There is rightly great excitement around Ford’s fabulous-looking new GT and the company’s return to Le Mans 50 years after the first of its four victories there. However, with 6,506 applicants chasing just 500 initial examples at c.£300,000 each, many would-be owners are going to be disappointed. And with original GT40s each now valued in the £millions, it would seem all Ford supercars are beyond the reach of everyone but the super-rich. Well not quite, thanks to Le Mans Coupes Ltd who can readily supply one of the stunning Superformance GT40 evocations for the eminently more affordable price of £102,500 plus VAT.

So accurate that 70 percent of the components are interchangeable with their original counterparts, they come complete with P/2000 Series chassis numbers recognised by the Shelby American World Registry. Each example is painstakingly hand-built by Hi-Tech Automotive in ultra-modern 270,000 sq ft premises in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. They are offered in MKI and MKII form and with left or righthand drive. The many options include a choice of powerplants from 5.6 to 7.0 litres (ie 430 to 560bhp), central or sill-mounted gearchange, and ZF RBT or Quaife transaxle. Depending on the choice of engine, Superformance GT40s can sprint from rest to 60mph in just 3.7 seconds and accelerate on to a top speed of over 205mph.

Commented Le Mans Coupes’ Managing Director, Nigel Hulme: “Interest in the GT40 has grown steadily since the model’s 50th anniversary celebration of two years ago, and has inevitably been further heightened by the launch of the new GT and Ford’s exciting decision to give it its Le Mans debut exactly 50 years after first beating Ferrari there.”

Further details of the Superformance GT40, plus the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe CSX9000 Series and Superformance Cobra MKIII that are also available from Le Mans Coupes Ltd, are available at www.superformanceuk.com, or by calling 01342 712774/07836 742725, or emailing info@superformance.com.