2005 Ford GT

Point the Ford GT’s low-slung snout down the immortal Mulsanne Straight at the Circuit de la Sarthe, crack open the throttle, and as the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 begins to howl consider how well the GT embodies the spirit of the original Ford GT40 while existing as a modern supercar famous in its own right. When Enzo Ferrari snubbed Henry Ford II’s attempt to buy the Italian company, instead of getting mad, Ford got even. The Ford GT40 was his answer, and with American ingenuity and muscle won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times, infuriating Ferrari in the process. For Ford’s 100-year anniversary, the new GT was developed in just 16 months by SVT Engineering with input from Carroll Shelby, pioneering new construction techniques in the process while at the same time distilling all of the gorgeous styling DNA of the original into a contemporary design masterpiece. Forget about all that and slide behind into the cockpit studded with race-inspired gauges and toggleswitches, and the GT’s combination of breathtaking power and poise on the limits prove that it’s a mid-engined monster that won’t misbehave on the track.