Ford to Build More GT Supercars

Ford Motor Co. plans to build 350 additional GT supercars and extend production through 2022 model year.

The carmaker originally planned to limit output to 500 vehicles for two years but increased the target to 1,000 over four years before manufacturing began in late 2016. Pricing for the sporty two-seater has increased from $450,000 to $500,000 during that time.

Interested buyers must be approved by Ford. The carmaker will accept applications for the new vehicle for a month, starting Nov. 8.

Ford says it received more than 6,500 applications when it opened the process for the first 1,000 vehicles in 2016. Celebrities and owners of earlier GT models received first preference.

It isn’t clear if Ford will continue to stipulate that GT buyers can’t resell the vehicle for two years. Earlier this year Ford settled a lawsuit with wrestler/actor John Cena, who flipped his 2017 GT to another buyer.

The carbon-fiber GT is hand-built by Multimatic Inc. in Ontario at a rate of one per day. Powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine, the supercar generates 647 hp and has a top speed of 216 mph.

Ford’s original GT40 finished 1-2-3 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in 1966. The new model won the 2016 Le Mans race and won the manufacturer’s championship in this year’s IMSA Weathertech series.

Ford also produced a limited-production GT in 2005 and 2006.