The 2017 Ford GT bought new by wrestler John Cena and sold -- in breach of Ford's ownership contract -- about a year ago is going up for sale again, this time crossing the Russo & Steele auction block in Monterey, California.
Ford just two months ago settled the lawsuit it'd launched against Cena for violating the clause in the GT buyer's agreement that says he had to retain ownership for two years after purchase.
The dealership that bought the car from Cena, Chico, California-based New Autos Inc., is also handling its resale on behalf of its second owner, an anonymous 78-year-old California farmer, reports Jalopnik.
"This is a guy who could afford a Pagani, he could afford a Bugatti," dealership president Bernie Knaus told the blog. "But this was going to be his last great car for himself, and he wanted it to be an American car. And not only an American car, but he wanted it to be a Ford."
Knaus says the farmer uses tonnes of Ford F-Series trucks to run his farm, counts a 2005 Ford GT as his pride-and-joy, and is constantly giving back to his community, but nevertheless had his application rejected by Ford when he applied to buy a 2017 GT two years ago.
Cena's sale let him finally obtain the dream car, but a year after buying it, he's selling it because back issues are making it hard for him to get in and out of the car.
"He's a guy who thinks, 'Hey, this car should be driven. It shouldn't be sitting there. That's not what it was built for,'" Knaus said.
The car showed just 48 km on the odometer when Cena sold it, and is now being sold by Russo & Steele with 1,005 km on the clock. The car will cross the auction block August 25.
The auction company that brokered the sale, Mecum Auctions, is currently facing a lawsuit from Ford over the transaction, but, undeterred by the legal action, is also re-selling that car this weekend.
When Ford found out about Cena's sale of the car, it originally sought to get the car back. When Cena and Ford reached a settlement over the matter for an undisclosed amount, the automaker agreed to donate the money to charity.
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