Ford takes a page from Ferrari, will screen potential GT buyers

By Stephen Edelstein February 2, 2016

ford gt application process 2017 supercar — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Anyone with a pulse wants Ford’s 600-horsepower GT supercar, but only a select few will actually get a set of keys. While the car is expected to cost around $400,000, money won’t be the only issue. It seems Ford won’t let just anyone buy a GT.

Taking a page from Ferrari and its limited-edition supercars, Ford will employ a vetting process for prospective GT buyers, according to The Detroit News. Online applications will be accepted beginning this month, and Ford reportedly wants to give priority to owners of the previous GT, and those who will actually drive the new car, rather than flip it or stash it away as an investment.

The application “will be lengthy and ask a number of questions,” according to the Detroit News report. As previously hinted at by online chatter, that will include how many Ford vehicles the applicant has previously owned, how often they plan to drive the GT, and even how active they are on social media.

Buyers will also reportedly have to sign a legal document saying they won’t sell the car for a certain period of time, preventing people from taking delivery and then flipping the valuable supercars for a quick profit. Ferrari has implemented rules like this on past models like the LaFerrari and Enzo, but that didn’t prevent them from showing up on (very posh) used-car lots shortly after deliveries began.

Caveats like this are far from unusual when it comes to limited-edition supercars. With the F50, which was leased to customers rather than sold outright, Ferrari included a provision preventing owners from loaning their cars to media outlets for testing. When it launched the LFA, Lexus prioritized buyers it thought would put the biggest spotlight on its brand.

Ford still hasn’t said how many GTs it plans to build, but the best guess so far is about 250 units per year, over one to two years. That means there won’t be many build slots for what are sure to be a ton of applications.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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