The new Ford GT is as much a brand ambassador for the Blue Oval as it is a serious contender for the 24 Hours of Le Mans championship. The carbon fiber body, 600-plus horsepower EcoBoost V6 engine and ultra-aerodynamic lines all combine to create a Ford flagship with an estimated price tag of $450,000. Even at that price point, Ford still has 7,000 applications from people who just have to have a GT for their collection.

With production capped at just 250 cars a year for the next two years, however, Ford can be picky about who it will deliver a new GT to. For now, Ford is accepting just 500 or those 7,000 applications, weighing factors such as previous GT ownership, and who plans to driver their supercar vesus just stashing it in a climate-controlled warehouse to gain value.

It goes back to the notion of the Ford GT being a brand ambassador, a car meant to get people talking about Ford and its products. That is why Ford is also asking any potential buyers to sign a contract that stipulates a minimum ownership period before the car can be sold. One issue that plagued the 2004-2006 GTs were dealerships price gouging, which is why the selling process is being handled by the Blue Oval itself.

Ford is also giving Blue Oval collectors and businesses a hand-up in the application process, as exposure seems to be one of the driving factors in terms of who will get the new GT. At $450,000, we’re surprised to see so many applications considering that last time around, Ford sold a little over 4,000 GTs in three years of production at one-third of the price. Most of us can barely afford the time to play with the Ford GT online configurator.

Then again, if we had the money, we’d probably be submitting applications as well. Wouldn’t you?