The List #0427: Drive retro Shelby racecars

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To celebrate Ford's return to endurance racing, we drive continuation cars of the Shelby Cobra MKIII, Daytona Coupe, and the GT40 MKII from Superformance.

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The List #0427: Drive retro Shelby racecars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Feb 2016 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amelia Island 2013: 50 years of the Ferrari-slaying Ford GT40

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Originally developed with the sole purpose of being a Ferrari rival to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Ford GT40 became a prominent racing machine in the 1960s in both Europe and the US. Not wanting to leave such an important car out of the fun, the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance also took time out from its other celebrations to recognize the 50-year anniversary of the GT40.

Over its short lifespan, the GT40 was offered in a handful of configurations, but the classic short-tailed (Mk I and Mk II) bodystyles were well represented... especially in Gulf livery. James Glickenhaus (of Ferrari P4/5 fame) had his bright yellow Mk IV in the field, and there were several others in this bodystyle, including one that has seen plenty of time on the track judging by its chipped-up nose.

As a fitting statement for the car's lengthy racing history, GT40 Chassis Number 1075 won this year's Concours de Sport award. This car took home the checkered flag at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969, and racked up a total of six wins in just 11 races.

Amelia Island 2013: 50 years of the Ferrari-slaying Ford GT40 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors

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2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance winners - Duesenberg and Ford

The 18th-annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance took place this past weekend, and in one of the show's biggest years yet (bringing in more than 25,000 spectators and attracting more than 300 vehicles), two powerhouses ended up winning the judges' hearts. The top Concours d'Elegance award went to a 1936 Duesenberg SJN, while the Concours de Sport went to one of the celebrated marques, a 1968 Ford GT40.

Owned by Helen and Jack Nethercutt of Sylmar, CA, this flawless Duesy is described as "one of the most powerful open cars of the 1930s," and it displays design cues of the era like rolled fenders and a tapered rear end. The SJN's supercharged straight-eight allowed it to accelerate to 100 miles per hour in just 17 seconds - surely not a disappointing feat for its day.

On a much different level of performance and timelessness, this Gulf-livery GT40 from the Rocky Mountain Auto Collection is not outdone by the elegance of the big Duesenberg thanks to some well-documented racing history. This not only includes winning at LeMans in both 1968 and 1969 - Chassis No. 1075 also managed to win a total of six times in just 11 races.

In addition to these high-profile winners, the 2013 Amelia Island show also celebrated the 50-year anniversaries of the Lamborghini brand as well as sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Porsche 911 and, of course, the Ford GT40. Next year's show is already confirmed to celebrate Italian car builder Zagato, and we wouldn't be surprised to see a Ford Mustang class recognizing the car's 50th birthday.

Continue reading Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors

Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage sets auction record at $11 million

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1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage

There are no certainties on the auction circuit, though any association with the late Steve McQueen can almost guarantee an upward nudge on the final bid. Throw in a provenance that includes multiple racing wins, work in one of the most beloved films in automotive history along with an iconic livery and you've got the 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lightweight Racing car seen here. The car took the checkered flag at Spa in 1967 when it was still Mirage M.10003, becoming the first car to wear the powder blue and marigold to victory in the process. In 1968, this machine underwent a slew of changes at the hands of J.W.A. in England, making it GT40 chassis number P/1074.

After a few more wins on the racing circuit, the car was sold to David Brown of Tampa, Florida in 1970. Brown leased the GT40 to Steve McQueen's Solar Productions for work as a camera car in McQueen's now-legendary film, Le Mans. In order to go to work, the car's roof section was entirely removed, which adversely impacted both rigidity and aerodynamics. After five months of filming, the car was sold. Since then, it's gone through a handful of other owners and a complete restoration to racing glory.

At Friday's RM Auctions, the '68 GT40 brought home a lofty $11 million final bid, setting an all-time record for an American car at auction in the process. The previous title holder was a 1931 Dueseneberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe, which sold for $10.34 million. Take a look below for the full release and a video of the car in action.

Continue reading 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage sets auction record at $11 million

1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage sets auction record at $11 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage sets auction record at $11 million

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1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage

There are no certainties on the auction circuit, though any association with the late Steve McQueen can almost guarantee an upward nudge on the final bid. Throw in a provenance that includes multiple racing wins, work in one of the most beloved films in automotive history along with an iconic livery and you've got the 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lightweight Racing car seen here. The car took the checkered flag at Spa in 1967 when it was still Mirage M.10003, becoming the first car to wear the powder blue and marigold to victory in the process. In 1968, this machine underwent a slew of changes at the hands of J.W.A. in England, making it GT40 chassis number P/1074.

After a few more wins on the racing circuit, the car was sold to David Brown of Tampa, Florida in 1970. Brown leased the GT40 to Steve McQueen's Solar Productions for work as a camera car in McQueen's now-legendary film, Le Mans. In order to go to work, the car's roof section was entirely removed, which adversely impacted both rigidity and aerodynamics. After five months of filming, the car was sold. Since then, it's gone through a handful of other owners and a complete restoration to racing glory.

At Friday's RM Auctions, the '68 GT40 brought home a lofty $11 million final bid, setting an all-time record for an American car at auction in the process. The previous title holder was a 1931 Dueseneberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe, which sold for $10.34 million. Take a look below for the full release and a video of the car in action.

Continue reading 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage sets auction record at $11 million

1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage sets auction record at $11 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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