Skip to main content

Ride along in a replica GT40, the ’60s supercar that still drops jaws

The story of the Ford GT40 warrants far more than a few words, but I’ll use its history simply as context here.

The GT40 Mk I was built in an effort to trump Ferrari, who had been occupying podium positions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for several years by the early 1960s. Sadly, each of the Lola Mk6-based vehicles constructed in 1964 failed to finish that year’s 24-hour race. It was then that Ford’s Le Mans team was handed over to Carroll Shelby. Under the guidance of the legendary driver and autophile, the GT40 Mk II was built with a 7.0-liter 427 cubic-inch V8, improved dynamics, and a whole lot of attitude. The cars went on to secure Ford’s first 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 Le Mans race and cement their places in motorsport history. Ford continued its domination at Le Mans in 1967, ’68, and ’69 with updated versions of the GT40.

Recommended Videos

Road-going recreations of the Ford GT40 hold special places in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts.

Though Ford created seven Ford GT40 Mk III production cars, it was only in 2005 that the automaker introduced a more widely available model: the Ford GT. For this reason, road-going recreations of the Ford GT40 hold special places in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts. And among the specialty shops that take on the task of GT40 continuations, no one does it better than Superformance.

Considering the Ford GT/40 is one of my all-time favorite vehicles, getting the chance to drive a recreation is a dream come true. The Mk II body and components are engineered to the original car’s exact specifications, meaning two-thirds of the parts could be swapped with the 1966 car, including the chassis. This particular car has been provided by Hillbank Motorsports, a distributor of Superformance vehicles, and is owned and driven by the CEO’s son. Though its black and gold exterior is showroom quality, this example has spent far more time on racetracks across the U.S. than suburban streets.

Superformance is commissioned to build rolling chassis (without engines), but the finished cars are commonly equipped with small and big block V8’s. The car I would be driving uses a 427 cubic-inch Roush V8 like the race car, but has been retuned to produce 550 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque. Mind you, the classic four-speed manual transmission remains, which translates to some very tall gearing. To handle all that power, Superformance uses Bilstein coilovers with H&R Springs, a fully independent front and rear suspension, and a Wilwood big brake kit. Best of all, the vehicle weighs just 2,200 pounds.

Miles Branman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…
Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2025 Awards
Top Tech of CES

Las Vegas is overrun. Every billboard in town is shouting about AI, hotel bar tops now sport a sea of laptops, and after hours The Strip is elbow to elbow with engineers toting yard-long beers.

That means CES, the year’s biggest tech bacchanalia, has come to town, and Digital Trends editors have spent the last four days frolicking among next year’s crop of incredible TVs, computers, tablets, and EVs. We’re in heaven.

Read more
Sony and Honda’s Afeela 1 EV makes more sense at CES than in the real world
Afeela 1 front quarter view.

The Sony car is almost here. After its creation via a joint venture with Honda in 2022 and two years’ worth of prototypes, the electronics giant’s Afeela brand is finally taking reservations for its first electric vehicle, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2026.

But will it be worth the wait? Coinciding with the opening of reservations, Sony Honda Mobility brought updated prototypes of the Afeela 1 (as it’s now officially known) to CES 2025, representing what California customers (Afeela is only taking reservations in that state) who put down a $200 refundable deposit can expect when they take delivery.

Read more
Bose wants to dominate car audio, and I heard its next-gen 3D automotive speakers
Bose logo on a speaker grille

Bose’s automotive audio business is huge, and it’s set to get even bigger. The company has been making big plays in car audio for some time now. The audio company works with premium brands like Porsche, building high-end speakers that allow drivers to experience high-quality audio on the road, whether they’re carting the family around in an Escalade or weaving around the highway (don’t do that) in a Porsche Macan.

But while it has a solid selection of audio brands under its belt, the world of personal audio is also evolving. Mercedes-Benz showed off its Dolby Atmos system at CES last year, and now, a year later, plenty of other brands are joining the trend. At CES 2025, Bose walked me through its current lineup of automotive audio products, as well as a sneak peek of what’s to come.
Immersive audio
The big trend in all areas of personal audio right now essentially boils down to supporting 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos. Consumer home theater products are increasingly offering up-firing and side-firing speakers that can bounce audio around the room to simulate height and surround effects, while headphone brands are increasingly developing spatialized audio tech that can convert stereo audio into simulated spatial audio.

Read more