On Saturday, January 28, 2023, the very first 2024 Ford Mustang was auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson’s event in Scottsdale, Arizona. All of the profits from the auction will be going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), which funds studies of type 1 diabetes. The sports car raised an incredible $565,000 for JDRF.
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The new owner of the vehicle identification number (VIN) 001 car will be able to completely customize the car. The buyer can choose from eleven external colors, several steering wheel options, and an optional Performance Pack. The vehicle can even be assembled with a six-speed manual transmission. The seventh-generation Mustang has an astounding 486 horsepower, primarily due to its dual-air intake system and its throttle body valve. The car also includes a high-tech interior.
Ford Motor Company has been partnered with JDRF since 1983, to help raise money in many ways. Ford has given JDRF annual research grants, held vehicle auctions to raise money, created a formal Walk Team, and even created a Ford Global Action Team (FGAT) to support the foundation. The FGAT has raised over $3 million annually over the past 15 years. Ford has also helped raise a total of over $75 million by developing 90 fundraising units and utilizing 40 global fundraising locations.
Ford has put a multitude of cars on auction to raise money for the JDRF. A few of the most expensive cars auctioned off were sold for over $3 million. A 1965 Shelby GT350 sold for $3.85 million alongside the green 1968 Mustang GT from the movie “Bullitt” for $3.7 million. Both cars were sold in 2020 at the Mecum collector car auction in Kissimmee, Florida. A few other VIN 001 cars were sold to fundraise for JDRF. These included the first 2016 Mustang Shelby GT350 which was bought for $1 million, and the first 2020 Shelby GT500, which sold for a similar price of $1.1 million.
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