood.com
  25. Lola Mk6 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  26. 'Godfather of the Ford GT40' Roy Lunn: 1925-2017 autoweek.com
  27. Ford GT40 Mk II History and Technical Analysis — Ford v. Ferrari roadandtrack.com
  28. Ford GT40 Mark I '66 in GT7 — Price, Specs & How to Get | GTDB gtdb.io
  29. Broad Arrow, Amelia Island, March 1-2, 2024 – Rick Carey's Collector Car Auction Reports rickcarey.com
  30. How the Ford GT40 Took Down Ferrari and Left a Lasting Legacy at Ford motortrend.com
  31. 1966 Ford GT40 MkI Road Car For Sale At Auction - Mecum Auctions mecum.com
  32. 1969 Ford GT40 Lightweight For Sale At Mecum Auctions mecum.com
  33. 1966 Ford GT40 MkI Road Car For Sale At Auction - Mecum Auctions mecum.com
  34. 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype | Monterey 2019 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  • sportscarmarket.com
  • 24h-lemans.com
  • evo.co.uk
  • supercarnostalgia.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • shelbyamericancollection.org
  • petersen.org
  • rmsothebys.com
  • motorsportmagazine.com
  • gt40.com
  • thehenryford.org
  • mecum.com
  • caranddriver.com
  • goodingco.com

Photo credits

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