Another Ford GT Owner Attempts to Flip Ride, This Time at Auction
Following the private sale of his Ford GT, superstar wrestler John Cena found himself looking down the barrel of the automaker’s legal team. Ford had publicized that the chosen recipients of the exclusive model were forbidden from selling it within the first two years of taking delivery. Cena was in breach of contract, or so it initially seemed.
Things became murky when the former “Doctor of Thuganomics” had his legal council point out that the dealer’s sales agreement included no such clause. The matter is now before the courts, with Ford seeking damages and Cena asking for dismissal.
Keeping that in mind, it’s more than a little surprising that another second-generation GT is being offered for sale just a few months later. The vehicle in question is number 48 out of 250 from the 2017 model year — and it’s currently up for auction in Indianapolis.
Spotted by Motor Authority, the supercar has a suspiciously low number of miles on it. With the odometer clocking in at just seven miles, we have to wonder if the intent was to flip this car all along.
Ford has previously green lit charity auctions, but for-profit bids are expressly forbidden under its resale restrictions. The automaker had little to say after the outlet reached out to Ford for comment on the pending auction.
“We are aware of this situation and looking into it, however Ford does not comment on individual customer matters. What we can say is that all Ford GT customers sign contracts, which include an agreement not to sell the car for at least two years,” said Ford spokesman Matt Leaver.
Considering the touchy and somewhat confusing nature of the Cena case, we’re not sure how Ford plans to handle the auction. The Ford GT order confirmation stipulates that future owners acknowledge they understand that they are “being selected for the opportunity to purchase this vehicle is non-transferable and agree not to sell the vehicle within the first 24 months of delivery.” However, dealerships typically establish the final purchasing price and all other terms of sale.
If the retailer of GT number 48 forgot to include the sales restriction clause, then Ford would have a much harder time suspending the auction. Either way, the automaker will need to act fast before this becomes messier than it already is. The gavel drops this week.
[Images: Mecum Auctions]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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"Ford had publicized that the chosen recipients of the exclusive model were forbidden from selling it within the first two years of taking delivery." The 'do not resell' clause was likely part of the initial ownership application process for the GT (remember, Ford denied many prospective buyers the 'privilege' of buying one) versus the final dealer sales contract. I don't like it, but as long as language to that effect is written somewhere on any document signed by the initial buyer as part of the process of owning a GT I think Ford has a case.
Will Ford finally win a bout this time around? Doubt it, since possession is 99% of the law!