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F1 veteran Jenson Button's ‘VIP’ Ford GT for sale

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London - A high-performance 2005 Ford GT of which former Formula 1 driver Jenson Button MBE was the first owner, will be up for sale with some of the finest sports and classic cars at the Silverstone Auctions Race Retro Classic Car Sale.

The car, which is one of five ‘VIP’ models, out of only 101 supplied to Europe, by the Ford National Sales Company, will be up for auction with the estimated price at £250 000 to £300 000 (close to R5-million rand).

Inimitable heritage

Ford of Britain then allocated this particular vehicle to F1 world champion Jenson Button MBE in May 2005, who took delivery through Swiss Ford GT dealer Grimm in Geneva in August 2005. The car was subsequently UK registered in 2006.

Will Smith, Silverstone auctions sales manager, said: “The Ford GT is part of a rare class of modern cars that instantly become collectible, and have become more and more sought after.

“Given its inimitable heritage, prolific performance, stunning design, and thrilling driving experience, the Ford GT is a very special creation that will undoubtedly be revered for many years to come.

"In addition, it was once Jenson Button’s very own, adding even more exciting provenance and collectability to this particular example.”

The Ford GT showcases the finest in advanced technologies, constructed on a lightweight aluminium chassis coated in superplastic-formed lightweight composite and aluminium body panels, finished in the evocative colour combination of white with blue racing stripes.

The car is powered by a mid-mounted, hand-built, supercharged quad-cam 410kW V8 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transaxle and features racing-derived suspension and braking systems, the GT delivers astounding power and performance, travelling from zero to 100km/h in approximately 3.5 seconds, with a maximum speed of 329km/h before the speed limiter kicks in.

Later in this car’s life, it was acquired by the current owner in 2011 and today reads just 13438km on the clock and will be supplied with a history file including stamps and invoices from 'Mountune' and two services by Ford GT experts GT101, as well as copies of the order form signed by Button.

The auction will take place at the Race Retro, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on February 25-26.

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