The Most Expensive Car In Ford CEO Jim Farley's Collection

Ford CEO Jim Farley's car collection says a lot about the company's rich automotive history with some classic models being quite as priceless as they are timeless. For a brand that's known for its deep motor-sport roots, it's easy to assume the man leading it owns a couple of racing gems. The thing is, Farley isn't just Ford's CEO, he's also a racer who spends time on the track as much as he can (via Autoweek). Among the cars Farley races in are his 1966 Ford GT40, 1964 Shelby Cobra, and 1978 Lola T298.

Of course, he also has a few sweet rides for leisurely driving, namely a 1987 BMW 325i, 1965 Shelby GT350, and a 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca (via Autoblog). In an Autoweek video interview, Farley also revealed his favorite car, which is a supercharged 1934 Ford Coupe. It's no surprise he holds the keys to some of the most renowned models the company produced. The question now is just how pricey is the most expensive car in Farley's eclectic collection even worth?

Lola T298: A car that's built for the track

Sure, Farley's favorite '34 Ford Coupe might be old, but a similar model reached a price of $150,000 in 2017, according to Dallas News. However, it's not the only valuable oldie-but-goodie hiding in his garage; his Lola T298 is basically priceless by now. The Lola T298 isn't just one of the rarest cars in the Ford CEO's collection, it also represents a model that won the 1981 Le Mans endurance and French Group 6 championships multiple times. That model was sold at Sotheby's in 2021 for €224,250 (about $226,000). 

What makes these cars unique is that only 17 were ever made, according to the auctioneer. Built specifically for racing, this single-seater runs on a 2.0-liter BMW M12-7 four-cylinder, which is among the most celebrated engines used in Formula 2 championships. Although Farley might be adding up its mileage by regularly racing his T298 on a track, at least the car's exactly where it belongs. When it comes to its overall value though, it's not like Lola Cars will be making any more of these classic track-worthy beauties, so its only likely trajectory is upwards.

Ford Mustang Shelby: Time to pony up the cash

While topping the cost of historical race cars might be no easy feat, Farley's classic ponies might be able to do just that considering how much people are already willing to pay for such vehicles. Now, Farley owns several mustangs, including the more recent Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, but his older models are worth so much more. A similar example of Farley's '65 Shelby Mustang GT350 fetched a high price of $362,500 in 2021. In another video interview, Farley revealed he bought yet another Shelby, which was an Independent Competition Cobra. Those variants sell for as much as $925,000 on Mecum

Likewise, similar examples of Farley's Shelby '64 Shelby AC Cobra went as high as $995,000 on Bonhams. It doesn't stop there though, as the asking price of a '64 Cobra in 2019 sky-rocketed up to $1.7 million (via MotorAuthority). Needless to say, the Ford CEO's Mustang collection alone already comes with a multi-million dollar price tag.

The iconic '66 Ford GT40 Mk1

Perhaps one of the most expensive cars in Farley's comprehensive Ford-centric collection is his '66 GT40. What better way to top off his collection than with the car that fueled the feud in the 2019 Hollywood blockbuster "Ford v Ferrari," right? Of course, its real-life racing heritage and historical significance only make the Ford GT40 Mk1 all the more valuable, with one of the three Ferrari-beating cars even going for a ludicrous $9 to 12 million, according to Top Gear. Another example of a historically significant GT40 Mirage — which was used as a camera car in the 1971 film "Le Mans" — was sold just as high with a cool $11 million price tag (via Hemmings).

However, that doesn't mean regular '66 Ford GT40 Mk1s are any less valuable than their legendary Le Mans counterparts. A fully restored GT40 Mk1, which had already switched ownership multiple times, was sold at an auction for $1.65 million. It was then sold again for an even higher price of over $3 million. It's quite ironic given how this iconic model reportedly started out selling rather poorly. Nowadays, they're more akin to bars of gold, and one's just sitting at Farley's garage, or rather, being raced furiously on a track. Well, using a race car the way it's meant to be used could be more exhilarating than selling it for a high price. After all, winning races with a '66 GT40 Mk1 can be just as priceless as the car itself.