The Great American Supercar

摘要

Bill Nelson wasn't looking for an investment, just a thrill. So nine years ago the then 64-year-old retired engineer from Asbury, N.J. went to his local Ford dealer and put down $160,000 to buy the fastest and most expensive production car the company had ever built, the Ford GT. "I'm a lifelong Ford guy," he explains. "When I saw that car, I absolutely had to have one." Owning America's first supercar has given Nelson more than his share of adrenalized drives on New Jersey's back roads. And one day it will potentially deliver an impressive return on his money. Earlier this year another Ford GT-one bearing an early VIN of 003-brought an astonishing $605,000 at Barrett-Jackson's Scottsdale Auction. And lesser GTs routinely change hands for more than double their original sticker price. In fact, the GT is the only American production car built this millennium that's an appreciating classic rather than a fast, expensive used car. It's not just 200mph top speeds but also escalating prices that separate true supercars-such as the Ferrari F40, the Porsche Carrera GT and the McLaren Fl-from run-of-the-mill exotics, and the Ford GT has earned its membership in this exclusive club.