Shelby Mustang packs a mean kick
Latest-gen Shelby GT350 uses a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 to make it a worthy descendant of the 1965 originalRenowned Blue Oval tweaker Shelby has unveiled a stunning concept version of the Mustang-based 2011 Shelby GT350 -- and its pièce de résistance is a supercharged V8 with 500 horses.
The striped, scooped, supercharged 'Stang was revealed to the thousands who had gathered at the Barrett-Jackson Auction Opening Night Gala to chalk up the 45th birthday of the 1965 GT350.
The latest iteration uses as its basis the 2011 Mustang with the new 5.0-litre Coyote V8, but the Shelby American team called on the expertise of Ford Racing, Goodyear, Borla, Cragar and Baer to ramp up performance to an altogether higher plane.
Its maker claims every element of the car is enhanced or replaced to recapture the spirit of the 1965-1970 MY Shelby GT350.
Shelby drafted in former Hot Wheels and Ford designer Larry Wood to join crayon wielders Vince LaViolette, Walter Cardenas, Andrew Smidt to integrate 1965-1970 Shelby styling cues with modern aero requirements.
The company also worked closely with Ford Racing to supercharge the engine with the goal of eking out in excess of 500 horsepower (373kW -- versus 307kW for the donor engine), as well as to sharpen the handling.
The performance upgrades include Baer Brakes, 19-inch Cragar wheels and super-sticky Goodyear rubber. Meanwhile, the suspension is upgraded via new Ford Racing springs, struts, sway bars and adjustable caster/camber plates.
Functional scoops are located on the side rockers and bonnet, and GT350 badges on the outside leave onlookers in no doubt about the identity of the car. The car also receives a new front fascia, tail-light trim, front splitter, rear deck lid filler panel and centre-exit exhausts.
Each GT350 will be clad in traditional white with Shelby Guardsman blue Le Mans stripes.
The Shelby GT350 is a post-title program. In other words, a customer purchases a bogger Mustang GT from their local Ford Dealer, and it's then converted into a GT350 by the Shelby American Team.
The base Mustang GT can be trucked to Shelby's Las Vegas facility by the Ford dealership, or the customer can opt to drop the car there themselves.
The whole kit and caboodle doesn't come cheap, as the upgrades add up to $US33,995, and that's after you've forked out $US30K-plus for the base car. Still strikes us as quite good value though.
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