On display over the weekend at Pebble Beach (California), amidst a sea of red-painted competitors, a blue and orange-striped Ford GT rises above the rest, just as it did in 1968 and 1969 capturing victory at Le Mans. New for 2006, the limited-edition Ford GT ‘Heritage’ paint livery harkens back to the JW Automotive/American Gulf Oil-sponsored Le Mans-winning Ford GT racer. This unique paint scheme, one of the most memorable looks in Ford racing history, features a Heritage Blue with Epic Orange-striped exterior and four white ‘roundels’ allowing customers to apply the number of their choice.

“We’re very proud to offer the 2006 Ford GT in these timeless colours to celebrate our historic racing achievements and the high-performance and innovative technology behind our supercar,” said Carter Balkcom, Ford GT marketing manager. “The blue and orange livery is one of the most memorable paint schemes to ever be displayed on a race car. The JW Automotive American Gulf Oil Ford GT P/1075 is an iconic race car being one of only a few cars to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice.”

The year 2006 also marks the 40th anniversary of Ford’s remarkable four-year winning streak of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Earlier this year, Ford announced another special exterior colour, Tungsten Grey available with Quick Silver stripes, would be available on the 2006 Ford GT to commemorate that first sterling victory.

But Ford isn’t just celebrating its past. The company is building on its heritage with its Special Vehicle Team (SVT) enhancing the performance of Ford products now and into the future.

“Sweeping Le Mans proved to the world that Ford Motor Company could beat the most prestigious manufacturers in the world,” says Phil Martens, group vice president, Product Creation. “Those two events helped establish a culture of performance at Ford that to this day benefits our products, engineering expertise, and brand loyalty. Today, that culture is embodied in the Ford GT, aptly titled the pace car for the entire company.”

The Ford GT delivers 550 horsepower and a certified 205-mph top track speed rating, with styling inspired by the historic racecars and a comfortable and contemporary interior.

An ultra high-performance two-seat sports car, the Ford GT is built on an aluminium spaceframe chassis with super-plastic-formed aluminium body panels and an aluminium-over-carbon engine cover.

A mid-mounted supercharged 5.4-litre V-8 delivers 500 pound-feet of torque. Power flows to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transaxle. Independent suspension, large Brembo brakes and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tyres on 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels all are standard equipment.

Ford GT victories at Le Mans

1966 ; Ford Mk II; Ford Motor Company/Shelby American; Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon; Second-place car driven by Ken Miles and Denis Hulme and third-place car driven by Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson finished in close formation behind their winning teammates.

1967 ; Ford Mk IV; Ford Motor Coompany/Shelby American; Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt Jr. (Ford Mk IV driven by Bruce McLaren and Mark Donohue finished fourth behind its teammate.)

1968 ; Ford GT40; John Wyer Automotive Engineering; Pedro Rodriguez, Lucien Bianchi

1969 ; Ford GT40; John Wyer Automotive Engineering; Jacky Ickx, Jackie Oliver (Ford GT40 driven by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood was third behind its teammate.)

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