Ford recently released their final special edition, the new 2022 Ford GT LM, which pays tribute to the only American Le Mans-winning supercar which won in 2016 and got a historic 1-2-3 podium sweep in 1966.
Ford Performance Motorsports global director Mark Rushbrook shared, “With innovative materials, design and engineering, the Ford GT is unlike any other production supercar. As we close this chapter of the road-going Ford GT, the GT LM Edition gave us a chance to inject even more heart and soul from a podium-finishing racecar, furthering the tribute to our 2016 Le Mans win.”
The Ford GT is still exclusive, and being the last 20 special-edition examples will surely add to its collectability. For the final model-year Ford GT LM Edition, delivery will start this fall as production finishes later in the year.
Race-inspired Exterior, Asymmetric Designed Interior
In honor of the red and blue race livery of the Le Mans winning No. 68 Ford GT, the limited-edition Ford GT LM will have either a red or blue finish on the carbon fiber body that is lacquered in Liquid Silver exterior paint.
For a distinct look, customers have the option between exposed red or blue tinted carbon fiber that emphasizes the lower aerodynamics of the supercar. Other areas that will be tinted include the ultra-lightweight material on the front splitter, door sills and side sills, engine bay louvers, mirror stalks, and rear diffuser. The package will also include exposed gloss carbon fiber 20-inch wheels with matching red or blue inner-barrel accents, titanium lug nuts, and Brembo® brake calipers lacquered in black.
A 3D titanium-printed dual-exhaust with a cyclonic design in the tips and hints at the twin-turbo 660 hp EcoBoost® engine will be unique to the Ford GT LM. There is also a 3D printed titanium GT LM badge that placed above the tips.
Unique design features can also be seen in the interior of the Ford GTL LM Edition. This includes Alcantara®-wrapped carbon fiber seats with a matching driver’s seat that is either in red or blue. The Ebony passenger seat has accent stitching that matches the color of the driver’s seat which also matches the engine start button. Ebony leather and Alcantara adorn the instrument panel, with the pillars and headliner also wrapped in Ebony Alcantara. Carbon fiber can be seen in the cabin, specifically on the console, vent registers, and lower A-pillars with a matte finish.
The result: the team located the third-place 2016 Ford GT (No. 69) racecar’s engine that was disassembled and shelved after the race, ground down the crankshaft into a powder, and developed a unique bespoke alloy used to 3D print the instrument panel badge for each of the 20 special-edition supercars. Images provided by Multimatic Inc.
Podium-finished Crankshaft In All New GT LM Edition Cars
The Ford Performance team tried to find ways to add the Le Mans podium-finishing spirit in each of the road car, as a sort of final tribute that the Ford GT LM Edition will carry.
This resulted in the idea of locating the third-place 2016 Ford GT (No. 69) racecar’s disassembled engine which was shelved after the race. They took the crankshaft, ground it into a powder, and created a unique bespoke alloy that was used to 3D print the instrument panel badge for the 20 special-edition supercars.
In Honor of Ford’s GT Le Mans Efforts
The 2022 Ford GT LM Edition was made to honor the third-generation supercar’s victory at the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours in the No. 68 Ford GT driven by Sébastien Bourdais (FRA), Joey Hand (US), and Dirk Müller (GER).
Much like the epic battle in 1966 when Ford and Ferrari went head-to-head. In the 20th hour of the race, the No. 68 Ford GT took the lead for the last time after a one-on-one battle with the No. 82 Ferrari. On the three occasions that the Ford passed the Ferrari, Hand was the one behind the wheel, and it rekindled a 50-year-old rivalry between the two car manufacturers.
Joining the winners at third place is the No. 69 Ford GT of Ryan Briscoe (AUS), Scott Dixon (NZ), and Richard Westbrook (GB). No. 66 Ford GT was able to bag fourth, while No. 67 Ford GT got ninth.
The 2022 Ford GT LM also pays tribute to the Ford Chip Ganassi team for their huge effort and drive that enabled them to transform the car into a Le Mans winner in just over a year, 395 days to be exact.
Building on the Ford GT limited-edition series
The announcement of the Ford GT LM adds to the celebration of the defining moments of the supercar in motorsports history. This, of course, includes their victories in Le Mans. In total, the series has 10 very-limited-edition supercars, which includes:
– 2022 Ford GT Holman Moody Heritage Edition: In honor of Ford’s 1966 Le Mans sweep and the race team that improved the capability of the GT40 MK II to create a brake setup that could match the racecar’s more than 200 mph speeds. Only 21 units were produced.
– 2022 Ford GT Alan Mann Heritage Edition: In honor of the No. 16 Alan Mann Ford GT MK I lightweight experimental prototype. It was the car that enabled the 1-2-3 sweep at the 1966 24 Hours of le Mans. Only 30 units were produced.
– 2022 Ford GT ’64 Prototype Heritage Edition: To honor the roots of the give original Ford GT prototypes. Only 27 units were produced.
– 2021 Ford GT ’66 Daytona Heritage Edition: To honor the Ford GT MK II No. 98 racecar that enabled Ford to dominate at Daytona in 1966. The 1-2-3-5 victory kicked off a magical season for the Ford GT 40 MK II. Only 50 units were produced.
– 2020 Ford GT ’69 Gulf Livery Heritage Edition: In honor of the Ford GT40 MK I No. 6 racecar that was able to claim victory at Le Mans in 1969. Only 50 units were produced.
– 2019 Ford GT ’68 Gulf Livery Edition: It was made to honor the Ford GT40 MK IV No. 9 racecar that claimed victory at the 1968 Le Mans. Only 50 units of the examples were produced.
– 2018 Ford GT ’67 Heritage Edition: This is in honor of the Ford GT40 MK IV No. 1 racecar that claimed victory at the 1967 Le Mans
– 2017 Ford GT ’66 Heritage Edition: To honor the Ford GT40 MK II No. 2 that was the 1966 Le Mans race winner. Only 27 units were produced.
– 2006 Ford GT Gulf Livery Heritage Edition: Produced to commemorate the back-to-back 1968 and 1969 Le Mans wins in the GT40. Only 343 units were produced at the time.
There is also the Ford GT Mk II which is a limited-edition, track-only GT which was co-developed with Ford Performance and Multimatic. Only 45 units were produced.
