1995 Ford GT40 – Classified of the Week

With the 24 Hours of Le Mans celebrating its centenary this year there’s been a lot of talk about the legendary race here at Car & Classic. It may have ‘only’ been the 91st actual running of the 24-hour endurance competition earlier this month (due to a hiatus as a result of the Second World War) but the competition occurred on the 100th anniversary of the very first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923. From the winning Chenard-Walcker Sport in that inaugural race to this year’s Ferrari Hypercar taking first place there have certainly been some memorable cars that have shot to glory thanks to Le Mans. Forever going down in history as motorsport legend few have been as memorable as the original Ford GT40 which was the winning car for four consecutive years between 1966 and 1969.

If you’ve seen James Mangold’s 2019 film on the subject; Ford v Ferrari then you’ll know the story. If you haven’t then we urge you to go and watch it immediately because it’s brilliant. The fact of the matter remains that the Ford GT40 was a scintillating slice of automotive engineering and design and combined with those iconic period Gulf colours its place in the history books has been well and truly secured. With only a shade over 100 original cars ever having been built between ’64 and ’69 it remains one of the rarest and most expensive cars in the world. That pretty much puts you and us out of the running for ever owning one, sadly, but that’s not to say you can’t still scratch that GT40 itch. Enter stage left: the replica.

We’ve waxed lyrical about replicas in the past but to cut a long story short, we’re all for them. As far as risk vs reward goes a good replica can indeed be better than the real thing. They cost a fraction of the price and they let us get as close to that original vision as it’s possible to get without going bankrupt. Not only that but they can be easier to drive and to live with, not to mention safer and more reliable than the car upon which they are based. Owning a real GT40 is next to impossible for most of us but getting to drive a pinpoint facsimile every day and have arguably more fun is very much attainable.

And that’s where today’s Classified of the Week comes in. Yes, at the best part of 80 grand it’s still an expensive proposition but compared to the price of an original car it’s a drop in the ocean, frankly. It’s a Mk I car in those famous Gulf colours – the same model that won Le Mans in both ’68 and ’69 – built by Esteemed GT40 replica experts Tornado Sports Cars Ltd, a company that has been in the business of creating quality GT40 clones since 1989, so you know it’s going to be the well put together, a facet of replica ownership that can be hit and miss.

Built and registered in ’95 the car comes with a 1966 classic “D” registration plate to add to its period authenticity. Having covered just under 10,000 miles it was treated to a full cosmetic and mechanical refresh in 2020 which included a respray and new air conditioning along with many other mechanical parts, meaning this particular tribute is ready to roll.

In keeping with the original GT40 (which was equipped with a 4.7-litre Ford V8) the car is powered by a tuned 5.0-litre Ford V8 and features many trick parts, from chrome air filter and rocker covers to a performance inlet manifold, four barrel Holley carb and an uprated electronic ignition system, amongst other things. The period interior keeps things inside the car legit, too and the whole package is incredibly well-presented with a keen eye for detail.

This GT40 looks, sounds and no doubt drives the part. Not only would you get to fulfil those Le Mans fantasies but it would make a cracking show piece too. A fraction of the price of an original, easier to drive and arguably better in many ways it represents a very viable way to quell that itching sensation we mentioned earlier so get scratching.