American automotive manufacturer Ford just announced that it has begun selling its brand new Ford GT supercar for $400,000.
Unfortunately, the brand new vehicle only has a limited number of models, and interested buyers would have to log on to FordGT.com to apply.
Once a buyer is approved, the Ford GT Concierge Service will contact him or her. The new Concierge Service will help customers with purchase, delivery, and even after-sales support for Ford GT car owners.
There are reportedly several criteria in order to become chosen as a brand ambassador for Ford GT and get the “privilege” to buy the supercar.
You can now apply to buy the $400K Ford GT supercar https://t.co/Lb7IX7E0fI pic.twitter.com/3Cqi0japyb
— Mashable (@mashable) April 13, 2016
One of the things pointed out is the buyer’s knowledge regarding the company itself and its previous car models. If a buyer can prove that he or she is a Ford “nut,” then chances are he or she would be picked.
Another factor that may play a role is whether the buyer would store the car in his or her garage, or drive it on the streets proudly. Ford would prefer the latter in order to promote further the brand and model.
“The purchase process for the Ford GT is as unique as our all-new supercar,” said Henry Ford III, the company’s global marketing manager. “We understand GT customers are strong ambassadors for Ford Motor Company, and we look forward to providing them a service as distinct as the car itself.”
Auto Blog also claims that Ford may prioritize their loyal consumers, particularly those who bought the last Ford GT in 2005 and 2006. According to the post, they may be given priority over new Ford buyers.
For car enthusiasts who cannot afford the $400K car, they can at least design and build one for themselves using the online configurator.
From today you can build the #FordGT at https://t.co/q9WycImgd6 Which configuration would you choose? ^RW pic.twitter.com/LODOJac9Aa
— Ford in Europe (@FordEu) April 13, 2016
The Ford GT comes in eight exterior color options and comes in one of the seven different stripe colors.
Sadly, the American auto manufacturer announced that they will only produce 250 Ford GT units each year. However, for the first round of orders, the company will accommodate buyers for the next two years, which means there are only 500 model units available.
Online ordering for the Ford GT kicked off on April 12 at 9:01 p.m. PDT. The company will stop receiving application orders on May 12 at 8:59 p.m. PDT.
It seems like Ford is taking the exact opposite route of Tesla Motors, which recently announced its Model 3 sedan vehicle. While Ford wants to retain the luxury status and price tag, Tesla took a bold move to make the car affordable for the mass market.
At $35,000 excluding state and federal incentives, the Model 3 is made for the streets, and Tesla is giving everything it has to push it to the market.
Elon Musk perfectly mapped out his vision for the Tesla Model 3 a decade ago @browndamon https://t.co/3km1mAFUtw
— Inc. (@Inc) April 10, 2016
Tesla’s affordable car can go from 0-60mph in about six seconds. On the other hand, the Ford GT is a total beast, packed with state-of-the-art technology.
Under its hood lies the company’s famed twin-turbocharged engine, with more than 600 horsepower, a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, and a seven-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission. All these specs make the Ford GT a mid-engine, carbon-fiber street racer that definitely aims to be the king of the road.
It has been decades since Ford has created a direct competitor to Ferrari, and since then it has not looked back. For automotive geeks who want to see the new Ford GT in the flesh, they may check it out this coming weekend at the 42nd Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach and during the Mazda Raceway in Laguna Seca next month.
[Photo by Andrew Nelles/AP Images]