First-ever Ford GT Heritage Edition to celebrate Storied ’66 Daytona Win, Plus 2021 Studio Collection Graphics Pack
- Ford Performance unveils new Ford GT Heritage Edition inspired by the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental, a stylish Frozen White with exposed carbon fiber and Race Red livery that pays tribute to the 55th anniversary of the epic race where Ford’s first 24-hour endurance gain achieved
- The exclusive Ford GT Studio Collection offers even more exclusivity with unique and widely customizable design features in a limited-availability package for only 40 Ford GT supercars destined for production over the 2021 and 2022 model years
- New 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition and Studio Collection are the highlight of Petersen Car Week, which began airing on Petersen Museum’s YouTube channel on Wednesday; Highlights include various virtual events featuring 25 hours of original content from manufacturers and enthusiasts, plus activities for automotive style and auction house
DEARBORN, Mich., August 16, 2020 – The Ford GT is America’s only Le Mans-winning supercar, and he takes this Ford Performance pinnacle even further for 2021, Ford today unveils two new improvements – the first ever inherited Heritage Edition by the first perseverance of the original model at the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental race, plus a brand new Studio Collection package offering even more exclusivity and design improvements.
For this Heritage Edition, the Ford Performance team went deeper into the racing history of the Ford GT and created a model with a limited edition that stylistically celebrates the 55th anniversary of the Daytona 24 Hour endurance race that would eventually leading to our success at Le Mans, “said Mike Severson, Ford GT program manager. “Plus, for customers who want to highlight the carbon bike life and functional cooling channels that help deliver Le-winning performance, the Ford GT Studio Collection offers another new way for GT fans to personalize their supercars.”
The announcement of two new variants of the Ford GT were the highlights of the conclusion of Petersen Car Week 2020, which began airing on the museum’s YouTube channel on Wednesday. The virtual event featured 25 hours of original content from manufacturers and enthusiasts, along with activities for motorsport styles and auction houses.
First ever Daytona-inspired Ford GT Heritage Edition
The latest Heritage Edition to join the storied Ford GT supercar family is a tribute to the winner of the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental, where Ford won its first 24-hour endurance win, which is captured in the 2019 film “Ford v Ferrari” – as “Le Mans ’66”, as it is known in Europe.
Co-drivers Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby led a 1-2-3-5 Ford dominance at Daytona, setting off a magical season for the Ford GT40 MK II, with additional 1-2-3 wins at Sebring and Le Mans. This Heritage Edition is the first to feature a livery famous for a race other than Le Mans.
“Miles and Ruby led almost every lap of the 24-hour race and outpaced the competition by 30 miles,” Severson said. “The win was the first time anyone has threatened Ferrari’s dominance in sports car racing and represented a turning point in the Ford GT racing program.”
Inspired by the bold white, black and red exterior of the 1966 enduring-winning Ford GT40 MK II race car, the new 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition feature features Frozen White exterior paint with exposed carbon fiber key and adds contrast. Asymmetrical Race Red accents on the front fascia and roof rim, side of the driver and under the rear wing add distinct visuals, while exposed carbon fiber forms the signature 98 roundel graphics and speaks to the lightweight of the supercar. Unique Ford graphics on the lower rear panels and plus one-piece Heritage Gold 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, paired with red lacquered Brembo monoblock brake calipers, complete this new exterior livery.
Inside, the lightweight driver-centric interior has unique designations, including black Alcantara® suede that wraps the instrument panel, headliner and gear rim, while anodized red paddle shifters and red Alcantara suede performance seats add dramatic contrast to the interior.
For customers looking for an even bolder look, an optional Heritage Upgrade package includes 20-inch exposed carbon fiber wheels with a unique glossy red-colored inner accent grease, while monoblock brake calipers are painted in black and detailed with Brembo lettering in red. Inside, ghosted 98 rounds provide a subtle contrast to both driver and passenger carbon door panels of this package
Brand new Graphics Pack from Ford GT Studio Collection
Ford Performance also pulled the wraps from an exclusive series new to the supercar lineup, the Ford GT Studio Collection. This all-new graphics package with customizable colors highlights key style elements, including the functional cooling channels that help deliver the 2021 Ford GT of all 660 horsepower during the most strenuous high-temperature sessions on the track.
The unique graphics package for Outside was born out of a design collaboration between Ford Performance and Ford GT manufacturer, Multimatic. It reflects the contribution of Garen Nicoghosian, Multimatic design head, who has worked on the Ford GT program since its inception.
“The combination of stripes and accents evokes the emotion of speed and draws your eye to some of the GT’s most prominent features,” said Nicoghosian. “The hull, cabinets and signature features on the headlights provide visual anchors for the graphics, and keep an eye on the red.”
Only 40 cars are intended to receive the Studio Collection package over the 2021 and 2022 model years. The body and graphics can be customized with seven standard colors or further personalized with an extensive palette that offers endless color combinations for even greater exclusivity.
Deliveries of the 2021 model year Ford GT will begin in early 2021, with Ford GT production packed into 2022.
