Superformance and Safir Engineering are honoring the 60th anniversary of the GT40’s 1966 racing achievements with the exclusive “Championship Season Series.” The MKII series GT40s continue the original chassis numbers and will wear one of the liveries seen on the Shelby American, Holman Moody or Alan Mann Racing teams. A rolling piece of motorsports history, only 66 of these exclusive, genuine GT40 supercars will be built worldwide, company officials stated in a press release.
“1966 was a milestone motorsports year when the GT40 sports car finally broke Ferrari’s stranglehold on endurance racing,” said Lance Stander, CEO of Superformance. “Three teams battled the European powerhouses worldwide that year with the mighty Ford-powered mid-engine car. Our new Championship Season Series is a tribute to those incredible cars. An enthusiast can choose from one of the eight liveries that raced in 1966 with some very special anniversary touches. This is a rare opportunity to own a car with such high potential collectability, which makes the ownership experience even more enjoyable.”
Ford’s 1966 Endurance Racing Triple Crown
For the 1966 season, Ford asked Shelby American, Holman Moody and Alan Mann Racing to work in parallel on the GT40 sports car program in pursuit of a Le Mans victory; the campaign secured three overall major race wins. Sweeping the highest levels of international competition, Ford took the International Manufacturers Championship after years of Ferrari’s long-standing dominance in endurance racing. The three major victories included the triple crown of endurance races:
- 24 Hours of Daytona (Feb. 6, 1966) — 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th place
- 12 Hours of Sebring (March 26, 1966) — Podium sweep of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place
- 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 18–19, 1966) — iconic 1-2-3 formation finish
“These victories established the GT40 sports car as one of the greatest of all time,” said John Sadler, one of three Safir partners. “People have tried to copy the cars since then, but only a handful of authentic GT40 cars have been built over the past 60 years. These special tribute cars are as close as you can get to sitting on the grid in 1966 inside a new GT40 sports car for your favorite racing team.”
GT40 Championship Season Series Features & Specifications
Key features include:
- Painted in one of eight liveries — Shelby American, Holman Moody or Alan Mann Racing
- Special 60th Anniversary badges and other special touches
- Shelby livery cars will have a Shelby serial number and Carroll Shelby mechanical signature
- 60th Anniversary interior with sound deadening and heat-dissipating trim
- Gauges will have special logos; the Shelby models will also include the Shelby logo
- 15-inch Halibrand-style wheels with aluminum spinners and high-performance tires
- Ford 427FE engine installation kit
- A Shelby engine is available with an aluminum or iron block; the car’s serial number will be etched in the aluminum block
- Twin 10-gallon fuel tanks
- Quick Jacks front and rear
- 1200 series GT40P/1200 prototype serial numbers
- Safir GT40 Certificate of Authenticity signed by the Safir Directors
- Letter signed by either Gary Patterson (president of Shelby American) or Henry Mann (CEO of Alan Mann Racing), depending upon the livery chosen
Available Liveries: Shelby American, Holman Moody & Alan Mann Racing
The liveries available include:
1. Shelby American (including a separate Shelby team serial number and a Shelby logo on the car; also features mechanical signatures from Carroll Shelby)
- Ken Miles and Denny Hulme in their famous #1 Le Mans livery (Chassis P/1015); this car features mechanical signatures from both Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles
- Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon in the Le Mans #2 black with silver livery (Chassis P/1046)
- Dan Gurney and Jerry Grant (Chassis P/1047) in its #3 livery; this car set the fastest lap in Le Mans qualifying that year and comes with a “Dan Gurney for President” bumper sticker
2. Holman Moody
- Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson in Chassis P/1016, which was 3rd at Le Mans
- Mario Andretti and Lucien Bianchi competed at Le Mans in Chassis P/1031
- Mark Donohue and Paul Hawkins, who drove Chassis P/1032 wearing the famous bronze and dayglow green #4 livery at Le Mans
3. Alan Mann Racing
- Sir John Whitmore and Frank Gardner, which ran at Le Mans (XGT-1)
- Graham Hill and Brian Muir, which raced at Le Mans (Chassis XGT-2)
GT40 Chassis Construction & Authentication
These GT40 chassis will be manufactured under the scrutiny of Safir GT40 Spares Ltd., at the Superformance factory in South Africa. The GT40 chassis features an authentic steel monocoque design that faithfully replicates the original ’60s design, down to the pressed steel roof, while boasting over two-thirds of its rolling chassis parts as interchangeable with those of the 1960s-built GT40 cars, the company said.
Features include independent suspension, upgraded shocks and springs, as well as vented disc brakes for razor-sharp handling and superior braking. The GT40 Championship Season Series of cars will be set up for a big block “FE” family engine and available in either left-hand or right-hand drive with original sill shifter.
“The GT40 sports car dominated endurance racing for four years and those wins elevated the international opinion of American car companies,” said Stander. “They truly represent an important racing and cultural shift.”
Superformance LLC builds the only authorized GT40 under license from SAFIR GT40 Spares Ltd, which holds the GT40 trademarks and licensing rights. Safir issues the official MSO and each GT40 chassis will be added to the GT40 Registry, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. The Championship Season Series rolling chassis MSRP starts at $295,000.