Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang

pupp1 · 03-23-2005, 05:08 AM

Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang

DEARBORN -- The smile on Carroll Shelby's face was 35 years in the making.
The 82-year-old racing legend had just climbed out from behind the wheel of a prototype 2006 Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 -- the first Mustang to bear his name since 1970.

With the tires of the GT500 still warm after his five-hour test drive, Shelby gave his approval. The Shelby Mustangs of the past were visceral road rockets. But the GT500 combined power with balance and refinement, he said.

"That's what we wanted back then, but it was impossible with the technology that we had," Shelby said after the spin at Ford's Dearborn proving grounds. "What we really built in the first place was a race car that you could drive on the street. This is a street car that you can go to the race track with."

If the GT500 show car debuting today at the New York auto show is anywhere near as good as its namesake predicts, it's likely to become an immediate sensation when it goes into production next year.

The Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 not only marries two of motoring's most revered names -- Mustang and Shelby -- but also boasts a pavement-shredding, supercharged 5.4-liter engine that cranks out more than 450 horsepower.

It will be the most powerful factory-built Mustang ever and just the kind of attention-grabbing sports car Ford was counting four years ago when it patched up its tattered relationship with Shelby, the icon whose name is synonymous with high-performance cars.
Full Article Here

New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66 · 03-23-2005, 07:42 AM

Now you're talking.

Cassie · 03-23-2005, 08:58 AM

THAT is hot.

GReekBoy · 03-23-2005, 09:15 AM

yay the fog lights are gone!

powervette · 03-23-2005, 10:00 AM

I am falling in love with cars faster than with women

GMinTheDriveway · 03-23-2005, 10:17 AM

Care to guess the price if it gets to market? I'd wager $45,000-50,000 If it comes in under that...

GM_Guy81 · 03-23-2005, 10:30 AM

Yeah, thats awesome. Its going to probably be a cool 45-50 grand though, as GM in the Driveway said. It will be interesting to see how GT owners react to it having the same engine.

04bonnie · 03-23-2005, 10:31 AM

That car he's standing next to is just plain ugly! What's up with the black wheels, and that horrible "thing" screwed down to the hood. Hope the final product looks better than that. I'm not into Fords at all, but the new Mustang is actually ok. If I was in the market for a performance 2-door, it would be something I would look at.

Mikkoo · 03-23-2005, 10:35 AM

Ford is giving alot of GM muscle car fans a reason to switch ranks.
This is one sweet perf pkg. However, if I had that kind of money
to spend, I'd still rather have a new C6 Corvette. !

actionjack · 03-23-2005, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikkoo

Ford is giving alot of GM muscle car fans a reason to switch ranks.
This is one sweet perf pkg. However, if I had that kind of money
to spend, I'd still rather have a new C6 Corvette. !

Kind of makes me wonder how Ford was able to increase production by 70% for the Mustang...

You figure F-Body sales were still 70,000 plus at the end.

The increase in production was close to 70,000.

Maybe others already jumped shipped. If so, can you blame them?

BTW, I do not hear about BMW losing customers to Pontiac and their new image.

DV8 · 03-23-2005, 10:53 AM

easily $40K

DV8 · 03-23-2005, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikkoo

Ford is giving alot of GM muscle car fans a reason to switch ranks.

although my wife will be the main reason we get this Cobra, i've always admired how Ford can give their enthusiasts what they want.

i'm switching ranks while still keeping my LS1 Fbod.

SuperDave479 · 03-23-2005, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMinTheDriveway

Care to guess the price if it gets to market? I'd wager $45,000-50,000 If it comes in under that...

Yeah I'll be shocked if it does. And who wants a Mustang at the price of a Vette? Btw, nice job copying the C5 Z06 wheels there Ford.

syr74 · 03-23-2005, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperDave479

Yeah I'll be shocked if it does. And who wants a Mustang at the price of a Vette? Btw, nice job copying the C5 Z06 wheels there Ford.

Ford didn't copy the Z06's wheels. The wheels on the GT500 are basically the same wheels the FR500 Concept was wearing in 1999, and have been available through the FPP Catalog for quite some time.

IMPALAon20s · 03-23-2005, 11:57 AM

yeah, put the concept front end back on and up hp to 450 and who wouldnt love it. by the way, the shelby name is just that the shelby name, great one,but really does nothing for me. shame that ford feels they need to attach shelbys name to this car, worse thing would be to bring back a car designer from the dead to help push some rebadge jobs.. ::cough:: harley earl ::cough::.. 450hp rwd coupe, ford could have called it the pinto and it will be hard to keep on lot shelby name only justifies the blotted price. btw- i kept looking for it, but couldn't find the part where they said the rear end was upgraded to independant suspsension. lol, all that power i hope they would upgrade rear, because stock solid axle wont help the 450hp keep smooth through the twisties.

03-23-2005, 05:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
pupp1 News Contributor Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,141	Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang DEARBORN -- The smile on Carroll Shelby's face was 35 years in the making. The 82-year-old racing legend had just climbed out from behind the wheel of a prototype 2006 Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 -- the first Mustang to bear his name since 1970. With the tires of the GT500 still warm after his five-hour test drive, Shelby gave his approval. The Shelby Mustangs of the past were visceral road rockets. But the GT500 combined power with balance and refinement, he said. "That's what we wanted back then, but it was impossible with the technology that we had," Shelby said after the spin at Ford's Dearborn proving grounds. "What we really built in the first place was a race car that you could drive on the street. This is a street car that you can go to the race track with." If the GT500 show car debuting today at the New York auto show is anywhere near as good as its namesake predicts, it's likely to become an immediate sensation when it goes into production next year. The Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 not only marries two of motoring's most revered names -- Mustang and Shelby -- but also boasts a pavement-shredding, supercharged 5.4-liter engine that cranks out more than 450 horsepower. It will be the most powerful factory-built Mustang ever and just the kind of attention-grabbing sports car Ford was counting four years ago when it patched up its tattered relationship with Shelby, the icon whose name is synonymous with high-performance cars. Full Article Here Last edited by pupp1 : 03-23-2005 at 05:14 AM.

03-23-2005, 07:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA (formerly sunny New Mexico (y muchacho lo falto)) Drives: '02 Corvette Z06, '01 Silverado LT 4x4 Ext Cab, 19 Posts: 5,667	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang Now you're talking. __________________ 1979 Chevy Van 1978 Pontiac Firebird 1985 GMC S-15 Jimmy 1992 Pontiac Grand Am 1998 Oldmobile Intrigue 2002 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28 1972 Chevrolet C-10 P/U 1979 Chevrolet K5 Blazer 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2001 Chevrolet Silverado LT 4x4 Ext Cab "Sometimes you gotta say, 'What the *******'. "What the ******* gives you freedom, freedom creates opportunity, ... opportunity - makes your future." - 'Risky Business' 1983

03-23-2005, 08:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
Cassie 3.8 Liter V6 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Memphis, TN Drives: 2002 Saturn SL2, next year I hope to buy a late mo Posts: 320	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang THAT is hot. __________________ *"If you want rainbows, you have to put up with the rain." - Dolly Parton*

03-23-2005, 09:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
GReekBoy 2.0 Liter Supercharged ECOTEC Join Date: Jul 2004 Drives: 1991 Chevy Blazah Posts: 182	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang yay the fog lights are gone!

03-23-2005, 10:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
powervette 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Heart of Europe Posts: 2,204	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang I am falling in love with cars faster than with women

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
GM Inside News Forum Advertisement

03-23-2005, 10:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
GMinTheDriveway 3.8 Liter V6 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 332	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang Care to guess the price if it gets to market? I'd wager $45,000-50,000 If it comes in under that... __________________ Currently in the driveway: 2005 Pontiac GTO Supercharged 487RWHP/490RWTQ 2005 GMC Canyon Z85 Crewcab 2002 Saturn SL2 2000 Saturn SL2 1969 Chevrolet Camaro 350 1968 Firebird 400 Coupe Non-GM 2004 BMW Z4 3.0i 2002 BMW 325Ci convertible

03-23-2005, 10:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
GM_Guy81 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,267	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang Yeah, thats awesome. Its going to probably be a cool 45-50 grand though, as GM in the Driveway said. It will be interesting to see how GT owners react to it having the same engine. __________________ "Government at its best is a necessary evil, at its worst it is an intolerable one" - Thomas Paine

03-23-2005, 10:31 AM	#8 (permalink)
04bonnie 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 690	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang That car he's standing next to is just plain ugly! What's up with the black wheels, and that horrible "thing" screwed down to the hood. Hope the final product looks better than that. I'm not into Fords at all, but the new Mustang is actually ok. If I was in the market for a performance 2-door, it would be something I would look at.

03-23-2005, 10:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
Mikkoo 6.0 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: An American living in Finland Posts: 1,781	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang Ford is giving alot of GM muscle car fans a reason to switch ranks. This is one sweet perf pkg. However, if I had that kind of money to spend, I'd still rather have a new C6 Corvette. !

03-23-2005, 10:53 AM	#11 (permalink)
DV8 Walking Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 3	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang easily $40K

03-23-2005, 11:57 AM	#15 (permalink)
IMPALAon20s 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: HOUSTON Drives: 02 impala Posts: 2,090	Re: Ford taps Shelby magic for new GT500 Mustang yeah, put the concept front end back on and up hp to 450 and who wouldnt love it. by the way, the shelby name is just that the shelby name, great one,but really does nothing for me. shame that ford feels they need to attach shelbys name to this car, worse thing would be to bring back a car designer from the dead to help push some rebadge jobs.. ::cough:: harley earl ::cough::.. 450hp rwd coupe, ford could have called it the pinto and it will be hard to keep on lot shelby name only justifies the blotted price. btw- i kept looking for it, but couldn't find the part where they said the rear end was upgraded to independant suspsension. lol, all that power i hope they would upgrade rear, because stock solid axle wont help the 450hp keep smooth through the twisties.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode