It doesn't take much to recognize the menacing power of the 1965 Ford GT40.  It's an iconic American sports car originally built as a prototype by Ford's Advanced Vehicle Operations center based in England. And, this May,  it's hitting the auction block at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Cernobbio, Italy.

One of only four surviving models, the 1965 Ford GT40 to be auctioned off this spring carries the…