Ford GT Resale Ban Expiring… Will More Be on the Market Soon?
Le Mans Winner auctioning unique 2017 Ford GT at March 2020 Mecum Auction.
Now that some of the early second-generation Ford GTs are finally turning two, some may just be available to those looking for a used model. Those buyers shouldn’t necessarily expect to pay less than sticker, however; Business Insider reports on one such example is due to be auctioned this spring for likely double its MSRP.
Wait a minute… aren’t late model pre-owned vehicles supposed to cost less than their new counterparts, not more? Let’s look at some of the reasons this isn’t true for these iconic Blue Oval vehicles.
Ford GTs are surprisingly difficult to sell
If you’ve any doubt that the second-generation Ford GT is an incredible car, check out our coverage of one owner’s delivery of this American supercar. Most enthusiasts would think this is the kind of vehicle you’d keep forever, displaying in a museum or maybe just bringing to a Cars and Coffee once in a while – Ford clearly thought the same when they implemented a two-year resale ban into the Ford GT purchase contract. A few Ford GT owners have ended up in hot water with Ford after trying to flip them just after buying them. A notable example is wrestler and philanthropist John Cena, who sold his new GT literally the month after he took delivery. Ford promptly filed suit against Cena for breaching the do-not-sell clause of the contract.
Another issue is that Ford wanted to make the GT very exclusive, with a process more rigorous than buying a new Ferrari for the first time. Prospective owners had to submit applications to the automaker explaining their qualifications and worthiness. Even well-known applicants like Rob Ferretti were turned down, despite having owned multiple first-generation GTs. Because of the extreme selectiveness Ford had during the initial process, the cars that did make it out of the hands of their original owners have had interesting journeys, “playing high-dollar hot potato across auction blocks”. Some of the ones that did get flipped have sold for over $1.5 million; Cena’s car has been auctioned eight times.
Things are finally changing, however, now that the 2017 models are finally turning two.
You can’t order this Ford GT new
Even though it’s looking like prospective owners can finally order new GTs without braving the ultra-competitive selection process, the GT slated to roll across the Mecum stage is fitted with one option you just can’t get on a new one. This particular car is owned by Sébastien Bourdais, one of three drivers of the Ford GT that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016.
His car features this exclusive plate signed by all three drivers, as well as the Competition Series package. This specification includes a lot of weight savings; sure, there’s the usual carbon fiber that’s become more common on these types of performance machines, but the air conditioning, sound system, and even cup holders have been removed to save mass for maximum performance on the track. The car is “listed with only 265 miles on the clock since Bourdais took delivery of it”; clearly he doesn’t do as much driving off of the race track.
There’s two things we know for sure about all this – 1. if we were lucky enough to own one of these awesome cars (especially after being aggressively vetted just to make the purchase), we wouldn’t be sending it across the auction block any time soon, and 2. we’d put a hell of a lot more miles on ours than Bourdais has!
Photos: Mecum Auctions, Ford Truck Enthusiasts
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