PALM BEACH PREVIEW: Alan Mann Heritage Edition 2022 Ford GT
February 2, 2024
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Statham
2024 PALM BEACH AUCTION – 2022 FORD GT ALAN MANN HERITAGE EDITION – NO RESERVE
Ford Motor Company has done an impressive job of leveraging its racing history to produce new and interesting performance models. From reborn Cobra Jet drag racing Mustangs to Boss 302 Laguna Seca editions, many a victorious Ford race car has been memorialized decades later with a fresh version that introduces that heritage to a new generation.
The Ford GT40 earned an especially rich racing legacy in the 1960s, and Ford has not missed a beat in recalling the car’s triumphs with its supercar successor, the Ford GT. The original GT40 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in a row from 1966-69, with additional wins at every top sports car endurance race on the planet: 12 Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Reims, Spa 1000 and the Watkins Glen Six Hours. Starting with the 2006 Gulf Livery Heritage Edition GT, Ford has produced 10 Heritage Edition GTs between the 2005-06 and 2017-22 generations that recall those milestone wins.
One of the most sought-after Heritage Editions, a 2022 Ford GT Alan Mann Heritage Edition, will be offered with No Reserve at the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction, April 18-20 at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Alan Mann Racing in England was instrumental in the GT40’s development. Ford had committed substantial resources to the GT40 project, but there was no guarantee of success. Achieving victory in international endurance racing did not come easily and required considerable trial-and-error testing. Following AMR’s successful preparation of Falcons for the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, Ford enlisted the young company as a European base for GT40 development.
In 1965-66, Alan Mann Racing created the AM GT-1 and a second car, based on the GT Mk I. Mann focused on incorporating lightweight materials into these prototypes to improve performance. The cars did not bring home trophies from major races, but the lessons learned were essential in turning the GT40 Mk II into a Le Mans legend.
The Alan Mann Heritage Edition GT wears the red and gold livery for which AMR’s 1960s-era race cars were known, with number 16 in the roundels like the original AM GT-1 prototype. In an engineering development that Alan Mann himself would have appreciated, the special GT shaves every extra ounce with a lightweight carbon-fiber body, carbon-fiber 20-inch wheels with titanium lug nuts and carbon-fiber front splitter, side sills, mirrors, engine louvers and rear diffuser.
The interior captures the spirit of the 1960s with Alcantara-wrapped seats featuring gold and red accent stitching and paddle shifters finished in Alan Madd Red to match the exterior. Carbon-fiber accents adorn the door sills, console and registers.
The powertrain is competition-worthy with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 rated at 660hp, teamed with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. In addition to pure power and light weight, active aerodynamics help the GT achieve every extra mph.
“Whether it’s going like hell at the racetrack or out-innovating the competition, the Ford GT Alan Mann Heritage Edition honors the vehicles that helped lead Ford to its wins,” said Mike Severson, Ford GT program manager, at the time of the car’s release. “With its red and gold livery, this Ford GT is inspired by Alan Mann Racing’s contribution to our Le Mans-winning story.”
Alan Mann Racing has a rich racing heritage beyond the prototype GT40s, including Touring Car and Saloon championships. The company is still in business today with sons Henry and Tom at the helm, serving the vintage racing and Resto-Mod markets. The Ford GT Alan Mann Heritage Edition debuted at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show next to the original 1966 Ford AM GT-1 prototype.
“It’s a great honor for Alan Mann Racing and the Mann family to celebrate the epic motorsports heritage of Ford GT with this fantastic limited-edition car,” said Henry Mann, director, Alan Mann Racing Ltd., prior to the car’s public introduction. “To see the red and gold colors of our team’s livery come back to life, and to debut this new GT alongside one of our original GT40s in Chicago, will be a magical occasion.”
Only 30 Ford GT Alan Mann Heritage Editions were built. The 2022 Ford GTs represent the last of the breed, yet promising new beginnings. This is one supercar with a strong link to the past, but a wide-open future. Register as a bidder at the 2024 Palm Beach Auction for your chance to drive this remarkable car into your garage. 