200G sports car demolished in Midland Beach crash
Driver, passenger taken to hospital after Ford GT is almost split in half in single-vehicle accident
Friday, May 05, 2006
By DOUG AUER
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
An exotic sports car worth almost $200,000 and capable of going 200 mph was practically split in half last night when its driver lost control and crashed on Capodanno Boulevard in Midland Beach.
Driver Christopher Carroll, 40, of Annadale, and an unidentified male passenger, also in his 40s, were taken to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, in stable condition following the spectacular single-car accident, according to police sources.
No criminality was suspected and no summonses were issued, a police spokesman said.
"It was nothing serious -- except for the guy's wallet," quipped one police officer when asked about damage.
At about 9:30 p.m., Carroll was driving his red 2005 Ford GT coupe on Capodanno toward the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, police sources said.
Just before Capodanno intersects with Buel Avenue, the vehicle hopped the center divide, ran over two sapling trees, veered into oncoming traffic and ricocheted off an oak tree, the sources said.
"You just heard this loud impact," said resident Sandi Chavez.
The car's collision with the tree ripped off its nose and radiator, as well as its front passenger-side tire, all of which went flying through the air and landed about 20 feet away in the center divide.
The remainder of the vehicle came to rest perpendicular to the flow of traffic, it's mangled front end leaking fluids all over the roadway.
According to Ms. Chavez, the passenger exited the car unscathed and immediately began dialing on his cell phone before sitting on the curb, where he massaged his left leg.
Emergency Service Unit members had to extricate Carroll from the driver's seat, police said.
Onlookers took cell phone pictures of the destroyed supercar as what was left of it was dragged onto a flatbed truck.
New Dorp-bound traffic was redirected for about an hour as Highway Patrol units investigated the scene.
The superlight, supercharged Ford GT retails for $153,345, according to Ford's Web site.
However, it can fetch upwards of $185,000 after dealership surcharges, delivery fees, gas-guzzler tax and options similar to those on Carroll's car, including racing stripes ($5,350) and special painted rims ($3,500).
The Ford GT comes equipped with a V-8 engine that pumps out 550 horsepower, enabling the two-seater, 6-speed manual transmission engineering marvel to go from 0 to 60 mph in under 3.7 seconds -- faster than some Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
Available in red, white, blue, silver, yellow, black and a special edition of orange and teal, the car chugs only premium unleaded gas. It gets 13 miles to the gallon in the city, 21 when on the highway.
The Ford GT first gained notoriety in 1966, defeating Italian automaker Ferrari in the Le Mans, a world-renowned supercar endurance race held in France.
The current incarnation was produced in a limited run beginning in 2003 to coincide with Ford Motor Co.'s 100th anniversary. Full-scale production began in 2004.
However, it will end this year as Ford makes the new Shelby GT500, a high-performance version of the Ford Mustang, its flagship car.
It definitely must hurt the wallet!
