Manoli Katakis 
The 2020 Petersen Car Week is kicking off, and although the famous establishment is known as a museum, there’s new product news afoot. Specifically, the 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition. As teased, this one is all about the 1996 season, celebrating Ford’s incredible 1-2-3-4-5 win at the inaugural 24 Hours of Daytona, which was capped by an overall victory by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby. The story of Miles’s invaluable involvement in the Ford GT40 program was dramatized in the the Oscar-winning movie Ford V Ferrari. Otherwise known as Le Mans ’66 in Europe.
“For this Heritage Edition, the Ford Performance team went deeper into the Ford GT’s race history and crafted a limited-edition model that stylistically honors the 55th anniversary of the Daytona 24 Hour endurance race that would eventually lead to our successes at Le Mans,” said Mike Severson, Ford GT program manager. “Plus, for customers who want to highlight the carbon-fiber body and functional cooling ducts that help deliver Le Mans-winning performance, the Ford GT Studio Collection offers another new way GT fans can personalize their supercars.”
This Heritage Edition Ford GT is the first to commemorate any other race other than the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Miles and Ruby led nearly every lap of the 24 Hours of Daytona and outpaced the competition by 30 miles overall. In short, it was beyond dominating, and it had Ferrari shook, which was the powerhouse sports car racing team of the era.
Like the 1966 Daytona 24-winning GT40 Mk II driven by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby, the 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition features a white, black and red exterior. An overall Frozen White exterior paint dominates the palette, while an exposed carbon fiber hood adds a darkened contrast. The final touch consists of asymmetrical Race Red accents on the front fascia and roof edge, driver’s side door and underneath the rear wing.
Final exterior details include exposed carbon fiber shapes the signature No. 98 roundel graphics, and one-piece Heritage Gold 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels paired with red lacquered Brembo monoblock brake calipers.
The interior of the 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition includes black Alcantara suede wrapping around the instrument panel, headliner and steering wheel rim. Anodized red paddle shifters and red Alcantara suede performance seats give contrast to the interior.
Lastly, there’s a unique option for this American supercar. A Heritage Upgrade Package adds 20-inch exposed carbon fiber wheels with a unique gloss red-painted inner accent barrel, while monoblock brake calipers are lacquered in black and detailed with Brembo lettering in red. Inside, ghosted No. 98 roundels provide a subtle contrast on both driver and passenger carbon fiber door panels of this this package.
Pricing of the 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition has not yet been announced.
