The Ford GT... Is Coming Back!
- Thread starter dbk
- Start date
FBA
GT Owner
I know that it took a long time to move all of the cars built. There were many dealerships sitting with unsold FGT's for a few years after production ended...just sayin'...
Today is a dramatically different story however...obviously, FGT's are sold at huge premiums now, but it wasn't always the case.
That had very little to do with actual demand. A great many dealers kept their cars on the showroom forever with no intentional to sell as perpetual traffic drivers, and another big chunk of dealers went from asking unrealistic premiums to unloading near the end. I used to get the remaining inventory list from Ford periodically and there was always a number of cars technically in inventory that were not actually for sale. I called on some of the cars until they finally dropped out of the system completely and was told by staff at various dealers that they were "not for sale."
THamonGT
GT
Right On Dave, As A former Ford Dealer I knew many Dealers who just parked them on their showroom floors to draw traffic with no intentions of selling them. This really pissed Ford off but couldn't do anything about it, especially during the 2006 model time. Paying floor plan on those 2006 models after the $10,000 bump in price got pretty expensive after holding them. Ford Dealers pay 1% over NY Prime each month on inventory. That check is cut at the first of every month and it comes around pretty fast 12 times per year. Most dealers floor their inventory because insurance is cheeper on inventory than (on the street insurance rates).
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
The last time I checked there was a dealer in Kansas (maybe Oklahoma) that had a yellow GT on the floor for sale for an exorbitant price. He didn't want to sell it but had to have it for sale. I don't know if it is still there.
BM SoCal
GT Owner
Exactly my point. Ok some don't like the word fizzled, that's fine, lets say the demand was met or the market sufficiently saturated at the time. Sure some dealers parked them but the secondary market had plenty of cars for unremarkable (but still very solid) prices. Like mine which had 1400 miles. It's ok, gullwings fared even less, could be had for under $5k at one point.
I think the GT is the most spectacular car and value (part of that is the low ma) anywhere. Could have bought any car on the road and this is what I chose. I'll never sell it. Part of the special nature of this car and the reason for excitement and value holding is the two year run. Make it 5 and that diminishes.
sahlman
Ford GT Team Alumni
Production Numbers and Sales
DBK and others are correct on what happened at the end regarding the perception of "slow sales" at the end.
About half of the cars were allocated to dealers based on a points system (volume, customer satisfaction, etc) and the rest by a lottery. The allocation dealers got their cars first. Most Ford dealers were lucky to get one GT if any. So, the lottery dealers and others who only got on GT did exactly what DBK described.
Volume was reduced to 4038 because of 2 main reasons: 1) our ramp up on production was a little behind schedule and then our control arm recall threw it off even more and we were not able to make it up. The FGT production timing was 30 months from the very beginning of the program in the Spring of 2002. This production length was fixed because the '05/'06 FGT would not pass new safety and emissions standards beyond the planned end of production. We knew about both standards at the very beginning, but did not design for them per the program marching orders with our very tight timing and apparently the company's desire to force the limited production run. Sales figures or otherwise had no bearing on the end of production.
I think back on the GT and all of us on the program should have predicted what has happened with the pricing, but I did not. Approximately the first thousand cars sold for an average price of $225k+. Many were at $300k. Yes, FGT's near the "end" sold for MSRP, but it was in many cases a year or two after production when the dealers DBK describes figured out they weren't going to get the big money and the enthusiasm had waned in many of the more limited markets.
If FGT sales had really fallen off to the level some appear to suggest then I am fairly certain the value of the FGT would not be what it is today. It is cool that a vehicle we all love and many of us put so much effort into, is valued so high, but at the same time I am disappointed that so many FGT conversations are biased toward its value, because it appears to mean less and less of them are driven as we intended.
Scott
DBK and others are correct on what happened at the end regarding the perception of "slow sales" at the end.
About half of the cars were allocated to dealers based on a points system (volume, customer satisfaction, etc) and the rest by a lottery. The allocation dealers got their cars first. Most Ford dealers were lucky to get one GT if any. So, the lottery dealers and others who only got on GT did exactly what DBK described.
Volume was reduced to 4038 because of 2 main reasons: 1) our ramp up on production was a little behind schedule and then our control arm recall threw it off even more and we were not able to make it up. The FGT production timing was 30 months from the very beginning of the program in the Spring of 2002. This production length was fixed because the '05/'06 FGT would not pass new safety and emissions standards beyond the planned end of production. We knew about both standards at the very beginning, but did not design for them per the program marching orders with our very tight timing and apparently the company's desire to force the limited production run. Sales figures or otherwise had no bearing on the end of production.
I think back on the GT and all of us on the program should have predicted what has happened with the pricing, but I did not. Approximately the first thousand cars sold for an average price of $225k+. Many were at $300k. Yes, FGT's near the "end" sold for MSRP, but it was in many cases a year or two after production when the dealers DBK describes figured out they weren't going to get the big money and the enthusiasm had waned in many of the more limited markets.
If FGT sales had really fallen off to the level some appear to suggest then I am fairly certain the value of the FGT would not be what it is today. It is cool that a vehicle we all love and many of us put so much effort into, is valued so high, but at the same time I am disappointed that so many FGT conversations are biased toward its value, because it appears to mean less and less of them are driven as we intended.
Scott
Xcentric
GT Owner
Sinovac
GT Owner
Xcentric
GT Owner
I try to. They are all very boring.
The hierarchy of discussion interest:
1. Ideas
2. Events
3. People
4. Money (a very distant 4th)
Last edited:
PL510*Jeff
Well-known member
ENZO BTR
GT Owner
As someone with over 26,000 miles behind the wheel of a GT (after picking it up with 7 miles from Santa Monica Ford in August 2005) I can confirm they are far more fun to drive than to wax or stare at.
If my car was a flawless, bubble wrapped garage queen with 189 miles it would obviously be worth more money. Instead it's a scarred and scuffed road warrior that's been used as a daily driver, airport shuttle, track car, weekend pleasure toy, show car and road tripper. Drove it from LA to Denver and back in 2008 for my high school reunion, and yes, it was as awesome as you're imagining ("Oh, hi former cheerleader who didn't give me the time of day back in the day. Yeah, this is my ride...and my beautiful wife that gets to ride the ride").
Those memories are invaluable and irreplaceable. As most here know, the car is a freak of mechanical nature. It somehow manages to be the most beautiful, robust and rewarding car on the planet, even a decade after it was designed (and trust me, I've driven enough high-dollar cars to know from which I speak).
The value discussion is always mildly entertaining. But also purely academic for people who have seriously connected with the car. Unless you are in dire financial circumstances I can't grasp how anyone ever sells a GT. They are the once-in-a-lifetime ownership experience every true car guy dreams of.
But that's just me...
If my car was a flawless, bubble wrapped garage queen with 189 miles it would obviously be worth more money. Instead it's a scarred and scuffed road warrior that's been used as a daily driver, airport shuttle, track car, weekend pleasure toy, show car and road tripper. Drove it from LA to Denver and back in 2008 for my high school reunion, and yes, it was as awesome as you're imagining ("Oh, hi former cheerleader who didn't give me the time of day back in the day. Yeah, this is my ride...and my beautiful wife that gets to ride the ride").
Those memories are invaluable and irreplaceable. As most here know, the car is a freak of mechanical nature. It somehow manages to be the most beautiful, robust and rewarding car on the planet, even a decade after it was designed (and trust me, I've driven enough high-dollar cars to know from which I speak).
The value discussion is always mildly entertaining. But also purely academic for people who have seriously connected with the car. Unless you are in dire financial circumstances I can't grasp how anyone ever sells a GT. They are the once-in-a-lifetime ownership experience every true car guy dreams of.
But that's just me...
Last edited:
GKW05GT
GT Owner
The value discussion is always mildly entertaining. But also purely academic for people who have seriously connected with the car. Unless you are in dire financial circumstances I can't grasp how anyone ever sells a GT. They are the once-in-a-lifetime ownership experience every true car guy dreams of.
ENZO BTR, This small paragraph says it all. Well stated.
ENZO BTR, This small paragraph says it all. Well stated.
Last edited:
Indy GT
Yea, I got one...too
Scott, thanks very much for your insider information as a GT Team Member as to the production numbers!
This type of commentary from engineers who lived our dream car is what makes this Forum so special.
And ENZO BTR, you hit the nail on the head!
Owning one of these vehicles is truly a once-in-a-lifetime ownership experience.:thumbsup
This type of commentary from engineers who lived our dream car is what makes this Forum so special.
And ENZO BTR, you hit the nail on the head!
Owning one of these vehicles is truly a once-in-a-lifetime ownership experience.:thumbsup
Quoted for posterity because this comes up all the time. If I recall correctly, in the beginning ramp up was supposed to quickly reach ~9 units a day, and for quite a while it was way down near 2/3/4. Took out a pretty big chunk right there.
I think the value thing is tired (and it's going to get a lot more tired and/or contentious), but it's inevitable. While some people don't drive as much to preserve value, some people also don't drive as much because they are worried about the inability to satisfactorily replace parts of the car or the car in its entirety should anything happen to it. I said for years that we were going to drive the piss out of the cars at the Rally for at least a couple years because in the not-too-distant future an expanding number of owners would be less willing to do so. I've been pleasantly surprised that we've had as many owners willing to still hit the road or the track as we have.
GKW05GT
GT Owner
"While some people don't drive as much to preserve value, some people also don't drive as much because they are worried about the inability to satisfactorily replace parts of the car or the car in its entirety should anything happen to it"
This has and will be even greater issue as time goes on. Even if you get a fair insurance issue replacing your car would be a difficult task. Having your car repaired although it is sickening thought may not be an option as parts become more expensive, hard to find and salvage values rise. A problem but a good problem to have since we have the GT.
Our cars are probably much safer on the track at our Rally than on the street with all the idiot drivers and people hanging out the windows taking pictures.
This has and will be even greater issue as time goes on. Even if you get a fair insurance issue replacing your car would be a difficult task. Having your car repaired although it is sickening thought may not be an option as parts become more expensive, hard to find and salvage values rise. A problem but a good problem to have since we have the GT.
Our cars are probably much safer on the track at our Rally than on the street with all the idiot drivers and people hanging out the windows taking pictures.
Mullet
FORD GT OWNER
david b
GT Owner
The value discussion is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired.
Value is a personal thing. Some people value money. Some people value memories. At the end of the day its personal.
That being said anyone who values memories I ll buy your car for original msrp to bring back some memories
cobra498
GT Owner
Especially true in California where we have a large population of uninsured illegal aliens who don't drive well and have no respect for other drivers.