(Photo courtesy Carlisle Events)

Ford was already set to make headlines at the 2014 Carlisle Events in Carlisle, Pa. this June, with the company celebrating its 110th anniversary as well as the 50th anniversary of the Mustang.

Now add to that list the only four Matech Ford GT1 cars in the world, rolling out onto U.S. soil for the first ever time.
Matech Concepts build these cars in 2009, modeling them off of the modern Ford GT. It was the ambition of team owner, Martin Bartek, to have the Ford GT race again in the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Bartek’s ambitions were realized in 2010 when three of the Matech cars competed in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, with one of them placing in the top five in the LMGT1 division.
The cars since scored a 1-2-3 finish in the 1000 kilometers of Spa-Francorchamps, and F1 driver Romain Grosjean has taken one to victory in Abu Dhabi and Brno. Since then, the cars have been restored and repainted into their original 2010 race liveries.
The cars feature Roush-Yates 650 horsepower 5.3 liter V8s, full carbon fiber bodies, six-speed sequential gearboxes and are capable of up to 200 mph. These four cars are the only remaining Matech Ford GT1s in the world, as two others were destroyed during competition in 2010.

In addition to the unveiling and showcasing of the cars, there will be regular engine runs during the Carlisle Event, and Ford encourages fans to bring their ear plugs.

This year’s Carlisle Events will be held from June 6-8.