The brother of actress Salma Hayek is suing Ford after a 2014 crash that caused his friend’s death.
Sami Hayek claims that the 2005 Ford GT sports car he was driving along Sunset Boulevard suffered a malfunction, which led to him losing control. The car then smashed into an oncoming 2011 Toyota Pickup, according to police. Hayek’s buddy, who was in the passenger seat, died at the scene.
2 years on, Hayek has filed a lawsuit which states that the Ford GT had a “catastrophic failure,” that led the trans-axle to send too much power to the rear wheels. The lawsuit goes onto claim that the mechanical fault hurled the sports car into the oncoming pickup truck.
According to Hayek, similar incidents had already been reported before the crash, and therefore Ford was fully aware of the problem.
“There was a need to issue a recall,” says Hayek.
2005 Ford GT
The 2005 Ford GT sports car is indeed a bit of a beast. Looking like a Dodge Viper, it’s powered by a muscly, supercharged 5.4-litre Modular V8 engine that has also been used in past Mustangs.
In 2005, it won Top Gear’s “Gas Guzzler of the Year Award,” and one of the handful that were exported to Europe was owned by presenter Jeremy Clarkson who quickly sold it after experiencing too many issues and breakdowns.
The car has a top speed of 206mph and can get from 0-62 in just 3.8 seconds. The first generation GT, which graces the cover of Gran Turismo 4, was ended in 2006, after just 4,038 were built. The final 11 that were planned were scrapped.
Recently, a second generation 2017 Ford GT was unveiled.
