A very rare and very green 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster will go under the hammer at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Cernobbio, Italy, on May 21, according to a recent Top Gear post. While this is only a prototype, it looks worthy of the top spot on any little boy’s bedroom wall.
On a more serious note, besides being beautiful, this car is also very rare - only five were ever built by Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations in the United Kingdom in 1965. What’s more, of the handful of examples only five have survived to the present day.
The Linden Green example also has a bit of pedigree, as the prototype that bears chassis number “GT/111” was first fielded at the 1965 Le Mans trials by John Whitmore before it entered as a Works car in the Targa Florio. The car reached as high as third place until it was forced to prematurely retire due to a racing-incident-induced damage.
After that, this stunning open-top beast was forgotten for over 40 years, until it was rediscovered in 2006 with its authenticity confirmed by the world's leading authorities on GT40s. It has made vintage race appearances around the world, starting with the 2007 Goodwood Revival.
"The Ford GT represents one of the world's most iconic sports car designs," said Max Girardo, RM Europe's managing director. "Joining power with beauty, it is the perfect fit for our debut sale at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. As one of just four surviving examples and one of only three to have been raced by the Works, it presents an extraordinarily rare ownership opportunity for discerning collectors, deserving of close inspection."
We can only tell you one thing to convince you to buy it: Imagine what the GT40's V8 racing engine sounds like with no roof... it must be quite the symphony of power.
On a more serious note, besides being beautiful, this car is also very rare - only five were ever built by Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations in the United Kingdom in 1965. What’s more, of the handful of examples only five have survived to the present day.
The Linden Green example also has a bit of pedigree, as the prototype that bears chassis number “GT/111” was first fielded at the 1965 Le Mans trials by John Whitmore before it entered as a Works car in the Targa Florio. The car reached as high as third place until it was forced to prematurely retire due to a racing-incident-induced damage.
After that, this stunning open-top beast was forgotten for over 40 years, until it was rediscovered in 2006 with its authenticity confirmed by the world's leading authorities on GT40s. It has made vintage race appearances around the world, starting with the 2007 Goodwood Revival.
"The Ford GT represents one of the world's most iconic sports car designs," said Max Girardo, RM Europe's managing director. "Joining power with beauty, it is the perfect fit for our debut sale at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. As one of just four surviving examples and one of only three to have been raced by the Works, it presents an extraordinarily rare ownership opportunity for discerning collectors, deserving of close inspection."
We can only tell you one thing to convince you to buy it: Imagine what the GT40's V8 racing engine sounds like with no roof... it must be quite the symphony of power.