A year-2005 Ford GT, first owned by British racing driver Jenson Button, will be offered at auction in a lineup of the finest classic and sports cars on the market at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro Classic Car Sale.
This very special Ford GT is one of five vehicles, out of only 101 supplied to Europe, that were marked “VIP” by the Ford National Sales Company. Ford of Britain then allocated this particular vehicle to F1 world champion Jenson Button in May 2005, who took delivery through Swiss Ford GT dealer Grimm in Geneva in August 2005. The car was subsequently UK-registered in 2006.
With a pre-auction estimate of £250,000 to £300,000, the ultra-high-performance Ford showcases the finest in advanced technologies, is constructed on a lightweight aluminium chassis coated in superplastic-formed lightweight composite and aluminium body panels, and is finished in the evocative colour combination of white with blue racing stripes.
Powered by a mid-mounted, hand-built, supercharged quad-cam 550bhp V8 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transaxle and featuring racing-derived suspension and braking systems, the GT delivers astounding power and performance, travelling from zero to 100km/h in approximately 3.5 seconds, with a maximum speed of 330km/h before the speed limiter kicks in.
Later in this car’s life, it was acquired by the current owner in 2011 and today has just 13,438 kilometres on the clock. The vehicle will be supplied with a history file including stamps and invoices from Mountune and two services by Ford GT experts GT101, as well as copies of the original order form signed by Mr Button.
“The Ford GT is part of a rare class of modern cars that instantly become collectable, and have become more and more sought after,” explained Will Smith, sales manager, Silverstone Auctions.
“Given its inimitable heritage, prolific performance, stunning design, and thrilling driving experience, the Ford GT is a very special creation that will undoubtedly be revered for many years to come. In addition, it was once Jenson Button’s very own, adding even more exciting provenance and collectability to this particular example.”
