Ford GT ownership includes tough selection process

At last year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Blue Oval surprised everyone when it revealed the all-new Ford GT. The highly-anticipated model is set to go on sale this year, but the process of owning one isn’t just about how large your bank account is, as potential owners will have to go through a rigorous selection procedure for the 250 GTs that will be available at the end of 2016.

In a report by The Detroit News, the process to Ford GT ownership starts with online applications, which are expected to go live later this month. “There’s a loyal following to the car,” Raj Nair, Ford’s product chief, said in an interview. “We want to prioritise people who are going to care about the car, keep the car and drive the car,” he added.

Questions in the application form include how many Ford vehicles the applicant has previously owned, how active they are on social media and how often they plan to drive it. “It will try to understand what your relationship with Ford is,” Nair said.

Successful applicants will be required to sign a legal document, whereby they formally agree that they will not sell the vehicle for a certain amount of time to help prevent buyers from flipping them quickly for a quick buck (ala property). That should scare way buyers who simply want to turn a quick profit on the supercar.

This selection process mirrors the LaFerrari buyer selection method. The Italian automaker similarly requires die-hard Ferrari owners to submit their names to a list. Corporate bigwigs in Maranello will then decide upon the potential candidates from the list, before they are then granted permission to purchase a LaFerrari. Rumour has it that you’ll need to own at least five Ferraris (in good condition) to even be considered.

It’s easy to see why the Ford GT is attracting this much attention. Beyond its contemporary styling, the American supercar packs the most powerful EcoBoost motor ever produced – a 3.5 litre EcoBoost V6 delivering over 600 hp. The GT’s return also marks the 50th anniversary of Ford’s first Le Mans win, where coincidentally, a Le Mans Ford GT racer will make its debut in said race this year.

GALLERY: Ford GT in Geneva

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