Ford GT and F430 Compared (Long, with Photos)

Hey man thanks for the bump! this was a good read!

Looks like you and I may have a GT in the stable soon Let's not get into a bidding war over the same beauty!!

 

You will love the GT. Pure brute power and great handling. For under $4,000 you can bring it up to 650HP and still drive it every day.
If you are interested, Jenson Button's GT is for sale.
http://swns.com/jenson-buttons-ford-gt-for-sale-221440.html

Joe

 

Excellent write up!!!

My friend Max who has both the F430 F1 and the Ford GT, and he prefered the GT over the F430 F1... I have the F430 stick 6 speed and my brother has the 430 Scuderia... We both were surprised by Max's opinion on GT over F430, so we test drove the Ford GT... And we like it so much that we are shopping for one now...

430 is great, Ford GT is awsome...

Alex

 

I like the GT a lot but one thing has always bothered me. It seems like the interior designers forgot this is a retro car. The exterior is a marvelous throw back to the 60's. The interior seems like a guy just out of Art Center who just discovered billet cutting CNC machines. The two just don't seem to fit together.

But, that's my only real criticism. The Ford GT is a great car and will be considered one for a long time to come.

Thanks for the write up!

 

Wow!

Can't believe I found your post. I just purchased a 2005 430 to sleep in the bunk bed below my FORD GT. Mitty my fellow GT owner,,,,,,you can also find me on the DBK's GT Forum as GTJIMMY. I am a dear friend and neighbor of the guy we love known as: GTJOEY! So ,I'm on AA flt#201 going out to LAX and jumped on line (gotta love GoGo) to look in on FerrariChat.
Loved it and joined!

As for the cars,,,couldn't agree more. Apples and oranges but both are oh so good!
Both inspire and honor history. BTW,,,,,over 1,000 total losses and counting for the GT.

I sometimes look at my White GT & Red 430 as a red head and a blond. You love'em both....you just love the one you are riding (um driving) more at THAT moment in time.

AS many of our fellow GT owners have done, I was thinking about putting another GT in the garage. I.m glad I didn't! This 430 is truely a remarkable vehicle.

My closing thought,,,,,The GT is a true white knuckle ride that keeps you on your toes. The 430 makes even the most novice driver look good. Regular or decaf,,,both tast good!

But , to my new Ferrari friends, understand that a GT is Americana and we never be produced again. Ture exclusivity.....

JDL

 

Anyone that has a GT needs to get the book by GTJOEY called " FORD GT 2005-2006 The Complete Owners Experience". It has everything you want to know about the GT.

Joe

 

I'm going to have to go with the 430. No doubt the ford gt is a dynamite care but the ferrari's are more fun than ford's. Also unless u throw an ecu chip in your ford gt then it's not nearly as fun as it could be. anyways 2 beautiful cars. gota love em both

 

I get more looks and comments about my GT than my F430! No one knows that Ford built such a car.

Joe

 

Great to hear it, I am the one that bumped this Thread as the more I see the Ford GT, the crazier I am about it.

 

Joe, thank you, I have bought every book I can think of on this car as well as every magazine article. I will look for the book you mentioned.

 

Go to the www.FORDGTFORUM.com.


Joe

 

Excellent write-up! One not filled with pompous remarks as with many posts/posters in this thread

You are very fortunate to own two of the best driver's cars of the last decade. Cheers to many more miles in each!

 

Tony, you will love the GT! If you have any questions or need information, feel free to email me. Good luck!

 

575MIKE,

Well stated about values of these two cars. Unlike other fine sports cars the FORD GT just keeps sliding up in value. Case in point,,,,Lets call the origional sticker price of a GT at $150k+/-. Six years later my GT is selling for $165k-$170k. Gulf color cars are getting $230k-$250k. Strong money indeed. Will Branston, owner of Exotic Classics has said in a few years even highly produced white and red cars will be well north of $200k.

Now on the flip side, my 430 stickered for a few ticks under $195k. I recently paid $125k.
Quite a difference. I suspect (no hope) it doesn't dip more than 3-4% a year and bottoms out at no more than $90k.

If anyone is thinking about buying one I can tell you it's a great stablemate to a 430.
And above all, contact GTJOEY at the GT forum and buy his book. There are good vins, there are bad vins, there are great vins and then there are vins to stay away from.

Cheers
JDL
PS: Actually, there have been over a 1,000 total losses thereby bringing the remaining number of cars down to 3,000 or less. Exclusive company.......

 

After all these years, seems that the OP's original expectations on the GT have been exceeded. I recall looking at a new one in a Ford dealer showroom 7 or 8 years ago therabouts. It was listing for the $150k's if I recall. I saw one just like it for sale, probably the same year, just weeks ago for $175k and it sold. I considered it (well perhaps that is too strong, but the thought crossed my mind every time I saw it before it sold) and have considered a 430. I must admit I would pick the GT over the 430 . . . well, as long as there is already at least one Ferrari in my garage. And I have something against Ford after a bad ownership experience, but the GT is my favorite all time American car I think.

The original write up was one of the best comparison writeups I have ever seen. Worth the long read. Makes me want to do one comparing all the cars in my stable, which I have done in bits and pieces and not so eloquently as the OP. But I will refrain at this time.

 

Guys, thank you all for the information.

Mike, if there any questions, I will definitely PM you. It is great how the 430 and Ford GT compliment one another. Two terrific cars. What got me into looking into this was speaking with Winston Goodfellow at a party about a book called "Go Like Hell" which chronicled the events of Le Mans and the Feud between Ferrari and Ford in the 60's. I highly recommend this book.

 

Guys, (on the FerrariChat) that may not be familiar with this vehicle. Non-owners & non-drivers need to stop bashing the GT. You are clueless!

Enough with the complaining about the interior, the lack of electronic driver aids, the fit-n-finish (remenber the old Shelbys,,,:hand made which was a desirable attribute of the vehicle)...This car was designed, developed and produced in 18 months. The 430 has the history and DNA from years of wonderful cars (355,360,etc...).


This was a project that no other car company would have even dared to try. Fellow Ferrari owners, please tip your hat. Ford hit a home run over the Green Monster!

The idea behind the car was to mimic a 40 year old design with modern comforts (ex: power windows, a/c, etc...) not an easy task to hold true to tradition. Camilo Pardo may be strange but he is brilliant. This is NOT a streetable style F1 car, it's a modern day muscle racer ( read your history books about the 24 of Lemans).

Some may like several Ferraris in the garage, I like a bit of spice. FORD, Ferrari, Astons, ....they are all GREAT cars.

JDL

 

PS: As several have said,,,,,,if you are thinking about buying a GT, Call GTJOEY ( I will give you his tel #. PM me). In addition, have the car checked out by Rich Brooks and Denis Brightenbach of the GT Guys, LLC. These guys BUILT the origional prototypes.Denny was with the car that was tested at the Nardo test track.

Again, this is a closed community. Information on evey vin is known by these 3 guys.
JOEY is tight with the guys at FORD and can qualify a GT better than anyone.

JDL

 

Jim,

PM sent.

Thanks

 

I haven't seen much bashing. I amazes me how many of us have the GT and the F430!
Both fabulous cars.

Joe

 

Jim,

Thanks for the offer on contact information I PM'd you too. I'm close to pulling the trigger also and any insight into theses amazing machines would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

To my new Ferrari Family Members.....Don't be a FORD hater!
These cars are the ultimate combo in the "man cave"

 

Joe thanks so much for all of your input for the last couple days, I appreciate your generosity with your time and contacts on this car.

Best,
Tony