Ford is currently playing coy about a proper GT successor. No surprise, then, that other tuners have taken it upon themselves to play around with the models that are available at hand. Which brings us to this wallop — a Ford GT Merkury 4. Developed in collaboration with Camilo Pardo, no less.

Infamous Ford GT tuner GT Guy worked with original GT designer Prado on this one, you read that right. The ride features a Mirrachrome abstract custom paint job. Topped off with a florescent orange center stripe and a satin black pinstripe. The car came with HRE center-bolt rims with 275/30ZR19 front Michelin tires and 345/30ZR20 ones on the rear.

As if the base’s 5.4-liter supercharged modular V8 engine wasn’t impressive enough, the folks threw in a second-generation Whipple supercharger and a GTG cold air intake kit. As a result, the engine’s output blazes toi a whopping 725 horsepower. At 19 pounds of boost on 91 octane fuel, that is.

In all, the Ford GT Merkury 4 is a breathtaking vintage homage. Especially since chief Pardo himself supervised the touches and finishes. Other upgrades include a GTG “Vintage” bumper delete kit, which relocates the exhaust between the tail lamp like an original Mark II. And a ceramic-coated Ford racing exhaust, a nice detail on top of an already-packed job. The HRE center lock rims, custom “Ford GT” billet fuel door, billet clamshell center, and side clamshell vents are cherries. You’ll find twin sill badges to commemorate the build.

Having won the “Best In Show” award at the 10th Annual Ford GT National Rally in Detroit, the Ford GT Merkury 4 is no doubt one of the most significant splurges you can treat yourself to this year.

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Photos courtesy of Hemmings