Ever fancied one of those classic Le Mans race cars? Superformance has teamed up with Shelby American and Safir to bring back the iconic 1966 Ford GT40 MK II A to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the famed racecar. It looks and sounds like the original race cars that dominated the Le Mans 24 hour race.
Continuation Series of the GT40
The Superformance GT40 is a replica of the Ford GT40; it is in other words a “kit car”. But this is no ordinary GT40 kit car. What separates this replica from all the others is the fact that it is the only one (among several) that has the monocoque chassis which is an exact copy of the original. Over 90% of its parts are interchangeable with original parts. It is so good of a replica that it is even being considered for eligibility in classic car races and is labeled “continuation series” because it is as close as you will get to a production model. The replica car also has its own GT40 chassis number and is eligible to be listed in the GT40 register.
The GT40 is not all classic technology
There are some brand new things in the car like an air-conditioning unit, an adjustable pedal box, and modern brakes. The car can come with left or right-hand steering and even a Gurney bump for taller drivers as optional extras. The GT40 can also be painted in the color scheme similar to those of the 1966 car colors and stripes.
The GT40, however, does not come with an engine, but the company suggests adding the 7.0 liter FE V8 made by Shelby for the car. The original engine had 485bhp and a top speed of 185mph. The replica engine from Shelby also comes with its own 50th-anniversary commemorative badge.
Superformance will have a limited production run of 20 units. The rolling chassis will set you back around $169,995 US Dollars. The Shelby engine will set you back around $60,000 US Dollars. That’s a lot of money for a replica but is a lot cheaper than buying an original which could run up to millions of dollars. If you are not able to get a hold of one of these replica Mk II A, there are indications that the company will produce the MK I and FIA versions in the near future.
The Ford GT40 MK II A finished 1-2-3 overall in the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hour race. Though the order in which they finished was controversial but proved how successful the car is. Superformance is based in the United States of America and produces cars out of a factory in South Africa. They specialise in making replica cars from the 1960s.
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