VEHICLE SPOTLIGHT | 1967 FORD GT40 MKIII

1967 FORD GT40 MKIII

Of the seven Ford GT40 Mark IIIs built, four were delivered with left-hand drive like this car. This rare street-legal example (serial #MK3 1105) was originally owned by well-known Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan, who drove it sparingly—and never in the rain. The Mark III differed from earlier versions in that it had round, rather than oblong, headlights, an extended rear deck with room for luggage, a less rigid suspension, and a more comfortable interior. Powered by a 289-cubic-inch, 306-horsepower Ford V-8 engine coupled to a ZF 5-speed manual transmission, the low-slung car can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 5.3 seconds. Top speed is approximately 165 miles per hour. The GT40 model designation was derived, in part, from its low height, which was a mere 40 inches from ground to roof.

THE MARGIE AND ROBERT E. PETERSEN COLLECTION