Posted on 12/31/2003 10:49:16 AM PST by presidio9
When Ford Motor Co.s much-anticipated rival to Ferrari goes on sale next summer, it will debut with a 139,995 US dollar price tag.
Ford officials announced pricing for its 2005 Ford GT supercar Monday at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, nearly two years after the vehicle debuted as a concept in Detroit at the 2002 North American International Auto Show.
The company will begin building the GT in Wixom, Michigan, early next summer in volumes limited to about 1,750 units annually over a two-year production run.
"The Ford GT is a showcase of Ford Motor Companys heritage," says Marty Collins, Ford divisions general marketing manager.
The car is inspired by the 60s-era sports race coupe that earned international acclaim both on the track and on the open road, Collins says.
"For drivers who share our passion, it would be equally desirable at twice the price," Collins says.
Even at its current price, Fords GT will undercut its chief competition in the market, Ferraris 360 Modena, which retails at about 14,000 US dollars more than Fords asking price.
Although Ford benchmarked the 360 Modena in producing its GT, domestic competition could soon arise as General Motors is expected to unveil a similarly-tuned high-performance of its Chevrolet Corvette in coming years, but official details are yet to be announced.
Ford is banking on a high-income, 50- to 60-year-old demographic, to combine with the vehicles storied heritage to help move a car with a six-figure price-tag off dealer lots and into collectors garages, according Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief of California consumer research firm, Edmunds.com, Inc.
In addition, it will look to capitalize on the interest generated even among its own salaried ranks, within which many, including the company's chairman Bill Ford Jr., are on a waiting list to buy the car.
"Rumor has it that hundreds within Ford Motor Company are among the first in line to buy a GT. Right behind them are the dealership owners, many of whom have been patiently waiting for a car like the GT to fulfill their exotic-car desires," that could never be satisfied by a foreign nameplate like Ferrari or Porsche without bringing along unwanted political baggage.
In addition to Ford execs and dealers, an undisclosed number of private buyers have placed multi-thousand-dollar deposits at local Ford dealerships even though the automaker is yet to decide which of its 3,850 dealers will get the vehicle.
For an extra $250m, why not go with the real thing?
It's important for all us to share in the benefits that only America can provide.
I propose the introduction of legislation that will price this car within the means of the average American!
I still remember my first time driving one at 100mph. It took a month to wipe the smile off my face.
I agree. This will be beyond the means of the working poor. We need a Gov't program.
Lando 
Actually, the Ford GT vs. Ferrari rivalry of the 1960s was quite similar. The Ford vehicle, despite costing less and using less exotic engines (though the dry-sump 427 ain't what I'd call mundane), soundly thrashed Enzo's best.
The FoMoCo beancounters must've been swigging Maalox for months now, but they'll sell all they can build, even at that absurd price. There *are* people around who will plunk down serious dough for a flashy set of wheels. I just saw one such gentleman earlier today, driving along in his Lamborghini Miura. That was the first one I'd ever seen outside of the pages of Hemmings Motor News.
And that's without even getting into the fact that women will be statistically less likely to own this car.
The engine is easy enough to obtain, but the ZF transaxle is another story. Figure on $8K for a new one, maybe half that amount if you luck into finding a Pantera that's being parted-out.
There is allegedly a Renault transaxle which will hold up behind a Ford small-block in the GT kit car, but I don't think I could bring myself to use a Renault part in a GT-40 replica. It just seems so... wrong.
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