Ford will celebrate the return of the New York International Auto Show with a new Heritage Edition model honoring one of the major contributors to its 1-2-3 victory at Le Mans in 1966, Holman Moody. The model features the gold and red livery that could be seen on the Circuit de la Sarthe that year, including Oxford White roundels with the number 5 stamped on the doors, hood, and rear wing. It also features several exposed, gloss carbon fiber parts, including the 20-inch wheels, the front splitter, the side sills, the mirrors, the engine louvers, and the rear diffusor.

The carbon continues on the inside, too, showing up on the door sills, the console, while a matte roundel with the number 5 appears on the interior door panel, too. The seats, too, are made of carbon and wrapped in Alcantara, which features gold accent stitching. The gold follows on the instrument panel, the door register bezels, and the seat X-brace. The paddle-shifters for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission are also finished in livery-matching Holman Moody Gold.

 

The team is worth celebrating not just because it was behind the car that came in third place at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, rounding out Ford’s decisive victory, but because it was an important part of the automaker’s effort, too. After losing to Ferrari in 1965, Ford formed a Le Mans committee that turned not just to Shelby American, but to Holman Moody, as well. Its car, chassis No. 1016 became a laboratory on wheels and helped redesign the brakes, suspension, tire setups, and more, to make the car more competitive on the track.

That car will be on display at the New York International Auto Show next to the latest Heritage Edition Ford GT celebrating it. “Of all the Ford GT Heritage Edition liveries we’ve done, the Holman Moody Heritage Edition’s can’t-miss signature gold and red theme is an epic tribute to our 1966 Le Mans finish,” said Mike Severson, Ford GT program manager. “Inspired by one of the most well-known Ford GT40 race cars, this latest Ford GT honors the Holman Moody race team’s knowhow and ability to out-innovate global competitors.”