For sale: one stunning Ford GT40 Roadster

The Ford GT40 is famous for three things. One, it’s unfathomably pretty. Two, it’s a four-times Le Mans winner. And three, it’s 40 inches tall and can’t be driven by tall people.

But here’s the solution. It’s a Ford GT40 Roadster, possibly the prettiest one of the lot. And while it doesn’t have any Le Mans victories to its name, its limitless headroom means even the inordinately lanky can drive it. They might have a bit of a sore head from having a literal face-off with aerodynamics, mind…

The best news? It’s on sale now, just in time to enjoy the last month or so of summer. It’s probably a bit costlier than a rattly mk2 Mazda MX-5, mind.

Made in 1965, it was the first of six GT40 Roadster prototypes, and the only one to have stayed in original form. For pub bragging rights, it was once driven by Jim Clark. Its history also comes with the stamp of approval from a world-renowned GT40 expert.

That history is vivid, too, including a wealth of motor show and race track appearances, plus shifts as a motorsport pace car. On one such occasion it was driven so quickly that the grid of AC racecars could barely keep up, the GT40’s driver (Lew Spencer) emerging to say “I can’t help it, that thing is such a ball to drive!”

You want specs? No power output is quoted, but around 350bhp is a good bet. It runs a 289ci V8 engine – 4.7 litres in English – through a four-speed manual gearbox.

No doubt you'll need to be proficient with the latter to fully extract the Roadster’s performance, though with the gearstick to the driver’s right, there shouldn’t be too much accidental fondling of the passenger. Who’ll be sat exceedingly close with their legs splayed over the top of a rotund fire extinguisher.

Isn’t it fantastic? Expect it to sell for a fantastic sum of money, too. The price is described as “upon request”, which is cardealer speak for “flipping loads”.

Your challenge? To name a convertible on planet Earth you could possibly want more than this…