2019 Ford GT Heritage Edition honours Gulf livery GT40

Ford has announced it will honour the 50th anniversary of the Le Mans winning 1968 Ford GT40 by offering the 2019 Ford GT in a limited Heritage version, wearing the same Gulf Livery (and number ‘9’ on the doors and bonnet) as the car of 50 years ago.

Ford says it will also offer the Ford GT Heritage Edition in 2020 with the racing number ‘6’ on its livery to represent the second win achieved by the same car, which had changed its number from year to year.

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Ford says the specific Gulf Liveried car was known as chassis No. 1075, and was one of just a few chassis to achieve repeat victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 1968 it was driven by Mexican racer Pedro Rodríguez and Italian-Belgian racer Luciano Bianchi, who died the next year in testing for Le Mans. In ’69 the same GT40 was piloted by the legendary Jacky Ickx and the UK’s Jackie Oliver, one of the founders of the Arrows race team.

Exposed carbon fibre can be seen across both interior and exterior of the Ford GT Heritage Edition, with carbon fibre door sills, air register pods, and centre console inside complementing the carbon A-pillars and accents outside.

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“Many view the Gulf Oil paint scheme as the most famous in motorsports,” says Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of global operations.

“The 1968 GT40 quickly became a global sensation after beating its European competitors on the track four times in a row, and in honour of the 50th anniversary of its win, we’re paying fresh tribute to the original with a new heritage limited edition.”

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Gulf Oil Lubricants India managing director Ravi Chawla echoes Hinrichs’ sentiment, positing that neither car or livery might have been as famous without the association of the other.

“The Ford Marque has played a major role in creating Gulf’s place in motoring and motorsporting legend and the same is true in reverse.

“Every Gulf outright victory at Le Mans has been Ford-powered and of course Gulf Ford GT40s took the latter two wins of Ford’s four consecutive victories at Le Mans from 1966-1969.”