The 2017 Ford GT '66 Heritage Edition Pays Homage to an Old Le Mans Winner
Ford pays homage to the GT40 Mark II driven by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon back in 1966.
Back in 1966, Ford’s GT40 Mark II not only took home the first-place trophy in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race (the first-ever top finish for an American company at Le Mans), but it swept the podium, finishing in both second and third as well. So, as 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the milestone, it’s only right that Ford would by tribute to the race in some way. And the result? The ‘66 Heritage Edition of the 2017 Ford GT.
Taking cues from Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon’s winning vehicle, the limited-edition release echoes the look of the #2’s iconic livery, adopting a “Shadow Black” exterior — with either a matte or glossy finish — along with “Frozen White” stripes and matching #2s. Other features include gold satin 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, a black leather interior (complete with retro-inspired blue belts for the carbon fiber seats) and golden accents on the likes of the instruments and paddle shifters.
Though limited quantities are set to be available only for the 2017 model year, you can expect more Le Mans tributes to drop in the years ahead: as Autoblog points out, 1966’s race kicked off Ford’s Le Mans four-peat as the American automotive giant reigned supreme in France through 1969.
