The now-infamous 647-horsepower Liquid Blue 2017 Ford GT formerly owned (and then flipped) by actor and wrestling star John Cena is once again for sale, this time destined for the auction block this weekend at Monterey Car Week. And in a twist, Jalopnikreports it’s being auctioned by the same dealer Ford also sued for flipping it.
Chico, Calif.-based New Autos Inc. is sending the car to the Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction Saturday night in downtown Monterey, advertising it as one of just 138 produced for 2017, the first model year, and with the VIN number 77, a nod to Cena’s birth year.
Ford late last year sued Cena for flipping his GT for a profit shortly after he acquired it for $466,376.50, citing a clause barring a sale of any of the first 500 models for 24 months. The two sides later settled for an undisclosed amount that reportedly was to go to charity.
New Autos is apparently eager to trumpet the car’s clean legal bill of health. “This is the only 2017 Ford GT for sale that is unencumbered by past, present or future lawsuits from Ford,” Bernie Knaus, the president of New Autos Inc., said in a release. He added, “Whoever buys it will get an incredible car with no legal issues attached, since it was already settled.”
Jalopnik spoke with Knaus, who told them Cena sold the GT to a 78-year-old wealthy farmer in California who wanted one last great supercar and is reportedly a big Ford fan, with a large collection of F-Series pickups doing duty on his farm. He’s apparently no longer able to use the car and decided to sell it with a scant 625 miles on the odometer.
“He says, ‘Bernie, I don’t need to sell the car. But it’s getting to the point where I can’t get in the car, and it’s too difficult to drive,'” Knaus told the site. “He has some back issues, (but) he got the dream of owning it.
“This was gong to be his last great car for himself, and he wanted it to be an American car. That was critical. And not only an American car, but he wanted it to be a Ford.”
Ford recently decided to re-open the application process for the 2019 Ford GT in the fourth quarter of this year but remains committed to the quota of 1,000 examples over four build years through 2020.
Related Video:
