Lazarus Ford recently celebrated its 65th anniversary in South Africa, marking the occasion by getting together three iconic Ford sports cars: the 1965 GT40 Mk1, the 2005 GT, and the 2020 GT.
These vehicles represent the pinnacle of Ford technology for their respective eras and have earned the respect of enthusiasts worldwide, no matter their brand loyalty.
The cars form part of the Lazarus family collection, which comprises the most legendary Ford vehicles of all time.
For now, the cars are displayed at Lazarus Ford in Centurion – and the dealership kindly allowed us a few hours with them to snap all the photos we could.
1965 Ford GT40 Mk1
The 1965 Ford GT40 Mk1 on the floor at Lazarus is a right-hand drive, continuation series model that was built by Hi-Tech Automotive.
The car has taken part in historic racing series in South Africa and is kitted out to do the job, and do it well.
Barely any sound insulation protects the cabin and the outside world from a race-bred, 7.0-litre, naturally aspirated, V8 motor spitting out 361kW at 6,200rpm and 644Nm at 5,000rpm.
Paired to a four-speed manual transmission that moves the rear wheels, the 57-year-old Ford sprints from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds.
It’s also not shy to show the newer cars what it’s made of, and will happily continue running until it reaches 321km/h.
A more impressive number is that only 134 original GT40 cars were ever made.
2005 Ford GT
The 2005 Ford GT, the tallest of the three at 1,125mm, is also the least rare – with 4,038 original units coming out of the factory between 2005 and 2006.
With their 2005 GT, the Lazarus family took part in a supercar race as an opener for one of the A1 Grand Prix championships in South Africa in the 2000s, and won it.
For its power, this Ford generates 410kW at 6,500rpm and 678Nm at 3,750rpm from a 5.4-litre, V8, supercharged block.
The 2005 GT then employs a six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels, which allows it to conquer 100km/h in a brisk 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 330km/h.
2020 Ford GT
The newest Ford GT is reported to be the only one in South Africa, and due to importation constraints on new left-hand-drive cars it’s unlikely to touch a public road any time soon.
Whereas the older Fords look charming and characterful, this new one takes on an aggressive and clinical demeanor.
Peek into the rear and you’ll see a shiny, 3.5-litre, V6, twin-turbocharged engine generating a substantial 492kW at 6,250rpm and 746Nm at 1,500rpm.
The newest generation also gets a seven-speed, dual-clutch auto box – giving it rapid shifts through steering-mounted paddles.
The 100km/h landmark is passed in only 3 seconds, and you won’t see it stop until it gets to 350km/h.
Ford is still producing the last units of the new GT, with 1,350 examples to be made to the personalised orders of their handpicked customers.
Ford headquarters decided between thousands of applicants on who is worthy to buy one of their new supercars, and Lazarus was one of the chosen few.
This makes it clear that the family is quite a big deal in the Ford world, not only in South Africa but globally.
In fact, these cars are so important that the automaker took John Cena to court in 2017 for selling his model prematurely. Each customer of a new Ford GT had to sign a contract promising that they will not let go of their car for at least two years after taking ownership, wrote Road & Track.
1965 Ford GT40 Mk1
2005 Ford GT
2020 Ford GT
Keyword: Amazing Ford GT collection in Centurion – Photos