Recent auctions of a Porsche Carrera GT, Ford GT, and Ferrari F50 show that demand for supercars with little or no traction control and manual transmissions is rising
We can thank technology for making cars safer, more reliable, faster, and generally more civilised, but these days there’s also growing concern among enthusiasts and collectors that technology has gone too far—it’s making sports cars less engaging, less dramatic, and, critically, less fun. Too many computer-assisted overlords, they say. Too many nannies. And it’s a fair argument: today’s vehicles are dripping with technology, whether you notice it or not. For sports cars and supercars, this specific quality of technology purists hate comes by way of drift analysers, synthetic engine noise piped into the cabin, fake pops from the exhaust, automatic transmissions, multi-way traction control, and more.
These aren’t bad things, but every year there is a bit more, and collectors who abhor ones and zeros are also increasingly swarming to analog sports cars and supercars. It’s a term that gets thrown around often, but what does it actually mean? While there’s no unanimous agreement on what makes a car analog, there’s a general philosophy and common sense about it: it’s a vehicle that lacks many of the qualities and creature comforts contemporary cars possess. In other words, no fake engine noise, no automatic gearbox, minimal driver aids—traction/stability control, ABS, for example—a focus on driver involvement, and one that inherently has a certain danger about it. The following examples have only risen in value, showing that some of those voices demanding older school driving experiences might finally have the money to buy one as well.
Porsche Carrera GT
Of the analog supercars listed here, the Porsche Carrera GT may take the cake for being considered the… analog-est. Produced for two model years only, between 2004 and 2006, the GT has gained a bit of a reputation over the years for its purported knife-edge handling, unusual clutch operation, and association with Paul Walker’s untimely death. For better or worse, these characteristics have nonetheless only added to the allure and mystery of the GT. From a performance standpoint, the Carrera GT was a first for Porsche in many ways: it was Porsche’s first car with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, its first (and only) V10—whose roots came from a Formula 1 engine design Porsche created for the now-defunct Footwork Arrows team—and its first road car to use an inboard pushrod-style suspension setup. With just over 600 horsepower on tap and a stratospheric 8,400 rpm redline, the CGT is also known for having one of the most glorious exhaust notes known to man. Further adding to its analog nature was a six-speed manual and dearth of electronic aids that its contemporaries had at the time, such as basic stability control.
This particular 2005 model year example sold during Car Week, fetching a remarkable US$1,352,500. Despite wearing the most common colour, GT Silver Metallic, having a decent number of miles on the clock (relative to other collector cars), and a reupholstered interior, this CGT is by no means perfect but its legendary status as one of the greatest analog supercars keeps demanding big bucks.
Ferrari F50
Going back to the 90s, Ferrari developed the F50 as the company’s follow-up to the venerated F40. But instead of following the turbocharged V8 formula, Ferrari adhered to a new philosophy of infusing Formula 1 technology into road cars. To that end, the 4.7-litre V12 powering the F50 was derived from Ferrari’s own F1 car from 1990, the 641. Between its time in F1 and its eventual placement in the F50, the V12 enjoyed huge success in IMSA and FIA GT racing, powering the dominant Ferrari 333 SP. In the F50, both it and the gearbox were stressed members of the chassis, which helped increase rigidity and reduce weight. And with 513 horsepower under the driver’s foot, a six-speed gated manual gearbox, no traction control, no stability control, no ABS, no power steering, and no power-assisted brakes, the F50 couldn’t be more analog.
This classically specced, pristine 1995 example in Rosso Corsa went under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s a few weeks ago and went for a hair above US$5.5 million, making it the most valuable analog supercar on this list.
Ford GT
Launched in 2004, the Ford GT famously paid homage to the GT40, Ford’s dominant endurance racer from the ’60s. (This was the car that showed Ferrari up at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, beating the Scuderia three years in a row.) Beneath the fabulously retro bodywork penned by Camilo Pardo sat some serious American grunt: a supercharged 5.4-litre V8 that produced 550 horsepower, which sent power through a six-speed manual to the rear wheels. The sprint to 60 mph was clocked in the low three-second range and its top speed was an impressive 330 km/hr.
What makes the Ford GT an analog supercar, though, is manifold: six-speed manual transmission? Check. Big brawny V8? Check. No traction control? Triple check. Collectors have been flocking to the GT for years, and this particular example is no exception. Despite not hitting its reserve price with a final bid just shy of US$370,000, this 2006 Ford GT has all the important factory options: aluminium BBS wheels, McIntosh stereo, painted silver stripes, and painted brake calipers. With limited production—a total of 3,221 units were built—and a growing demand for analog enthusiast cars, we can safely assume that GT values will only continue to rise.
