How do you find a railway car that’squintessentially American ? It is no easy exploit . First , you have to cerebrate about what Americais , what she stand for , her acquisition . I think Ali Krieger , soccer histrion for the US Women ’s National Team , sums it up quite nicely : there is a " distinctively American cultivation , rooted in our struggle , shared aspiration , hard work , and ego - determination . We are resilient , focussed , make up one’s mind , attached – and we will find a way to win . "

With those thoughts in mind , one vehicle stands improbable above the residuum ( which is ironical , because at 40 in high , it ’s not precisely tall ) . What car is the most quintessentially American ? The Ford GT40 .   With British root and original American melodic theme , this car ’s meteoric rise to great power status stemmed from hard work , inventiveness , and innovation at the hemorrhage edge – all of which it has now sustained through three generations .

When you look back over its history , you ’ll see that the GT40 has more in common with the story of America than theJeep , Mustang , Camaro , or Corvette , even though they ’re all American picture in their own rights .   If you ’re unfamiliar withthe story of the GT40 , its unbelievable accomplishments , and its last legacy , here ’s the CliffsNotes version :

The 1966 Le Mans Winning Ford GT40

Courtesy of Ford (edited)

In the other sixties , Ford was dress to buy Ferrari when Enzo Ferrari canceled the deal at the eleventh hour – ostensibly over control of Ferrari ’s racing political program . Henry Ford II took it in person , declared motorsport war on Ferrari , and hire a who ’s who of drivers , engine driver , and task leader to design a railway car that would deliver his triumph . With names like Carroll Shelby , Bruce McLaren , Ken Miles , and Dan Gurney disperse the roll , the GT40 exploit accomplished this finish by 1966 . It gain ground again in 1967 , 1968 , and 1969 , before fleet away like an old soldier that had done its duty .

It comes from British roots

When Ford decided to take down Enzo in his own backyard , it needed to promptly contrive a competent car to alternate - begin the Ford racing program . Lola , a British racing team that ’s legendary in its own right , had begun work on a promising result , so Ford press with Lola railroad engineer to take the existing car and make something honest . By the spring of 1964 , that something was the Ford GT40 , an essentially British race car with an all - American V8 heart . What you ’re depend at above is that auto ’s first moment in the US , at JFK Airport , where it was fly for a brief review by Ford brass , before returning to Europe to take the fight to the raceway .

It battled against both the establishment and foreign tyranny

Ford take on Ferrari might seem like Goliath adopt on David , but in the world of motorsport it was very much the opposite . Enzo Ferrari ’s political capital in Italy was nothing unforesightful of telling , and he had a long - lasting feud with Carroll Shelby . When Shelby ’s Ford - second Cobra Daytonas were countersink to overtake Ferrari and win the GT - class championship at the last race of the 1964 season – in Monza , Italy , no less – Ferrari pulled some tactical maneuvers and leaned on that capital to ultimatelyhave the race canceled , thereby deed over Ferrari the championship . That ’s like a banged - up baseball team winning the pennon by canceling the last week of the season .

OK , so this might not have been on the same tyranny - struggle philosophic plane as no tax revenue without representation and inalienable human right . Still , the GT40 , fighting a battle in foreign lands , as a admirer against the well - established Ferrari – which was in the midsection of a six - twelvemonth win streak at Le Mans – was , even with an unlimited budget , definitely the David to Ferrari ’s Goliath .

The GT40 program was all about combining business and passion

After Enzo ’s interference , Shelby uttered the now - famous demarcation , " Next class , Ferrari ’s tush is mine . " The Daytonas win the 1965 class title – a first for an American team , while Ferrari focused on the ultra - loyal , spaceship - alike , image - grade wash elevator car , since the struggle with the GT40s was looming . That entire year was nothing but hard study and exploitation by everyone involve in Ford ’s effort . A few flash lamp of magnificence were mostly drowned out by a twine of crushing defeats as the still - young team struggled to get the car to where it needed to be .

The dominant one-two-three finish in 1966 was a lesson in globalization

This wasn’tjusta British automobile with American help . Drivers from many different character of racing drive a sum of eight GT40s , and ultimately it was the New Zealand duo of Bruce McLaren and Formula One driver Chris Amon who took the chequer flag in ' 66 .   Eventually , drivers from even more country , from Belgium to Mexico , joined in on the fun .

The GT40 program was the embodiment of innovation

As the GT40 program gathered steam and germinate , it became , much like the post - WWII United States , a high - tech superpower . While Cold War interest prompt enormousness like theSR-71 Blackbird , the motivation for stability at ever - faster speeds sent the GT40 team into a military wind tunnel designed for examination missile plan . ab initio , thismerelymeant that the GT40 was the first car to top 200 miles per hour along the gravely long Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans . Eventually ,   the entire motorcar evolved into the heinously flying GT40 Mk IV . By that sentence , the programme was entirely based in the US so that Ford could leaven it could build up its own invention without hang back on European racing knowhow .

When the GT40 won again in 1967, it was one of the greatest “USA! USA!” moments in sports history

Seriously . It ’s right up there with the 1980 Miracle on Ice , and that ’s no exaggeration . It denounce the first – and to date , only– clip an American - design and -built gondola gain the 24 Hours of Le Mans with American drivers ( Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt ) . Gurney , in particular , was so overjoyed he could n’t contain his excitement and inadvertently begin a mark - new tradition on the smudge : spraying Champagne everywhere . It was a especially American second of relaxed celebration while surrounded by Europeans that were decidedly more formal at the time .

Two generations later, those traditions and values are still intact

While the first GT40 ’s spirit was rooted in proving a point , its aerodynamic advancements determine the mandate for future generations : the GT needed to chip in something major . When Ford repair the GT for a 2nd contemporaries in 2005 , its engineers worked on novel way of using aluminum to save exercising weight … ways that , a 10 subsequently , find their way into theF-150 pickup truckas a way of improving fuel efficiency . Of naturally , it pay homage to its ancestry with a Gulf - liveried Heritage Edition , as well .

Todaythe 2017 Ford GThas myriad advance , from using cellular phone - similar ice to those geomorphological support on the side for both aerodynamic and chill aim . And , of course , it pays court to its pedigree , with a new Heritage Edition ( indicate here ) made to resemble the Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon cable car that gain in 1966 .

And of course, it’s still winning

Everyone I ’ve verbalise to that wasdirectly take inthe new GTshares two things in coarse : their eyes ignite up when they speak about working on the projection and prize the enormity of the accomplishments of their forebears , and they get it on that for truly be a worthy successor , the GT must set ahead the proficient playing field en road to winning its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans . If you ’ve been paying attention , you ’d know thatthis twelvemonth , it did precisely that , winning in an sheer hassle against Ferrariin which both sides endeavor to use the rulebook to their advantage .

The winning car was beat back on June 19th , the 50th anniversary of that first transnational winnings , by an American , a German , and a Frenchman . As unlikely as it might have been to win in its very first try at Le Mans – that ’s an incredibly rarefied feat , after all – from the very here and now the car was unveiled , even before Ford officially support it would race at Le Mans , it never once seemed like any other choice was possible besides get ahead . Call it manifest lot if you want to be hopelessly cheesy , but I call it the end result of self - determination and hard work , mixed with eternal optimism .

What ’s more quintessentially American than that ?

The Ford GT40 Mk II wins Le Mans in 1968

Courtesy of Ford

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Ford GT40 at JFK airport

Courtesy of Ford

The Ford GT40 didn’t finish its first race – at the infamous Nurburgring

Courtesy of Ford

The Ford GT40 Won at Daytona in 1965, but that’s it

Courtesy of Ford

Ford’s 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966 is Legendary

Courtesy of Ford

The Ford GT40 Used Military Wind Tunnels to Go Faster

Courtesy of Ford

The GT40 Mk IV was all-american

Courtesy of Ford

The 2017 Ford GT Heritage Edition

Courtesy of Ford

The Ford GT won Le Mans in its first attempt since 1969

Courtesy of Ford