At Barrett-Jackson Auction Company’s, Sam Pack, paid $300,000 to have the first retail production unit of the all-new 2015 Mustang GT when it goes on sale this fall. This purchase helped Ford Motor Company increase its charity vehicle sales to more than $3.5 million for JDRF, the leading diabetes research organization and a Ford partner since 1983.
Also at the auction, a Shelby GT500-inspired 1956 Ford F-100 sold for an impressive $450,000, bought by Gordie Broda of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Wheels of Dreams Project was created to raise funding for the new Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan in Canada.
Since it debuted in April 1964, Mustang has always been “the car designed to be designed by you,” and the winning bidder, has that same opportunity for his new car. Pack will choose either a manual or automatic transmission as well as any interior and exterior color combination offered on the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. Furthermore, the team involved in Mustang design and development will sign the car in appreciation of the donation to JDRF.
Powered by the throaty V8, the Mustang GT features upgrades that yield more than 420 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. Under the sleek new skin, Mustang features all-new front and rear independent suspension systems to help transfer power to the pavement with world-class handling, more precise steering control and enhanced ride comfort. Innovative technologies also provide enhanced information, control and connectivity when drivers want it, including launch control that enables smooth and consistent starts when desired.
The future Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan received a large donation through the sale of the 1956 Ford F-100 or “Snakebit,” as the truck is known. It is a blend of street rod styling with influences from the iconic Ford Shelby GT500. It boasts a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 breathing through a high-performance exhaust system. A six-speed manual gearbox feeds the estimated 550 horsepower to the 20-inch rear wheels.
The sale was made possible through the Wheels of Dreams Project, which is a unique collaboration involving KISS bassist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Gene Simmons, his wife and Saskatoon-born actress, Shannon Tweed-Simmons, along with area businesses including the local Saskatchewan Ford dealer association. Though the fundraising campaign to build the hospital started several years ago, the group collectively wanted to do their part to achieve the 2016 construction completion goal. The two celebrities joined the truck on stage for the charity sale.
