Description

Chassis No. 1FAFP90S35Y401729

“This has been my night project, off the radar, carried out in my own time,”
Kip Ewing - engineering supervisor Ford Special Vehicle Team

One of the ultimate special projects, the GT40 was built in low production, away from the opinions of corporate committees that allowed designers and engineers to push the limits and deliver a truly incredible finished product. In the pursuit of global racing dominance, several variations of the GT40 were tested including a stunning open top variant, known as the X1 or chassis GT110. This special variant was initially developed by McLaren before making its way to Shelby American where it was studied before receiving extensive modifications from Kar Kraft prior to earning an overall victory at the 1966 Sebring race piloted by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby.

Inspired by this iconic example, Ford Engineering and Design Supervisor Kip Ewing envisioned a second phase of the Ford GT that would now be produced in a similar roadster configuration. Even though the new GT was already a tremendous success, Ewing was able to obtain approval for a prototype, for which he entrusted master coachbuilder Mark Gerisch of Genaddi Design Group to bring his vision to life. The finished GTX1 offered an open-air driving experience with a remarkable level of quality. Fit and finish was much closer to a production car than your typical custom project. Furthermore, the GTX1 could be used as a convertible in two different variations. With the center bar left in and the roof panels removed from the hatches for a T-top, or remove the center bar and it becomes a true targa. While the task of modifying a stock Ford GT may seem daunting, Genaddi Design Group did a remarkable job without compromising factory performance with Car and Driver experiencing, “no creaking, no windshield glass moving, no cowl shake”.

Commissioned directly by Ford, the first GTX1 was originally built to be showcased at the 2005 SEMA show. Equipped with special badging on the front fenders, this vehicle was constructed as one of only four “SEMA Edition'' vehicles. All ordered by a single collector Hamad Alkaz, these vehicles featured an identical specification to the original GTX1 unveiled by Ford at SEMA. Originally delivered to the Middle East where they resided for a number of years in the collection of Mr. Alkaz, this example was eventually brought back to the United States. Finished in Valencia Yellow with Titanium stripes, this fantastic example is equipped with GTX1 upgraded Sparco seats and carbon fiber aero package with side skirts, splitter, and diffuser. As Jeremy Clarkson once proudly displayed on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, these examples received performance modifications including upgraded the 5.4-liter supercharged V8 which boosted output to 700 horsepower. Now offered with fewer than 130 miles, this GTX1 - the ultimate in terms of both original build specification, rarity, and excellent condition - presents a remarkable opportunity for the supercar collector looking for the pinnacle example of the Ford GT.