This is the Ford GT Holman Moody Heritage Edition, the ultimate special edition of the Ford GT dedicated to one of the countless competition successes of its ancestor the GT40. This one celebrates the most famous of all: the victory, or rather the hat-trick of Ford at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1966.
One question is probably burning your lips: who the hell is this Holman Moody? It is actually a former American racing team founded by John Holman and Ralph Moody. Team which, at the request of Ford’s “Le Mans committee”, spent eight days and 265 laps in January 1966 to complete Shelby American’s work on the GT40 Mk II, dominating in 1965 at Le Mans in pure speed but knocked down due to its lack of reliability.
Brakes, suspensions, tires, all the ground connections are there. They even experimented with an automatic transmission. This hard work paid off as Ford finally defeated Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966. Before returning to La Sarthe in 1967. Then the year after. Then the year after. Then… no, that’s all, then it will be the turn of the Porsche 917.
But let’s get back to the Ford GT for short, that of 2022. This Holman Moody edition is entitled to a gold and red livery, in homage to that of the GT40 P/1016 chassis which served as a mule before racing at Sebring in March 1966 (12th ) then at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June (third). The whole thing is sprinkled with number 5 bibs, a little carbon fiber inside and out, with also Alcantara and golden touches in the cockpit.
The chassis does not change from the GT « standard ». Neither does the V6 3.5 biturbo: 669 hp, 746 Nm, we should be able to be satisfied with it…