2004 Ford GT 5.4L 6MT (549 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Ford tried to create a proper supercar for over three decades, but when the vehicle was finally unveiled, everyone knew that the wait was worth it.

The blue-oval badged brand made the GT celebrate its hundredth anniversary and outperform all other supercars on the market. Even though it didn’t tick all the boxes on that aspect, it managed to propel its wonder on wheels on the podium. The design team that penned the car took its inspiration from the original GT40 that won the 24 Hours of LeMans four times, beating Ferrari at its own game. And the 2004 GT did exactly the same, but in street clothing against the F360 that came from Maranello.

Caroll Shelby joined Ford once again to create the GT. The design team led by Camillo Pardo worked with help from J Mays, and the result was a modern interpretation of the LeMans winning car. Its front fascia showed a broad air intake in the bumper flanked by the scoops for the fog lamps. The headlights were flush with the bodywork, and the hood featured two oversized extracting vents.

From its profile, the car was four inches (100 mm) taller than the original 40-inch (1,106 mm) model. It was also longer and wider, so regular people could get inside. From its profile, the waved shapes of the waistline resembled the lines of the GT40 and those featured on the muscle cars of the mid-60s. Its big, six-spoke alloy wheels were wrapped in low-profile tires, like a proper supercar. Furthermore, a pair of air intakes placed behind the doors confirmed the fact that the engine was behind the cabin.

Ford went even further and created a clamshell that covered the engine bay where it placed the supercharged V8 engine, even though that could be seen through the glass above it. Finally, at the back, the rear fascia sported a pair of big and round taillights that echoed those installed on the 1964 GT40 MKI. In the middle, under the bumper, Ford installed the twin exhausts.

Thanks to the taller stance, the car had enough headroom even for tall occupants. But still, the doors cut a big chunk of the GT’s roof to help with ingress and egress. The automaker created a pair of seats that echoed those from the GT40 but with new materials and technology. As a result, the high-bolstered sports seats provided enough side support during high-speed cornering. Ford created a unique wide instrument cluster filled with seven dials. In front of the driver was the tachometer, while the speedometer was above the center stack, tilted to the one behind the wheel. On the center console, the automaker placed the gated gear stick and a few buttons and knobs.

Behind the cabin, Ford installed a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. As expected, power went to the rear wheels only. Even if the automaker barely made a bit over 4,000 units of the GT, the car became an instant legend since it was the first proper American supercar.