Elite Traveler Summer 2023

elite traveler SUMMER 2023 67

SUPERFORMANCE GT40 MKI TOOL ROOMCOPY “Original cars are simply not available anymore,” said Lance Stander, owner of Superformance. “Or in the case of Mercedes, they’re $140m.” Stander’s Superformance is the only company in the world licensed to produce GT40s. The original Ford cars from the 1960s followed a speci fi c naming convention: GT40P/1000 and onwards. Stander and Sa fi r GT40, owner of the GT40 brand, began where Ford left o ff , e ff ectively continuing a bygone model’s production. The GT40 MKI Tool Room Copy mirrors the vehicle that won the 1968 and 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans race both aesthetically and mechanically. Built to the exact Tool Room trim, the car features a Cobra Automotive FIA correct 302 engine that produces 475 hp mated to an inspection ready transaxle. The chassis is “an exact replica of the original monocoque unibody structure,” said Stander. Development took fi ve years, and the only modi fi cations made were for safety and occasional comfort. “So better brakes, zinc galvanized coated steel for rust prevention, better tires and available air conditioning,” he listed. Stander estimates that up to 95% of the car is identical to that of the 1960s. “I don’t really even like using the word continuation. I’m selling now to 30-year-olds. They saw the GT40 in a video game or a movie and liked that it was so di ff erent from current modern cars. They like the analog car feel, it’s the real deal. They haven’t even seen the originals and they don’t care to,” said Stander. “On the other hand, I have owners that remember the originals and are 80 years old. The touchpoint is di ff erent, but it’s about the love of the car. However the person got there is how they got there.” Superformance GT40 MKI Tool Room Copy from $450,000, superformance.com

While each brand continues to implement its continuation strate gy and construction di ff erently, a common thread links the quartet — the desire for these fabled cars to have new life, not to mentiona fr esh

audience of enthusiasts

Photo Ted7 Photography