What was changed
The original Ford GT40 beat Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 and that 1-2-3 finish became part of Ford's myth. In 2015 the company decided to bring the name back to mark the 50th anniversary.
Ford unveiled a brand-new GT and announced it would race at Le Mans in 2016 in the LM GTE Pro class. The production car was intentionally scarce, with production capped at a small number per year rather than built to volume.
When the order window opened, demand was overwhelming. More than 200,000 people used the configurator, over 10,800 inquired about buying, and 6,506 completed the application for just 500 cars. Ford then spent 90 days hand-picking who got them, with some applicants sending videos explaining why they should.
Closing the order banks at 6,506 applications for 500 cars made the GT a must-have halo, not a regular product.
What it achieved
6,506 applications flooded in for 500 planned cars, making the GT a halo car that rebuilt Ford Performance's credibility and brand heat.
Why it worked
Tying the return to Le Mans and the 50th anniversary built a story, not just a car
Capping production at 500 cars made demand exceed supply on purpose
Racing the GT lent authenticity that marketing alone could not create
Hand-picking buyers with applications raised the car's prestige
What can be applied
Reintroduce a legendary nameplate on its anniversary and you get demand you can't satisfy, which is exactly the point of a halo car.
Aftermath
Ford later reopened the order book for 350 more cars, and the GT's race success reinforced its halo role. Consumers left the program with a car that carried Ford Performance's revived reputation.
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