Auction Block: 2004 Ford GT Prototype CP-1

Everything we see rolling off a car lot and onto our city streets has gone through, up to that point, a conceptual phase, research and design, testing, and approval before being released to the public as an approved automobile. What we don’t often find are the rejected prototypes, the concept cars, and the pipe dream vehicles that just didn’t make the cut for whatever reason. This 2004 Ford GT is once such example, and for once lucky bidder, the collector’s item of a lifetime.

Simply titled the GT Prototype CP-1, this was the first GT prototype fitted with a full drivetrain and interior. And with a VIN number of 004, this isn’t hard to believe. It’s also autographed by the original 13 members of the GT design team and features several components that are exclusive to this vehicle. Items such as the silver trim seat rings, the Camillo all-aluminum headliner, and a red start button for the ignition that fires up the vehicle’s 5.4- liter V8 engine mounted in the rear are several examples. It also features a carbon-fiber rear clamshell as well.

The project was terminated however when Ford learned that each clamshell would cost around $45,000 to produce. Now, because it isn’t street legal, the engine houses a chip that limits the top speed to 5 mph. And while this won’t make it on the track anytime soon, it’s definitely a collector’s piece worth owning. [Purchase]