Rare Ford GT Heritage Edition Worth Over Rs 5 Crore Meets Unfortunate Accident Due To Slippery Conditions

It's never a pretty sight to see beautiful machines that are rare and essentially priceless in a mangled state. Unfortunately, a Ford GT Heritage Edition sports car met such an end in an accident in Boca Raton, Florida, when it slipped off the road and hit a tree. The owner came out unhurt, but the limited-edition Ford GT got severely damaged in the crash. The car had been recently bought for USD 704,000, the equivalent of an eye-watering Rs 5.37 crore.

How did the car crash happen? 

The accident occurred in the evening as the owner was leaving his housing complex. He lost control of the supercar while shifting gears, and it skidded off the road and went head-on into a tree. From the pictures, it seems that the car slipped a few more feet before coming to a stop on the sidewalk. 

While the police reports suggest that the crash occurred because the owner was inexperienced with a manual gearbox; the 50-year old owner reportedly says otherwise, blaming slippery conditions for the accident. He says that the road was muddy, and the Ford GT was equipped with older tyres. Without any traction control, the 550PS rear-wheel-drive sports would understandably have been a handful in such conditions. 

Ford GT Heritage Edition 

Ford released the GT Heritage Edition in 2005 and 2006 to celebrate the iconic Ford GT40 race car, which won the Le Mans races for four years between 1966 and 1969. You can spot the special-edition GT by its Gulf-inspired livery – its blue and orange paintwork and white roundels on each side. In addition, it could be equipped with options such as forged alloy wheels, grey brake callipers and a McIntosh sound system. According to the Barrett Jackson auction listing, this Ford GT was equipped with all the options available. 

The Ford GT Heritage Edition is powered by a rear-mounted 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine that makes 550PS and 677Nm. It has a 6-speed manual transmission and a helical limited slip differential. With a 330kmph top speed and a 0-100kmph time of 3.3 seconds, this supercar from 2006 is as quick as the best of modern-day supercars and sports sedans. At the time, it was a rival to the Porsche Carrera GT and the Ferrari F430. 

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How many Ford GT Heritage Editions are out there?

The Ford GT production sports car itself is an exclusive collector’s car with just over 4,000 cars produced. But the 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition is rarer – only 343 units were produced in 2006.

According to the owner, this Ford GT is covered under an umbrella insurance policy, so fingers crossed, it could be repaired and see the light of day again. Otherwise, the world will be poorer by one less Ford GT Heritage Edition. 

For the owner of this Ford GT Heritage Edition, it was a combination of muddy roads and old tyres that caused the accident. You might not be able to avoid driving when the roads are muddy or slippery, but you can ensure that the car is up to the task by keeping your tyres in good condition. Make sure you have plenty of tread depth and that the tyres are inflated to the right pressure. Older tyres lose their pliancy with age, so even if you use your car less, it’s better to rotate the tyres routinely and replace them after 5-6 years. 

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