: Ford - Shelby

HST International: Electric Mustang and Cobra

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:44:38 GMT

It has begun - the era of performance electric cars. No gas engines here, ultra-high torque guarantees fast acceleration. How about a Mustang with 1000 ft/lbs of torque and a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds? And then there is the even lighter Cobra replica...

Read the press release below and follow the link in the title above to the site of HST International for more information. Note the downloadable brochures. Press release follows.

HST International - Tjaarda Design Alliance Changes Face of Electric Cars

'Electric Muscle(TM)' on display at Long Beach 'Green Power Prix-View' SAN DIEGO, APRIL 16 /PRNewswire/ --

HST International has announced a partnership with Tjaarda Design that will change the face of electric cars. The designs that will define the next generation of "Electric Muscle(TM)", the Tjaarda EVX Mustang and HST Shelby Cobra EVX, will premiere at the 34th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach's "Green Power Prix-View" on April 18-20. The Mustang EVX and HST Shelby Cobra EVX prove that electric cars can be environmentally friendly as well as winners on the track and in the looks department. While designed for different purposes, both cars are true zero emission vehicles and feature 300-horsepower electric motors using lithium iron phosphate battery packs developed by K2 Energy Solutions. With 1000 ft/lbs of torque @ 0 rpm, they have the capability to do 0-60 in less than four seconds and a range of over 100 miles. "We're excited to be bringing these vehicles to market because they're head turners and so much fun to drive," says Tod Boretto, president of HST International.

"But more than that, this is a long-term initiative and a unique opportunity on several levels. We do not believe any other manufacturer is bringing together this level of design, performance and green technology today." The Tjaarda EVX Mustang is designed to be driven daily -- which, with its ability to do 0-60 in 3.9 seconds is no hardship. With a top speed of 120 mph and a range of 110 miles between charges, its estimated operating cost is 3 cents/mile. The exterior is a modern version of a muscle car era classic Mustang, but under the hood it's a green dream.

The HST Shelby Cobra EVX has the capability to run 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, a top speed of 150 mph and a range of 120 miles, depending on driving habits. With on-board recharging, it requires 3 1/2 hours/220V and 8 hours/110V. Estimated operational cost is 3 cents/mile.

"Tom Tjaarda's place in automotive design history -- from the Ferrari 365 GT California Spider to the Fiat 124 Spyder -- will ensure that these cars continue to drop jaws for their looks as well as their performance," adds Boretto.

The Tjaarda EVX Mustang starts at $80,000 and the Cobra at $125,000, with a range of options available for both vehicles.

They will be on display in booth #2104 at the Green Power Prix-View from April 18-20, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Tjaarda EVX Mustang and HST Shelby Cobra EVX will next be featured at NBC's World Series of Golf in May.

San Diego-based HST International uses high-technology engineering and manufacturing to address specialized needs in the automotive industry. Through its alliance partnerships with K2 Energy, Torino International and Tjaarda Design, HST International develops products that achieve the highest levels of quality, innovation and performance.

For additional information, go to http://www.hstauto.com

Carroll Shelby gnaws off the hand that fed him

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:46:37 GMT

So much for honor and decency: Carroll Shelby has taken another legal step against the organization that sustained him for 30 years.

A lot of people are absolutely disgusted with Shelby, and I've been one of them well before his campaign against his fans and supporters. IMHO, he is the classic snake oil salesman, pure and simple. He has made a marketing business deal with Ford that probably nets him a nice little income, while netting for Ford some retro history image for the latest Mustang (based on a history that had no meaning whatsoever after the first 3 or 4 years). Which itself is a grotesquely obese and technically obsolete relic that Shelby himself actually had very little technical contribution to.

What he originally did in racing 50 and 40 years ago can't be disputed... but after a few years of actually producing original Mustangs with a couple of technical enhancements (versus simply licensing his name on them - as happened after Ford took over production in the late 60s) followed by a very few years of managing GT40 and other racing efforts, his contribution to the hobby and industry stopped cold. That should have been the end of his history and would have been if it weren't for a few Dodge Omnis with a similar licensing deal. And if it weren't for the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) - a very small group of diehards that formed a club to keep Shelby Mustangs alive and hold a conference once a year. I've been to a couple of those events, and the dedication of the members to their cars is extremely strong to say the least. The dedication of these members to Shelby himself was just about the only group of people supporting and honoring his original accomplishments for probably 30 years. If anything, the SAAC was too successful – original Shelbys grew in value well out of proportion to their original accomplishments, and from that Shelby himself was reborn as a demigod. Shelby would be in an obscure retirement if it wasn't for the SAAC.

There were also, as often happens in politics as well, a very very small group of fans who hoped to get some greatness rub off on their otherwise unaccomplished little selves by worshiping at the Shrine of All Things Shelby. Again, like politics, these types of people purposely blind themselves to faults and business machinations (note the parallel here to the supporters of Bill Clinton). Some even hoped to curry his favor by naming their children after him – an obscene act performed at the expense of the child; an offering made solely in the hope of gaining the (momentary) attention of Himself. There's probably a bunch of little Clintons running around as well, although not thru exactly the same means.

This mess then will be Shelby's enduring legacy. He made it himself and it will survive him.

Compare this legacy to that of Mario Andretti or Dan Gurney - there is no comparison. There accomplishments were even greater - but even more importantly they don't piss on their fans.

A press release from Shelby follows below. And be sure to read Pete DeLorenzo's article in the December 5th Autoextremist.com. As usual, he says it best: http://www.saac.com/other_quotes.htm

Shelby Press Release follows:

CARROLL SHELBY LICENSING ASKS COURT TO ENFORCE TERMS OF AGREEMENT WITH ORGANIZATION FORMERLY KNOWN AS SAAC

Gardena, Calif. – January 31, 2008 – Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., (CSL) and Carroll Hall Shelby Trust (Shelby Trust) filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on January 29, 2008, against the organization formerly known as the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC), which is owned and operated by Ken Eber and Rick Kopec. In the lawsuit, CSL and the Shelby Trust filed for Declaratory Relief, Breach of Contract and Preliminary and Permanent Injunction against the organization owned by Eber and Kopec.

As outlined in a news release dated December 7, 2007, CSL announced that it had determined not to renew its written license agreement with the organization then known as SAAC. That decision was based, among other business considerations, on a continued disregard for the license agreement requirements. The annual, year-to-year agreement was personally signed by Eber and Kopec on behalf of their club in 1999.

In light of the organization’s repeated claims that the group did not recognize and had no intention of recognizing the termination of the licensing agreement and that it planned to continue the unauthorized use of trademarks owned by the Shelby Trust and licensed exclusively by CSL. Officials with the Shelby Trust and CSL had no other recourse than to file the suit. In their filing, CSL and the Shelby Trust seek a declaration from the court that will compel the enforcement of the terms of the licensing agreement both before and after its termination.

About Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc.
Automotive manufacturer and entrepreneur Carroll Shelby is one of the most famous and successful high performance visionaries in the world. In 1998, he founded Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., which is the exclusive holder of trademarks and vehicle design rights for some of the most famous muscle cars and high-performance vehicles. CSL also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For additional information about the company or licensing opportunities, call (310) 914-1843 or visit www.shelbylicensing.com

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR introduced

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 14:40:30 GMT

A full year before production begins, Ford has introduced the 2008 Shelby GT500KR special edition. Only 1000 will be built, starting in the spring of 2008.

Ford press release follows...

MORE MUSTANG POWER: FORD SHELBY GT500KR ‘KING OF THE ROAD’ RETURNS IN 2008

**2008 Shelby GT500KR**

Celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra GT500KR, Ford and Shelby collaborate on a new ‘King of the Road’ Mustang with the 2008 Shelby GT500KR.
Shelby GT500KR features an estimated 540-hp 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack, 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, short-throw shifter, and unique suspension tuning.
Exterior design draws inspiration from the classic Shelby KR Mustangs and features unique carbon composite hood, wheels, and special 40th Anniversary badging and unique striping.
Shelby GT500KR arrives in spring 2008 in an exclusive run of only 1000 units.

DEARBORN, Mich., March 30 - Ford and Shelby Automobiles are at it again, this time in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR. To be unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR—the most powerful Mustang to date—will once again mark Mustang as ‘King of the Road.’

“I’m proud to once again be a part of an historical moment, bringing back the ‘King of the Road’ Mustang, and collaborating with Ford SVT and Ford Racing” said Carroll Shelby. “I’m committed to continuously upping the ante when it comes to performance, and it’s great to be doing it with Ford.” “The return of the Shelby GT500KR further establishes Mustang as the true king of the pony car segment,” said Robert Parker, manager of Ford Car Brand. “With the unveiling of the new KR we are staying true to the promise we made our loyal Mustang fans to continue Mustang’s prowess by bringing new, exciting and more powerful Mustangs to market.”

Forty years ago, at the 1967 New York Auto Show, Ford introduced the most powerful Shelby Mustang ever. Like every Mustang that bore the name ‘Shelby,’ the GT500KR carries with it its own unique story.

The 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR was a mid-year introduction, based on the 1968 Shelby GT500. Ford added ‘Cobra’ to the Shelby’s moniker to help usher in the beginning of a new performance era at the company. The Cobra name referred to the new 428 Cobra Jet V-8 that was planted under the KR’s custom fiberglass hood. It was the engine that would once again vault the Mustang to the head of the pack.

Ford conservatively rated the 428 CJ at 335-horsepower, but in reality it made more than 400-horsepower and 440 pounds-feet of torque. The KR model was also equipped with a modified suspension and was offered both in fastback and convertible models. Ford dealers sold 1,570 GT500KR models in 1968, 1053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles.

While the name ‘King of the Road’ may have been the perfect fit for the world’s most powerful Mustang, it also provided Shelby the chance to steal the thunder from cross-town rival General Motors. As the legend goes, Shelby learned that GM was planning to introduce a high-performance model and call it ‘King of the Road.’

Since he had always wanted to use the name, and as one to never miss an opportunity, Shelby set his organization in gear, registering the name and designing new badging for the Cobra Jet-powered Mustang, christening it the GT500KR, and bringing Ford’s ‘King of the Road’ to market before GM ever got a chance to apply the name to their product.

Thoroughbred Pedigree
Just like its 1968 namesake, the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR builds on the strong foundation of the Shelby GT500. Packing 40 more horses under its custom-designed carbon composite hood, the GT500KR is the most powerful production Ford Mustang ever produced.

The modern Shelby Mustang line-up started with the 2007 Shelby GT500 coupe and convertible. With the recent launch of the 2007 Shelby GT, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR becomes the third production high-performance Mustang brought to market through the relationship of Shelby Automobiles and Ford. Ford and Shelby Automobiles also partnered up with Hertz to produce a special limited run of 500 Shelby GT-H “rent-a-racer” Mustangs available only for rent.

The 2007 Shelby GT500 has been one of the most successful vehicle programs in the 14-year history of Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and that success has opened the door for more performance collaborations with Shelby Automobiles and Ford Racing. Working together, these three performance powerhouses are driving Mustang momentum on the street and on the racetrack. Dealers cannot keep the cars on their lots, customers are clamoring for more, and racers are bringing home championships.

Shelby Mustangs have already achieved some impressive highlights showcasing an enthusiast demand that is unmatched in the business:

The first 2007 Shelby GT500 available to the public sold for $600,000 dollars at the 2006 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, AZ benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation.

2007 Shelby GT VIN#1 also went for $600,000 at charity auction, this time at the 2007 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction (and the winning bidder also took the opportunity to purchase VIN#2 at MSRP).

Shelby GT-H coupes auctioned off to Ford dealers after completion of Hertz rental duty consistently average $50,000, with high auction bids of $90,000.

The Shelby GT500KR will be produced in an exclusive run of 1000 units and will begin arriving in Ford dealers in the spring of 2008.

Crowning the New “King of the Road”
Doug Gaffka, Ford SVT chief designer, and his team worked closely with Carroll Shelby and the Shelby team to make certain the new KR was crafted in the spirit of the original Shelby muscle car.

“This was a great effort between Ford and Shelby Automobiles,” said Gaffka. “The Shelby team and I were in constant contact melding Carroll’s classic design cues with some modern concepts and ideas and finessing them into the design of the new KR.”

Gary Davis, vice president of production and product development for Shelby Automobiles, played a key role in defining the look of the custom designed carbon composite hood for the GT500KR. His knowledge of the original GT500KR helped sculpt a modern interpretation of the original’s bulging hood scoop, a visual indication of the extra horsepower packed beneath it. The hood is secured by a pair of stainless steel, twist-down hood pins. The composite front valance houses a pair of chrome-trimmed, functional brake ducts to cool the large 14-inch, vented Brembo front brakes.

Side stripes are true to the original KR right down to the font used for the ‘GT500KR’ lettering, while the classic LeMans-style striping that races down the center of the car has been deleted between the leading forward edge of the hood scoops and the front of the hood, accenting the scoops and giving the KR its distinctive face. “That was Shelby’s idea,” said Gaffka. “It’s a special touch that adds some down-the-road differentiation. There will be no doubt that it’s a ‘King of the Road’ Mustang that’s filling up your rearview mirrors.”

The show car wears exclusive, Shelby-designed 20-inch, forged, polished aluminum wheels with special custom center caps, mounted on Pirelli rubber. Production models will arrive with an 18-inch version of the design.

Each KR model is identified by special 40th Anniversary KR badges on the fenders and grille, distinctive body colored mirror caps and Shelby lettering stretching across the front of the hood and along the rear portion of the deck lid. A special Shelby VIN tag is affixed to each vehicle, mounted in the engine compartment.

The all-leather interior features Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and an official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate mounted at the top of the center stack.

The KR’s 5.4-liter V-8 Gets the Royal Treatment
Just like its namesake, the 2008 ‘King of the Road’ packs a walloping dose of Ford performance power under its massive composite hood scoops. The Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 is treated to a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that boosts horsepower to an estimated 540 and torque to 510 ft.-lbs., thanks to revised ignition and throttle calibration and a cold air intake system that replaces the stock unit.

Calibration modifications include advancing the ignition timing as well as re-mapping of the electronic throttle settings to provide quicker throttle response for better off-line and mid-range acceleration. Increased throttle response will be met with a sharper roar from the Ford Racing-inspired exhaust system.

Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission and 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, upgraded from the standard GT500’s 3.31:1. Gear selection is courtesy of an all-new Ford Racing short-throw shifter making its debut on the KR. Topped with a white ball, the new shifter is 25 percent shorter than the unit on the GT500 providing for crisper, sharper shifts.

Ford SVT, Ford Racing and Team Shelby worked together to develop the KR’s suspension tuning. Based on initial work by Ford Racing and the team at Shelby, often at Shelby’s own facility on the grounds of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Ford SVT chassis engineers will apply fine tuning techniques to prepare it for the streets.

“The production Shelby GT500 was maximized to deliver the perfect balance between ride and handling,” said Jamal Hameedi, chief nameplate engineer, Ford SVT. “In that same ride versus handling continuum, the KR will lean heavier towards all-out handling while still making it drivable on the street.”

Chassis engineers worked closely with the engine department in a holistic approach to the development of the KR, tuning the suspension to best optimize the engine enhancements.

“We aren’t fixing our attention on one or two attributes, but working on the vehicle as a whole,” stated Gary Patterson, vice president of operations for Shelby Automobiles. “The throttle response, power delivery, exhaust note, and handling should all gel together to deliver a total driving experience.”

The GT500KR will feature unique spring rates, dampers, stabilizer bars, and strut tower brace, all designed specifically for the KR, to deliver the precision handling package.

Mustang Momentum Cannot be Stopped
Unwilling to wait for the impending pony car war to heat up, Ford is extending Mustang’s leadership position by feeding the enthusiast demand for more models, features, performance parts, and special editions. Ford has committed to at least one new Mustang ‘feature’ vehicle per year. For 2007, it is the Shelby GT, and for 2008, there will be at least two including the Shelby GT500KR and the previously announced Mustang Bullitt. Ford’s ‘Steed for Every Need’ strategy currently offers four horsepower options for Mustang, with pricing from $19,995 for a 240-hp V-6 Mustang coupe to $46,500 for a 500-hp Shelby GT500 convertible.

Ford has also introduced several special packages on Mustang further increasing its unique offerings, including the Pony Package and the California Special. In addition, Ford Racing offers a complete catalog of performance parts for Mustang fans, from custom wheels and exhausts to the complete, turn-key Ford Racing Mustang FR500C race car.

As a result, Ford offers Mustang enthusiasts the ability to buy, modify and drive the steed that perfectly fits their need.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With more than 280,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Aston Martin and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

About Shelby Automobiles, Inc.
Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. The company manufactures authentic continuation Cobras, including the 427 S/C, 289 FIA and 289 street car component vehicles. In 2007, the company partnered with Ford Motor Company to launch the new Shelby GT, which is based on the Mustang. For more information about Shelby Automobiles and to see the build of a 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR, visit www.shelbyautos.com.

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR – Specifications and Design Highlights

5.4-liter supercharged V-8 producing an estimated 540-horsepower and 510 ft.-lbs. of torque

Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack featuring revised calibration and cold air intake system

6-speed manual transmission with 3.73:1 rear axle ratio

Ford Racing performance exhaust system

Unique performance suspension tuning: springs, dampers, and stabilizer bars

Shelby-designed ‘GT500KR’ 20-inch wheels (18-inch version for production)

Ford Racing short-throw shifter and front strut tower brace

Unique carbon composite hood featuring classic Shelby ‘KR’ design

Front brake cooling ducts

‘Shelby’ lettering across the front edge of hood and rear decklid

40th Anniversary badges on the front quarter panels

Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and floor mats

Official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate

Separated at birth?

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:22:13 GMT

Chrome tubular grills...

Truck-based engines...

Over-weight and large...

Stone-age suspensions.

Barrett-Jackson Auction sells Shelby/Hertz for $250k

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:03:56 GMT

The Shelby GT-H convertible is a follow-on to last year's semi-successful coupe program. GT-H Convertible serial number 1 was auctioned last night in a Barret-Jackson auction that was broadcvast live on Speed TV.

The auction was assisted by Mark Fields of Ford, who very enthusiastically assisted by introducing 'ole 'Shel, staging the addition of a special Fender guitar half-way thru the bidding, and adding the shirt off his back in the latter half of the bidding. Nice guy. The bidding was slow, but was driven all the way up to $250,000.

The Shelby GT-H is a Mustang GT with the California Special body package. It comes solely with an automatic transmission (saving a lot of money on replacing clutches) and 17" tires (all the better to prevent tire sidewall damage from lousy drivers). Also added are off-the-shelf Ford perfromance add-ons for the suspension and engine, yielding another 19 emissions-certified horsepower - and requiring premium fuel (something which in my experience Hertz rarely bothers to use). Also added are an ugly fiberglass hood and a equally-ugly chrome-bar grill. And a roll hoop that has zero structural significance and which would probably end up wrapped around the necks of the occupants in the event of a rollover (I've said it before - these are stupid and pointless).

Now lets get real about this Shelby.

The GT-H is literally a Mustang GT. Your dealer can add the identical performance and handling parts for Ford for a thousand or so dollars.

So what are you getting - technically - from a Shelby GT-H? Nothing unique whatsoever.

And what are you getting otherwise from a Shelby GT-H?

A great poseur ride:

The Shelby GT-H all about looks - there is nothing serious technically here. A crude stone-age suspension, stiff ride, with only incrementally raised dynamics. This is a rolling palace of "look at me - I'm a big deal".
All the attention-getting stripes you could hope for
Fake scoops on the hood and side. They do nothing, zero, nada. Thankfully, the Shelby GT-H doesn't get the 64 fake scoops that Saleen would have done (collectors take note: going to 128 fake scoops in the upcoming 2010 Saleen - if there is a Saleen after the firings that were made as a result of the numerous Ford GT glitches, as well as the recent winnowing of the overblown staff).
Ole 'Shels name signed on the dashboard - something he'll gladly do at any car show you can find him at for a small donation to one of his charities. Don't get me wrong - he has very good charities... but the signature isn't anything unique. He'll sign anything for a donation.

Speaking of the charity donation:

How much of the $250K will actually end up at the charity? Charitable foundations are notorious for deducting expenses.
My tax accountant tells me that the $250k figure paid can be partially taken off the buyersd taxes, although he will need to make a special deal with the IRS to sign off the amount above the actual value of the car. Hmmm... this presents a problem. The value of the car is about $35k - not counting whatever can be made of the association with "Shelby". The value might be $250k - if you can believe this will be worth anything one day. If you understand that this is purely a Mustang GT, then the value of the car remains at $35k and you have a $215k donation to charity. The buyer will no doubt need a tax lawyer to represent him to the IRS.
Ole Shel himself can claim some revenue from representing his charitable organization. Amount unknown, but he is probably paid very well.
What is Mark Fields time worth to Ford Motor Company? What did the car cost Ford Motor Company? All of that is deductible as well. Same for the special transporter used to get the car to the auction and later to deliver the car to the buyer.
All-in-all, this evening looks like a deduction-haven for both Ole Shel and Ford Motor Company. There may be a million dollars of deduction total.

An unlikely future collectible:

Does anybody actually believe that the new Mustang market will yield collectibles like the original market in the '60s? The original Shelbys - for a very short period of time - had a unique engine and suspension modifications. Never mind thart the original 306-HP 289 would be rated at about 250-260 horses on today's scale. It was unique to Shelby. Same for the suspension, with it's specially relocated lower control mounting points. These types of changes yielded a unique Shelby, once that was indeeed functionally better than stock. This was done in 1965 and 1966... afterwards the changes were abandoned and the car was brought onto Ford's assembly line as a trim option. Compare this to the new Shelbys - the GT and GT-H are "built" in Las Vegas (time peices are added, Ford off-the-shelf performance packs added) and the Shelby GT500/500KR is simply a Ford product. All the Shelbys are built in larger numbers than the originals, in only 2 years of Shelby availablility the total production has eclipsed that of the '60s models.
The original '65 and '66 Shelbys were very usable as race cars - and had some success in competition to prove it. The new Shelbys? Totally hopeless there.
Wouldn't a Shelby GT GT500 (and the new GT500KR) be worth even more at auction? Oh, but wait, the Shelby GT500/GT500KR development didn't include Shelby, being purely an in-house Ford product.... the left-over pieces once the intended SVT Cobra was gutted and finally cancelled.
A technically obsolete 319-HP Mustang GT will be worth very little when a 400-HP Mustang GT debuts in 2009. 319-HP doesn't look like very much at all in the year 2007... it will look like a whole lot less in 2009 in when Ford finally introduces a competitive and sorely-needed "large" engine and is able to eliminate the horribly dated and obsolete 5.4 liter "modular" truck engine.

I'll have to agree with Joe over at My Ford Dreams 2: the Shelby GT-H is a steaming pile of crap.

There is a sucker born every day, but the Shelbys will sell. In the end this is all that can be said of Shelby.

And I remain saddened that the Mustang as a whole has fallen to this low point. No serious sporting abilities, technically stone-age, larger than ever, and morbidly obese.

Ford press release follows.

FORD, SHELBY AND HERTZ TEAM UP FOR SHELBY GT-H “RENT A RACER” CONVERTIBLE

New Shelby GT-H is the first convertible in the history of Shelby/Hertz “Rent-A-Racer” program
500 convertibles will be available for rent through the Hertz Fun Collection at select airport locations
Shelby GT-H packs Ford Racing performance and handling parts in the classic Black & Gold Hertz livery
The convertible GT-H makes a live debut during the Barrett-Jackson Auction on SPEED on March 31, as CS VIN #001 is sold for $250,000, benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation

Palm Beach, Fla., March 31, 2007 – Lightning has struck again, the Ford Shelby GT-H “Rent-A-Racer” program from Ford Motor Company, Shelby Automobiles and The Hertz Corporation has returned with a special run of convertible versions of the performance-modified Ford Mustang GTs for rent exclusively through Hertz. Unveiled and sold for $250,000 on the block at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in West Palm Beach, Fla., the companies announced that approximately 500 convertibles, a first for the GT-H program, will be available through the Hertz Fun Collection at select airport locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Hawaii, later this year. Proceeds of the sale will benefit the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation.

The Shelby GT-H Mustang program was launched in 2006 to commemorate a plan by Carroll Shelby and The Hertz Corporation in 1966 to help put high-performance, special-edition Shelby Mustang coupes into the hands of racing enthusiast-minded rental customers. Ford supplied the new Mustangs with V-8 engines and automatic transmissions while Shelby added extra performance and style. Hertz gave the public access to a unique driving experience. Those Shelby GT-H Mustang coupes are being retired from the fleet, and are in the process of being auctioned off to Ford dealers. Some of the early GT-H coupes to reach auction have achieved impressively high prices – in the range of $60,000-$90,000 – which underscores the desirability of the Shelby GT-H program.

The program was so popular that Shelby, Ford and Hertz have again teamed up to create the first Shelby GT-H Mustang convertibles. The 500 cars will be built at Shelby Auto’s facility in Las Vegas for delivery to Hertz.

“The Ford Shelby GT-H was so much fun to drive that people literally begged us for more,” said Carroll Shelby, CEO of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. “The Mustang program never stands still, so we created a Ford Shelby GT-H convertible that gives people another unique driving experience. It’s a genuine American pony car that delivers open air motoring.”

Hertz Fun Collection
Highlighting its position as a leader at U.S. airports in the leisure car rental market, Hertz’s Fun Collection features vehicles tailor-made for travelers seeking exciting driving experiences. The Fun Collection, with cars that can be reserved by specific make and model, adds more entertainment to the driving experience as each car comes equipped with SIRIUS (Nasdaq: SIRI)* Satellite Radio.

The 2008 Ford Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible will be available at select airport locations that feature the Hertz Fun Collection including Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco, California; Denver, Colorado; Maui and Honolulu, Hawaii, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We’re excited to be offering a special edition Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible,” commented Joe Nothwang, Executive Vice President and President of the Americas and Pacific for Hertz. “Customer reaction to last year’s Shelby GT-H Mustang was so positive that we felt it only natural to offer yet another exclusive car through Hertz’s Fun Collection. Once again, customers can experience the thrill of renting a high-performance car that provides the utmost in driving experiences while adding a splash of fun with its open roof capabilities.”

Consumers can check-out the Shelby GT-H convertible which will be on display in the SIRIUS booth, booth CP-9 (Crystal Palace 9), at the New York International Auto Show April 6 – 15, 2007.

With the addition of the Shelby GT-H Mustang Convertible, Hertz now offers 14 Fun Collection cars that can be specifically reserved. More than 40,000 Fun Collection vehicles are available at approximately 20 major airport locations in the United States.

Shelby Styling
Like its 2006 Shelby GT-H Mustang coupe, the 2008 convertible will be instantly recognizable. Clad in black exterior paint set off with gold “Le Mans” dual racing stripes and “Shelby GT-H” rocker stripes, each will wear a Hertz Edition emblem on the front fenders and feature Hertz Shelby GT-H sill plates. A numbered dash badge with Carroll Shelby’s signature will be inside the cockpit.

The Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible will be fitted with a unique hood with pins and a brushed aluminum grille with running horse emblem. A unique front fascia with integrated lower grille, as well as a set of body side scoops will be incorporated. The GT-H’s 18-inch black aluminum wheels will be shod with P235/55ZR18 performance rubber. To give the car additional stiffness, a stylish light bar and supplemental bracing will also be added to the convertible.

Thundering Ponies
Ford Racing Performance Group’s Power Pack (FR1) will kick up the 4.6L V-8/Five-speed automatic transmission powertrain to 319 horsepower. To put that extra power to the ground, the Ford Shelby GT-H will feature the Ford Racing Handling Pack (FR3) including special-tuned dampers, lowering springs, sway bars and a strut tower brace – plus a 3.55:1 ratio rear axle assembly for extra off-the-line acceleration.

“Any Mustang touched by Carroll Shelby has a head start on becoming a legend, and a highly desirable collectible, but they're all designed to be seen, heard and driven hard” said Cisco Codina, group vice president, Ford North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “That's why demand is so high in our showrooms, and on the auction block.”

With total production expected to number only 500 units exclusively for Hertz rental fleets, this special-edition Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible will give Hertz customers a truly exclusive driving experience.

“This GT-H project was a tremendous success and demand for the sexy pony car led Shelby Autos and Ford to offer a retail version to the public,” said Amy Boylan, president, Shelby Automobiles Inc. “Working together with Ford and Hertz, we look forward to creating history with the first Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible. This car will deliver the looks and performance expected of a high-performance Shelby-ized Ford Mustang. It will give Hertz customers the opportunity to enjoy a rare muscle car with real top-down driving excitement.”

Hertz Fun Collection
The Hertz Fun Collection features convertibles including the Ford Mustang, Mazda Miata, Toyota Solara, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler Crossfire and Nissan 350Z; coupes/roadsters including Ford Mustang (hard-top), Chrysler Crossfire, and Nissan 350Z; and SUVs such as the Ford Edge AWD, Jeep Wrangler, and Hummer H3. For Shelby GT-H or other Hertz Fun Collection reservations, or to see which vehicles are available, visit www.hertz.com. The Hertz Fun Collection may also be reserved through travel agents or by calling the Hertz toll-free at 1-800-654-3131.

Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With more than 280,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Aston Martin and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

* SIRIUS is a registered trademark of SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Inc.

Three new Fords for NY Auto Show, including Ford Shelby GT500KR

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:16:48 GMT

FORD UNVEILS TRIO OF VEHICLES FOR NEW YORK AUTO SHOW, INCLUDING MOST POWERFUL MUSTANG AND F-150

New, limited-edition vehicles developed with hip hop guru Funkmaster Flex and hot rodder Chip Foose will join the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR – the most powerful Mustang to ever – at the 2007 New York International Auto Show.
2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR roars to life in spring 2008.
2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition hits the streets in fall 2007.
2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition to launch in fall 2007.
Ford’s customization business continues to grow: up 50 percent in 2006.

DEARBORN, Mich., March 30, 2007 – Ford unveiled three new limited-edition models today – the Shelby GT500KR, the F-150 Foose Edition and the Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition – all of which will be make their public debut at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. The trio of vehicles, including the most powerful pickup and most powerful Mustang ever from Ford, demonstrates how the company is leveraging key partnerships to create exciting new products.

“Marrying great Ford products like Mustang, F-150 and Expedition to strong partners like Shelby, Foose and Flex creates vehicles that are irresistible to customers who want to make the boldest statement they can,” said Cisco Codina, group Vice President of North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “We are seeing more demand for special wheels and accessories and, of course, from-the-factory packages like the new Eddie Bauer Taurus X and Harley F-150s.”

Ford research indicates that 62 percent of full-size pickup truck buyers purchase accessories for their vehicles, and 73 percent buy parts through their dealer. Truck buyers spend an average of $1700 in accessories. Roughly 30 percent of crossover utility vehicle buyers purchase accessories, and they are more likely to make accessory purchases at the dealership.

Ford’s overall customization business grew 50 percent in 2006 and could potentially double its business again in the next two years, driven by factory-customized products and a hard focus on wheels, appearance packages and electronics such as DVD players and navigation systems.

“This is really a fashion industry,” says Peter MacGillivray, vice president, Marketing and Communications for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). “Consumers want to put their personal stamps on everything they buy – from personalized rings to build-a-teddy-bear – and everybody knows that ‘you are what you drive.’”

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR:

Launching next spring, the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR model features a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that boosts engine output to an estimated 540 horsepower.

Produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, the Shelby GT500KR coupe comes with a custom carbon composite hood with scoops and stainless steel twist-down hood pins, a lower front air dam with chrome-trimmed functional brake ducts and large 14-inch Brembo front brakes. The suspension has been modified with an emphasis on race-inspired handling.

Drawing inspiration from the classic 1968 KR model, the Shelby GT500KR also features 40 th Anniversary exterior badging, unique striping and a distinctive interior with Carroll Shelby-signature embroidered seats and a 40 th Anniversary numbered dash plaque.

2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition:

Hitting the streets in early 2008 is one tough boulevard cruiser – the 2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition styled by custom street rod designer Chip Foose.

Lowered, but looking even more hunkered down thanks to its big 22-inch wheels, the special Foose F-150 sports bold racing stripes that start at the edge of the hood and then thin out over the front fenders to run the length of the vehicle only to widen again at the tailgate.

Planned for an initial run of 500 units, Foose gave the F-150 a new grille with horizontal bars as well as rocker moldings to further help lower the vehicle visually while the cab is accented by Chip Foose signature headrests and floor mats, a unique leather-wrapped center console and a Foose-designed serialization plate showing the VIN and build-sequence numbers.

Powering the Foose Edition F-150 is a 450-horsepower supercharged Triton V8 that puts out 500 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm, making it the most powerful Ford F-150 since the 2004 Ford SVT Lightning. When it hits the streets, it will be the most powerful half-ton pickup on the market.

2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition:

Coming to dealer showrooms this fall, the 2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition turns the hot Expedition concept vehicle created by hip hop DJ Funkmaster Flex into a limited-production, short wheelbase SUV.

The Expedition FMF will sport a two-tone Colorado Red-and-Black paint scheme with Orange pinstriping and special chrome badging, a custom front fascia with integrated fog lamps, side skirts, rear fascia and 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels.

Inside, a matching Colorado Red instrument panel, console bezel, shifter and switch bezels blend with four leather captains chairs with red stitching, FMF red logo headrests, and a red-stitched steering wheel. Rounding out the package is an exclusive numbered dash plaque signed by Funkmaster Flex and SIRIUS satellite Radio.

The Expedition FMF Edition also sports a 340-watt Audiophile™ Sound System, MP3 player audio jack, Powerfold™ third-row seating, heated and cooled front seats and an optional navigation system, power liftgate and rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With more than 280,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Aston Martin and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

Shelby vs Crown Vic cop car

Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:45:52 GMT

Shelby versus 'vic cop car - and it isn't any faster...?

Jason Plato drives the Shelby GT500

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 03:30:45 GMT

Jason Plato quote: "It doesn't handle very good".

Of course, if you don't know who Jason Plato is, then this IS the car for you.

The Truth About Cars: Shelby GT500 - Counterpoint

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 14:49:26 GMT

Robert Farago hits a home run with a very well written counterpoint about the Shelby GT500. He obviously knows his stuff and is an enthusiastic and experienced driver.

The article starts with "a small bump in the road" - and that says it all. Don't hit one if you know what is good (and safe) for you. Solid rear axles are an anachronism from the last century (and solid front axles - once commonplace, are now gone from everything but the oldest truck models). And then there is the engineering hangover all-too common in this century: a ponycar that weighs 4000 pounds (morbidly obese). Couple that with the classic SVT engineering "expertiese" (overheating Cobras and Ford GTs that can't do a serious HPDE without blowing their cooling) and you have a real winner for car nuts who don't have the experience to backup their (over-)enthusiasm.

Fortunately, SVT has been cancelled from the face of the earth (its engineers split amoungst development teams, the SVT name is that of a virtual organization and not a physical one). The Shelby is all that remains of 11 years of Cobra evolution. It's intended engine (an all-aluminum 5.4) and IRS (developed and tested) were both cancelled. Then the SVT Cobra itself was cancelled in November 2004. Shelby inherited a few oddments and a cheaper version of the Cobra engine. It's a shame. And there are just enough gullible people to sell 10k copies a year.

A few traces of SVTs original intentions remain... the Brembo brakes are a big improvement from the last generation, but the rear brakes are a hangover from the Mustang GT (the rear 2-piston Brembos were also cancelled - some Ford Press folks had old press materials and referred to them repeatedly in the first round of Shelby releases). The front splitter and rear aero mods would have been of some value for the cancelled Cobra, and are soley of poseur mods for the straight-line Shelby. The replacement for the infamous T-56 6-speed is a huge improvement... but of course in the Shelby's new mission only the first 3 gears are ever used. An automatic would have been a better choice.

And more than a few things are missing.

As happens all too often with Ford, the seats appear to have been designed for a very wide and heavy fat guy. No lateral support at all. And this is strange, given the progress that had been made with the 2003/4 Cobra seats (a great example of seat design progress, now abandoned).

The steering wheel is enormous, although this is a feature we're stuck with from the base car because of the terrible placement of the instruments. SVT coulnd't have done anything there if they'd wanted to without a major redesign. And this is a shame, especially since the progress that was made in the last Cobra: thicker padding in a well-sized rim, and even thumb placement in some of the last models.

I could go on, but it becomes clear that the real problems are Ford's budget disaster (starting years ago when the Cobra, er, Shelby was under development), the dominance of the straight-liners and apologists inside the former SVT organization (Hau Thai-Tang is the worst example of making up marketing BS to excuse their sorry work - he should be booted the hell out of there), and the base Mustang itself. It's enormous, it's long, it's wide, it's heavy, and it's crude. All of these things conspire together to yield an enormous, long, wide, and crude product that has no sporting value other than poseur appearance.

Challenger competition - comparison charts

Sat, 05 Aug 2006 12:17:01 GMT

I've been working on updating my comparison charts in ChallengerEnthusiast.com. There is a lot of data to compare, and I'm trying to add anyting I can find, right down to EPA trunk volume. And of course full details on the suspensions, engines, weight, and other dimensions.

I've added more data today on the 2006 Pontiac GTO, as well as the 1968 Shelby. The GTO for competitive purposes against the Challenger concept, although that will certainly change with the next GTO in 2010. And the Shelby as a beginning for a classic comparison set of stats.

I'm looking for more data on the original Challenger and on the new Camaro concept. If you've got a useful link to official data, please use the "Feedback" link at the bottom of this page to send it to me.

Terrible execution of the Ford Shelby GT500

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 17:44:24 GMT

Over at the VWvortex forums, they're having a long discussion on the "terrible execution" of the Ford Shelby GT500.

VWvortex? Huh? Well, those folks have an excellent "Car Lounge" forum where they discuss all brands.

While part of the discussion breaks down (all too typical of forums), it picks back up again with a discussion of how fast this car isn't, and why it will be be tough to make it any faster.

And what's innovative about a morbese pig with a truck engine?

[Continue at source]

GT500 engine already failing!

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:13:16 GMT

Unbelievable (or maybe not?): according to this report the engine on the GT500 is already failing - this time with a broken crank snout!

Reference: http://www.blueovalnews.com/index.php?categoryid=12&;;p2_articleid=237

It looks like the wonderful SVE/SVT engineering has already started an all-too-typical string of failures.

Fortunately, this will be the last time this will happen because the SVE engineering team has been broken up and dispersed back into the regular product groups (and therefore subject to the established testing processes and requirements). SVT is now simply a brand - nothing more than an "XLS" logo on the trunklid (or in the case of this brand, on the little plastic wheel caps).

This latest failure comes on the heals of the Ford press release of last week that promoted all of the endurance testing Ford engines are alledgedly subject to. Which apparently somebody was finally doing to this engine - with only 3 months to go before production. That's wonderful tinming, and so typical of Ford. Every SVT product to date has suffered from poor testing, delayed schedules, and post-delivery issues. Even the "base" Mustang GT 4.6 3V engine has had issues (quickly fixed) at launch. And then there was the 1-yr++ delay of the new 3.5 engine for unspecified reasons... which given the need in the Five Hundred and Fusion must have been severe.

And why is the GT500 engine problem happening at all? The crank issues have been known about for years - they were first identified almost ten years ago during extreme durability testing exercises (eventually written up in an SAE paper, which makes for an interesting read). They were suppossedly solved for the Ford GT engine - but that engine and this engine are two very different pieces with no commonality whatsoever except the cylinder head (and that engine has had it's own major issues, including the "fix" of a Speedisleeve "diaper" and the lack of cooling "agility" - it's already a bust in open track events).

Interesting, too, that the crankshaft damper weighs 26 pounds. Yes, you read that right - twenty-six pounds. Incredible. This is going to be one heck of a slow-revving pig. Which may be ok for it's mission - which is to push a two-ton morbidly obese Mustang.. With only 475 horses for those two tons it won't be much faster than the much lighter '03/4 Cobra was. And with 58.5% of it's weight over the front wheels, it won't handle well either.

What kind of an enthusiast car is this? It isn't.

SVT finally dead!

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 02:59:14 GMT

Inside Line reports what most of us have known for a year: SVT is dead.

While Steven Cole Smith waxes poetic about the glory days of SVT, as I also have in the past...

But, finally getting out from under SVT has been an eye-opening experience for me. I feel like I'm waking up after a coma. I'm glad SVT is dead... because the SVT that made the glory days has been gone for about 5 years. The more recent SVT was only a poseur, focusing more on loud noises and bluff for the straight-liners and latching onto ole 'Shel for all the glory they could leech off his poor ole tired hide.

For the first roughly 6 years, '93 to about '99, everything was great: the Mustang Cobra made major strides, the SVT Contour was a great car in its time, and the Lightning made history. All of these products were mature well-balanced vehicles that you could drive hard. Although the quality and engineering testing were extremely poor.

But even in these glory years there were major issues behind the scenes. SVT marketing boss Tom Scarpello had the nerve to tell enthusiasts they didn't need a calibrated temperature gauge - only one that reads either "off", "normal", or "red hot". This in response to over-heating Mustangs - a problem that went from bad (94/95), to recall (96), to nuclear meltdown (03/04). And lest anybody think the 2000 Cobra R solved all these problems, take a look at its oil temperatures after a hard racetrack run and you'll be scared (and the special water pump and radiator designed for the Cobra R never made it into the much needier '03/04 Cobra). Around this same time I had an hour long talk in person with Tom and he told me a Lincoln LS-based Mustang mule had been built with a strut front end (I later saw it in Dearborn in person). I knew the end was upon us. And Tom didn't last much longer anyway.

Jac Nasser gave us the independent rear suspension for the Cobra. A modern touch, one that was badly needed, replacing a rear suspension that was worse than obsolete. A great idea, but poor engineering, even worse testing standards, and taking 2 years to straighten out (this was a major problem of SVT – engineering major changes after the fact (initial design of the car, making everything a band-aid, and then getting them into the production line successfully). When the IRS worked, it was far superior to ye olde solid axle and the car as a whole was a far better experience. It should have been made an option across the entire Mustang line (and that was considered, even for the SN95. It was the plan for the S197 before the budget got slashed.). The handling and the livability aspects of the CObra IRS set our expectations for the next Mustang.

Then came the SVT Focus, a nice effort, but one that was outdated before it was even released. A clone of the European Focus ST170, but not benefitting one iota from their own much faster RS. Any number of Hondas did any number of things better.

And then the GT - indeed "the pace car for the entire company" (as the advertising put it, before somebody realized it was all too true) in terms of quality and recalls. The GT debacle was the final nail in the coffin. http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/2005/03/31.html#a458 And take note of a Car & Driver editorial, very similar to my own words: http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/2005/06/01.html At this point John Coletti suddenly departed, "retired", some say because of this.

But then came Hau Thai-Tang http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/2005/12/10.html#a1068 - not a hero at all (as his publicist would have us believe), but an expert in backtrack and double-talk: http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/2005/05/10.html#a451 When the budget for the actual SVT Cobra was killed off last fall, he reversed his earlier statements and told us it didn't matter anyway. The actual SVT Cobra, more powerful than the GT500 and with a independent rear that had been developed for the S197 Mustang platform from the start, is now gone for good. http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-automobilia/sec-imho/2005-03-20_irs-2007-svt-bs/default.htm

In its place, we have the GT500, a poseur car if there ever was one, which has turned it's back on what balanced and responsive handling potential the new platform made possible (58.5% front weight balance, just under 4000 pounds for the coupe and just over for the convertible). An engine that is barely improved from the last one, a heat generator in an engine compartment made too small to cool properly. This car is as obese as most Americans are.

The entire Mustang line has been dumbed down from how it was initially conceived: http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/2005/11/24.html#a1029

All very much symptoms of what is wrong with Ford: http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/categories/ford/2005/11/23.html#a1011 and follow-up: http://www.DrivingEnthusiast.net/sec-blog/2005/11/24.html

So I’m glad SVT has finally gone out of its misery. And in case anybody wonders what my ownership credentials are with SVT, I’ve owned 4 SVT Cobras, all driven very hard on road race tracks, and all experiencing problems to varying degrees (proportional to the farther away from the base platform SVT had “re-engineered” them). The first three faithfully served their purpose and provided track cars for me (after re-tuning the suspensions on all three). The last was by far the worst (and many owners of those had it much worse than I) example.

How the Ford Shelby GR-1 Works

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:49:50 GMT

Here's an interesting new site: "How Stuff Works". Nice write-ups on various topics, including how a couple of Fords are put together.

This particular article covers the Shelby GR-1 concept.

NAIAS: 2006 Shelby GT500 Introduction

Sun, 08 Jan 2006 11:30:13 GMT

Performance Inspiration: Carroll Shelby and Ford Special Vehicle Team join forces to create a modern successor to the famous Shelby GT500 of the late 1960s
Performance Hardware: 475-horsepower supercharged V-8, 6-speed manual transmission, race-tuned suspension, four-piston Brembo brakes
Performance Design: Mustang heritage with aggressive muscular front-end design, Le Mans racing stripes, unmistakable "Cobra" logo and Shelby nameplate

The Ford Shelby GT500 seamlessly combines the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance cues, such as the famous Shelby Cobra logo.

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2006 – What happens when a legend from Texas reunites with a legend from Dearborn? The most powerful Mustang ever.

After 40 years, racing legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Mustang are back together with the introduction of the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500.

Performance legend Carroll Shelby first put the muscle in the pony car.

The collaboration between Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) is yielding an instant collector's Mustang that builds 475 horsepower in its 5.4-liter supercharged V-8.

A modern interpretation of the Shelby Mustang of the 1960s, the Ford Shelby GT500 uses advanced engineering to attain the performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road.

True to the original GT500, it will be available both as a coupe and as a convertible when it goes on sale in the summer of 2006.

"When Carroll was developing the original GT350 and GT500, he wanted to build the most powerful, most capable Mustangs of his day," says Hau Thai-Tang, director, Advanced Product Creation and Special Vehicle Team. "Our goal was to build the most powerful, most capable Mustang ever."

Serving as touchstone and inspirational leader for both the concept and the production versions, Shelby was impressed by what the team has accomplished.

The rear spoiler of the Ford Shelby GT500 echoes that of the classic GT500, while the rear air diffuser is inspired by the modern Ford GT.

"It's one thing to put 450 horsepower in an exotic supercar," says Shelby. "It's another to put that much power in something as affordable as a Mustang. The fact that they not only met their goal but pushed on to 475 horsepower is a remarkable achievement."

Shelby knows something about creating modern supercars. He served as a senior adviser on the team that developed and built the 550-horsepower Ford GT.

Power Play

As expected of anything with Shelby's name on it, the heart of the car is what's under the hood. The Ford Shelby GT500's supercharged 5.4-liter, 32-valve V-8 evolves from Ford's experience with tuning its modular, or MOD, engines. Output is a brawny 475 horsepower.

The engine is force-fed an air-and-fuel mixture via a "Roots-type" supercharger providing 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. The GT500 uses a cast-iron engine block. It borrows from the Ford GT program aluminum, four-valve cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings, adding a high level of performance durability to the drivetrain. "Powered by SVT" camshaft covers add the finishing touch to the engine.

Helping put the power to the pavement is a 6-speed manual gearbox. For the performance driver, its evenly spaced gears mean less "stirring" is needed to find the "sweet spot." This gives a rewarding experience throughout the engine's broad torque curve. The heavy-duty transmission has proven itself a willing companion to Mustangs in both road and track environments, including recent road-going Mustang Cobras and the new race-winning Mustang FR500C.

Power Requires Control

The Ford Shelby GT500 continues a legacy of all-around performance that made the original a world-class racer on tracks and road courses around the world.

The Ford Shelby GT500 starts with the solid Mustang underpinnings. The all-new Mustang was designed from the beginning with performance derivatives in mind, providing an exceptionally rigid, well-engineered starting point for GT500 chassis engineers.

SVT engineers retuned and upgraded key chassis components. Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the Ford Shelby GT500 stop and turn with the same authority as it goes.

The Ford Shelby GT500 features a MacPherson strut independent front suspension with Reverse L lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle.

This rear suspension design has been validated on the track by Ford Racing. The Ford Racing Mustang FR500C was purpose-built from the base 2005 Mustang body structure and suspension geometry to run in the Grand-Am Cup series, a class of road racing for production-based cars.

Competing against the best from Germany and Japan, a Mustang FR500C won its first race in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February 2005. It went on to dominate the season and clinch the championship.

"SVT and Ford Racing will be working closer than ever as we go forward on future projects, especially Mustangs," says Thai-Tang, a Ford Racing alumnus who served as the race engineer for the Newman-Haas Racing team in 1993.

To match this power and handling ability, engineers fitted some of the biggest brakes in the business to the Ford Shelby GT500. Four-piston Brembo calipers are fitted to 14-inch Brembo vented rotors up front, and 11.8-inch vented discs in the rear continue SVT's legacy of great-braking Mustangs. Secure footing is provided by 255/45ZR high-performance tires in front and 285/40ZR high-performance tires in back. Wheels are 18 inches by 9.5 inches.

The Snake is Back

One glance shows this is not the typical Mustang Cobra. A sinister-looking front-end design includes wide upper and lower fascia openings with a functional air splitter. The upper intake sports the famous Cobra logo floating off-center in place of a centered galloping pony found on other Mustangs. On either side, slanting headlamp openings add to the dramatic front appearance.

The "GT500" script emblazoned on the gas cap emblem is joined by an updated version of Shelby's classic Cobra logo that is repeated on the grille and the headrest.

The bulging hood has heat extractors protruding near the leading edge, combining to provide improved airflow and aerodynamics. As air passes over the hood, hot air from the engine compartment is drawn out through ducts attached to the hood extractors.

"The restrained, performance-oriented SVT design theme has become instantly recognizable to enthusiasts without brash styling cues," says Doug Gaffka, design director, Ford SVT vehicles. "The GT500 takes a huge leap forward by combining the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance look."

The 2005 Mustang design team drew inspiration from classic 1968 Mustangs, the models that transformed the mild-mannered pony car into a muscle car with attitude. Envisioning a high-performance model, the team tested GT500 design cues on the Mustang GT coupe concept that was unveiled at the 2003 North American International Auto Show.

In 2004, designers further developed the GT500 look on the Mustang GT-R, a race-bred concept with the dual purpose of foreshadowing SVT's Mustang design direction and Ford Racing's plans to return Mustang to road racing. The Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra concept coupe capped the design conceptualization effort.

The production Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe now comes into full light, punctuated by the classic Le Mans-style white stripes that race along the top from nose to tail. The stripes recall the Shelby Mustangs that marked another important 1960s Mustang transition when Ford put it on the track to becoming a racing legend. The GT500 nomenclature is prominent in the lower bodyside racing stripe, another cue from the classic Shelby Mustangs.

In a touch also borrowed from the GT500's past, no Le Mans stripes will be seen on the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible. However, the convertible will sport a cloth top similar to those found on pricier convertibles.

"There were no Le Mans stripes on Shelby's original GT500 Convertible, so we decided to pay homage by not offering them on the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500," says Gaffka. "We also went with a cloth top material as another measure of substance and authenticity. The fabric used is the same used on the 2002-03 SVT Mustang Cobra, the Thunderbird, Jaguar and Ford's other high-end convertibles."

The unique rear fascia features lower strakes inspired by the Ford GT's integrated rear airflow diffuser, and a rear spoiler reminiscent of a classic GT500. To mark the collaboration of two Mustang performance icons, the GT500 features Shelby and SVT badging.

The fenders each feature an updated design of the Cobra. The front grille features an off-center snake in place of the standard running horse. "GT500" is emblazoned inside the side rocker stripes, and the name SHELBY is prominently written across the rear deck. The SVT logo can be seen on the wheel center caps, a signature SVT location, as well as on the doorsill plates. To top it off, the medallion between the taillights reads "Shelby GT500" centered on the Cobra image.

Cockpit Upgrades

The Ford Shelby GT500 convertible builds on four decades of open-air heritage; the first Mustang was a drop top. More than 1 million convertibles have been sold since 1964.

Inside, too, upgraded levels of flair and function abound. The locations of the speedometer and the tachometer are swapped to provide performance-oriented drivers with a better view of shift points while changing gears. Front seats have received additional lateral support to help keep the driver optimally positioned during cornering. The interior is offered in a choice of two colors, Charcoal Black or Charcoal Black and Crimson Red. The charcoal/red offering features Crimson Red seating surfaces and door panel inserts. Seating surfaces are leather with both interior treatments. Snake logos embossed in the seat backs finish the package.

The Shelby GT500 script and Cobra image are repeated on the steering wheel cap. Behind the wheel, the gauges wear light faces in keeping with SVT tradition. The chromed accessories inside the cabin have been replaced with a satin aluminum finish, including the aluminum shift lever knob that is nicely positioned for quick, positive shifts.

SVT and Shelby: The Legends Grow

With the look and legend one would expect from Shelby and the kind of power and performance enthusiasts have come to expect from SVT, the GT500 points to a brand-new era in Ford's performance future.

Shelby first put his name on a Mustang back in 1964 when he was asked to inject some high performance into the brand-new pony car. The result was the GT-350R, a lightweight, handling-focused race car that earned Mustang its first performance credentials. Subsequent Shelby Mustangs included a street version of the race car, the GT-350, and what was known as the "rent-a-racer" Mustang, the GT-350H, a joint project with the Hertz rental car corporation.

The Ford Shelby GT500 features Le Mans-style white racing stripes from nose to tail, inspired by those featured on classic Ford Shelby Mustangs."

The ultimate Shelby Mustang of the era was the GT-500KR, or "King of the Road." Powered by a big block 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet" V-8, the GT-500 was one of the most powerful, and memorable, muscle cars of that period. Shelby Mustang production ceased in 1970 with a total volume of 14,559 units.

The Ford Special Vehicle Team brought high performance back to Mustang in 1993. After 12 years, with nearly 80,000 high-performance Mustangs on the streets and total SVT vehicle production nearing 145,000, SVT is primed for growth with the GT500 serving as the foundation for other performance Mustang projects.

By bringing together Shelby and Ford SVT, the company's commitment to performance becomes as powerful as at any time in its history – including the famed "Total Performance" days of the 1960s. From the Ford GT supercar, the GT500, to a rejuvenated Ford Racing Performance Parts program, performance and racing can drive innovation and add luster to Ford's proud brand heritage.

"SVT will remain the leader in performance vehicle engineering," says Thai-Tang. "It will continue to build new, innovative products using advanced processes that will not only provide great enjoyment to the dedicated driving enthusiast, but that also will provide great benefit to other Ford products and Ford Motor Company itself."

The Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at the Ford-Mazda joint venture, AutoAlliance International, in Flat Rock, Mich.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

BODY
Construction	Unitized welded steel body, aluminum hood
POWERTRAIN AND CHASSIS
ENGINE
Type	V-8
Manufacturing location	Romeo, Michigan
Configuration	Iron Block and Aluminum Heads
Intake manifold	Cast-aluminum with Roots-type supercharger and air-to-water intercooler
Exhaust manifold	Cast iron
Crankshaft	Forged steel
Throttle Body	Dual 60 mm, electronic
Valvetrain	DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Valve diameter	Intake: 37.0 mm; Exhaust: 32.0 mm
Pistons	Forged aluminum
Connecting Rods	Cracked forged steel I-beams
Ignition	Coil-on-plug
Bore x stroke	3.552 x 4.165 in. / 90.22 x 105.8 mm
Displacement	330 cu. in. / 5,409 cc
Horsepower	475 (estimated)
Torque	475 lb.-ft. (estimated)
Compression ratio	8.4:1
Redline	6,250 rpm
Idle Speed in Neutral	750 rpm
Engine control system	Silver Oak PCM
Recommended fuel	Premium only
Fuel capacity	16.0 gallons
Fuel Injection	Electronic returnless sequential
Oil capacity	6.0 quarts 5W-50 Full Synthetic
Coolant capacity	21 quarts
DRIVETRAIN
Layout	Rear-wheel drive
TRANSMISSION
Standard (Type)	Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual
Gear Ratios
1st	2.97
2nd	1.78
3rd	1.3
4th	1.0
5th	0.80
6th	0.63
Final Drive	3.31
SUSPENSION
Front	Reverse-L independent MacPherson strut, 34-mm tubular stabilizer bar
Rear	Three-link solid axle with coil springs, Panhard rod, 24-mm solid stabilizer bar
STEERING
Type	Rack and pinion with power assist
Ratio	15.7:1
Steering column	Tilt
BRAKES
Type	Four wheel power disc with 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and traction control
Front	Brembo 14-inch diameter vented discs, four-piston aluminum calipers
Rear	11.8-inch diameter vented discs, two-piston calipers
TIRES AND WHEELS
Tires	P255/45R18 front tires, P285/40ZR18 rear tires
Wheels	18 x 9.5-in machined aluminum wheels with SVT center caps
DIMENSIONS (inches unless otherwise noted) (All dimensions are Preliminary)
EXTERIOR
Wheelbase	107.1 in.
Overall length	187.6 in.
Overall width	73.9 in.
Overall height	54.5 in., Coupe; 55.7 in., Convertible
Track width, front/rear	61.9 in. / 62.5 in.
Ground clearance	5.71 in.
INTERIOR
Seating capacity	4 passenger
Headroom
Front row	38.6 in., Coupe; 38.8 in., Convertible
Second row	35.0 in., Coupe; 36.3 in., Convertible
Legroom
Front row	42.7 in., Coupe; 42.7 in., Convertible
Second row	31.0 in., Coupe; 30.3 in., Convertible
Shoulder room
Front row	55.4 in., Coupe; 55.4 in., Convertible
Second row	53.3 in., Coupe; 45.0 in., Convertible
Hip room
Front row	53.6 in., Coupe; 53.6 in., Convertible
Second row	46.7 in., Coupe; 45.4 in., Convertible
Cargo Volume	12.3 cu. ft., Coupe; 9.7 cu. ft., Convertible
WEIGHTS AND CAPACITIES (pounds unless otherwise noted)
Curb weight, pounds
Coupe	~3,920 pounds
Convertible	~4,040 pounds
Weight distribution (f/r)	57/43
SAFETY
Safety belts	Load-limiting seat belts with pretensioners and height-adjustable shoulder belts for front seating positions (coupe) Three-point safety belts for all seating positions BeltMinder™ safety-belt reminder chime
Air bags	Dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags with crash-severity sensor, driver-seat-position sensor and front-passenger weight sensor Seat-deployed side air bags for driver and front passenger
Child safety	Childproof rear door locks LATCH anchors for rear outboard seats
Brakes	Anti-lock braking system (ABS) Traction-control system
Fuel	Inertia-activated shutoff switch for fuel pump
Security	SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system Remote keyless entry Separate alarm sounder Anti-tow sensor Ultrasonic interior motion sensor Perimeter anti-theft battery
MAJOR STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Audio system	Shaker 500: AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD/MP3 player with eight speakers
EXTERIOR
Badging	Unique GT500
Top	Black cloth (Convertible only)
Exhaust	Tuned dual stainless steel
Fascia	Unique GT500 color-keyed front and rear
Fog lamps	Front
Grille	Unique upper with Cobra emblem
Hood	Unique with heat extractors
Locking	Remote keyless entry
Spoiler	Unique color-keyed decklid spoiler
Trim	Over-the-top "LeMans" stripes and "GT500" side stripes (Coupe) "GT500" side stripes (Convertible)
Trunk	“Fix a Flat” tire repair kit
INTERIOR
Air conditioning	Manual
Console	Center with full armrest and storage
Cupholders	2
Door trim inserts	Soft vinyl
Floor mats	Front, color-keyed with driver-side retention hook
Instrument cluster	Includes boost gauge and message center, SVT graphics
Map pockets	Front doors
Power points	2
Scuff plates	Door sills, with bright SVT script insert
Seats	Leather sport buckets; 6-way power adjustable driver seat with power lumbar and 2-way adjustable head restraint
Shift knob	Unique with leather shift boot and parking brake handle
Steering wheel	Leather-wrapped with unique thumb pads, adjustable for tilt
Windows/door locks	Power
OPTIONS
DELETE OPTIONS
"LeMans" stripes	Coupe only
"GT500" side stripes	Coupe, Convertible
AUDIO
Shaker 1000	1000 watt audio system: AM/FM stereo, in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 player, 10 speakers
Satellite radio	SIRIUS
PACKAGE
GT500 Premium Interior Trim Package	Wrapped and stitched instrument panel brow and center condole with upgraded door armrest, electrochromic rearview mirror and aluminum pedal covers
EXTERIOR/INTERIOR COLORS
EXTERIOR
Paint/stripe colors	Torch Red Clearcoat with Performance White or Satin Silver stripes Alloy Clearcoat Metallic with Satin Silver or Tungsten stripes Vista Blue Clearcoat with Performance White or Tungsten stripes Performance White Clearcoat with Vista Blue or Tungsten stripes Tungsten Grey Clearcoat with Satin Silver stripes Valencia Yellow Clearcoat with Tungsten stripes Ebony Clearcoat with Performance White or Tungsten stripes
Convertible top	Black cloth
INTERIOR	Charcoal Black/Charcoal Black Charcoal Black/Crimson Red
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Warranty	3-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty

1968 and 2007 FORD SHELBY GT500 COMPARISONS

	1968 Shelby GT500	2007 Ford Shelby GT500	2006 Ford Mustang GT
BODY
Construction	Unibody	Unibody	Unibody
Styles	Fastback, convertible	Coupe, convertible	Coupe, convertible
ENGINE
Type	90 degree V-8	90 degree V-8	90 degree V-8
Bore x stroke	4.13 x 3.98 inches/104.9 x 101.1 mm	3.552 x 4.165 inches/90.22 x 105.8 mm	3.55 x 3.54 inches/90.22 x 90.0 mm
Displacement	428 cu. In./ 7,013 cc	330 cu. in./5,409 cc	281 cu. in./4,606 cc
Horsepower	360 @ 5,400 rpm (SAE gross)	Estimated: 475 (SAE net)	300 @ 5,750 rpm (SAE net)
Torque	420 lb.-ft. @ 3,200 rpm (SAE gross)	Estimated: 475 lb.-ft. (SAE net)	320 lb.-ft. @ 4,500 rpm (SAE net)
Horsepower per liter	51.33 (SAE gross)	Estimated: 87.95 (SAE net)	65.13 (SAE net)
Block	Cast iron	Cast iron	Aluminum
Heads	Cast iron, overhead valves	Ford GT aluminum, dual overhead cams	Aluminum, single overhead cam
Compression ratio	10.5:1	8.4:1	9.8:1
Valvetrain
Camshaft	Single, in block	Dual, overhead	Single, overhead
Valves per cylinder	Two: 1 intake, 1 exhaust	Four: 2 intake, 2 exhaust	Three: 2 intake, 1 exhaust
Fuel system
Delivery	4bbl carb w/ 600 cfm primaries, 715 cfm secondaries	Elec. fuel injec., dual 60 mm throttle body	Elec. fuel injec., dual 55 mm throttle body
Intake manifold	Cobra Aluminum	Alum with supercharger and intercooler	Aluminum
Ignition	Mechanically-driven distributor	Coil-on-plug	Coil-on-plug
Exhaust system
Manifolds	Cast iron	Cast iron	Cast iron
Arrangement	Dual	Dual	Dual
TRANSMISSION
Standard	4-speed manual	6-speed manual	5-speed manual
Optional	3-speed automatic	None	5-speed automatic
Final drive	3.50:1, manual/3.50:1, automatic	3.31:1	3.55, manual/3.31, automatic
SUSPENSION
Front	Independent	Reverse-L independent	Reverse-L independent
Springs and shocks	360 lbs./in. coil with adj. hydraulic shocks	MacPherson struts	MacPherson struts
Stabilizer bar	23.9 mm	34 mm	34 mm
Rear	Live axle	Live axle	Live axle
Type	Hotchkiss with custom windup dampers	Three-link with Panhard rod	Three-link with Panhard rod
Springs	135 lbs./in. 4-leaf semi-elliptical	coil springs	coil springs
Shocks	Adjustable hydraulic shocks
Stabilizer bar		24 mm, Coupe; 20 mm, Convertible	20 mm, Coupe; 18 mm, Convertible
BRAKES
Type	Power assisted front disc, rear drum	Pwr asst four-wheel disc w/ ABS, Traction Control	Power assisted four-wheel disc, ABS
Front	11.3-inch ventilated discs	Brembo 14-in. vented discs, 4-piston calipers	12.4-in vented discs, twin-piston calipers
Rear	10.0 x 1.75-inch rear drums	11.8-in. vented discs, single-piston calipers
WHEELS/TIRES
Wheels	Standard: 15-inch x 6-inch steel wheels	Standard: 18-inch x 9.5-inch aluminum wheels	Standard: 17-inch x 8-inch aluminum wheels
	Optional: 15-inch x 7-inch steel wheels	Optional: None	Optional: 18-inch x 8-inch aluminum wheels
Tires	E70 x 15 nylon 4-ply nylon, rated to 130 mph	Front:P255/45ZR 18; Rear: P285/40ZR 18	Standard: P235/55ZR 17
			Optional P235/50ZR 18
Steering
Type	Power assisted recirculating ball	Power assisted rack and pinion	Power assisted rack and pinion
Ratio	16 to 1	15.6 to 1	15.6 to 1
DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES
Wheelbase	108.0 inches	107.1 inches	107.1 inches
Length	186.8 inches	187.6 inches	187.6 inches
Width	70.9 inches	73.9 inches	73.9 inches
Height	51.8 inches (Fastback)	55.7 inches (Coupe)	55.4 inches (Coupe)
Track, front/rear	58.1 inches/58.1 inches	61.9 inches/62.5 inches	62.8 inches/63.0 inches
Curb weight	3,445 lbs. (Fastback with automatic)	~3,920 lbs Coupe	3,488 lbs. (Coupe with manual)
Weight distribution, f/r	56.4%/43.6% (Fastback with automatic)	57%/43%	54%/46 (Coupe with manual)

POWERTRAIN

2007 SHELBY GT500: BIG BLOCK POWER

With 475 hp, the 2007 Shelby GT500 is the most powerful factory-built Mustang ever – and the most efficient
5.4-liter V-8 features 32 valves, supercharger and water-to-air intercooler
Aluminum heads sourced from Ford GT deliver optimum air flow
6-speed manual transmission provides gearing for performance driving

DETROIT, Jan 8, 2006 – Just as the big-block GT500 from 1968 was a step up from the GT350, the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500’s 475 horsepower, 5.4-liter V-8 is a step up from the 4.6-liter V-8 used in yesterday’s SVT Mustang Cobra.

Not coincidentally, the 2007 Shelby GT500 sports the largest displacement engine installed in a volume version of the Mustang since 1973.

The 1995 SVT Mustang Cobra R used a 5.8-liter 300 horsepower overhead valve V-8, and 250 units were produced. The 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R used a 385 horsepower 5.4-liter dual overhead cam V-8, and a limited run of 300 cars were produced.

While the big block, overhead cams and four valves per cylinder contribute significantly to the 475-horsepower output of the 2007 Shelby GT500’s 5.4-liter V-8, a Roots-type supercharger and intercooler are the icing on the cake. In fact, the configuration is similar to the Ford GT supercar, offering the right combination of classic Ford big-block power and modern technology. Using the Ford GT as a blueprint, SVT has given the GT500 more total horsepower than any factory Mustang in the car’s celebrated history.

"The Shelby GT500 delivers on the essence of two great names in Ford performance – a mix of SVT’s modern-day experience with supercharging and the Shelby GT500’s heritage of big-block power," says Jay O’Connell, SVT chief vehicle engineer.

Full certification testing is not yet complete. However, Hau Thai-Tang, director, Advanced Product Creation and Special Vehicle Team, says achieving 475 horsepower is no problem. "We have great confidence that the 2007 Shelby GT500 will produce at least 475 horsepower -- perhaps more. And that would be right in line with the original GT500 experience. It, too, under promised and over delivered."

Supercharged 475-Horsepower

With the stout cast-iron, 5.4-liter Triton V-8 engine as a starting point, the Shelby GT500 adds a Roots-type 8.5-pounds-per-square-inch Eaton supercharger and water-to-air intercooler producing 475-horsepower.

"A screw-type supercharger that we use in the Ford GT gives you a little more top end, and the Roots type is a little fatter in the midrange," says O’Connell. Given that the GT500 will be used as a daily driver far more than the Ford GT is, it’s the ideal choice."

Adding forced-induction power is more than just a bolt-on proposition. The engine’s internals need upgrading for the sake of strength and durability. To that end, the Shelby GT500’s powerplant benefits from unique connecting rods and forged pistons to handle the extra strain on the lower end of the block.

"The entire induction system is unique," says O’Connell. "That includes the intake, intercooler, fuel supply – everything."

The all-new intake manifold helps to channel the supercharged fuel-air mixture into the cylinders. The low-profile manifold design also effectively packages the entire induction system under the GT500’s special air-extractor hood. Fuel comes from a dual-bore electronic throttle body borrowed from Ford’s 6.8-liter V-10 truck engine program.

Beating the Heat

To manage heat produced by 475 horses, engineers devised a set of GT500 specific features, including an air-extractor hood, a high-capacity aluminum radiator, an intercooler mounted below the blower, a loop-style power-steering cooler and an oil-to-water stacked-dish engine oil cooler.

4-Valve Heads from Ford GT

While supercharging is a key element in the Shelby GT500’s ability to generate so much horsepower, another major contributing component is the design of cast-aluminum, four-valve cylinder heads sourced from the Ford GT supercar.

Machining changes are incorporated into the outside ends of the heads and to the left rear cam cap to fit the engine into the Mustang chassis.

Developed specifically for supercharged applications, these high-performance heads use high-flow ports and specially calibrated dual-overhead camshafts to deliver optimum engine "breathing" along with surprisingly good fuel efficiency and emissions.

The cams and valvetrain are specific to the Shelby GT500. The cam drive system is unique and designed to fit into the Mustang engine compartment, which is narrower than the Ford GT’s. The oil pan and windage tray are the wet-sump setup from the Mustang GT. The Ford GT uses a dry-sump arrangement.

Powered by SVT

To enthusiasts, the real beauty of any performance car rests with its engine. That idea certainly wasn’t lost on Carroll Shelby because Mustangs that bore his name have traditionally brought his unique sense of style and personality directly into the engine compartment. One Shelby signature feature – special finned-valve covers embossed with "COBRA Powered By Ford" – soon became the envy of so many Ford V-8 owners.

The GT500 is equipped with special "Powered by SVT" finned-cam covers to hint at the beauty of all those horses lurking in the engine below. Mated to the Ford GT 4-valve cylinder heads are unique exhaust manifolds that help to better scavenge spent gases out of the cylinders and into the custom-tuned mufflers and dual-exhaust system.

And the aggressive exhaust note, which is unobtrusive in everyday driving situations, was truly custom tuned.

"More than 40 different muffler tunings were tested, measured and evaluated to come up with the right sound," says William Woebkenberg, an engineer with SVT.

A special device called a "tuned exhaust crossover" was incorporated to create the special sound. Unlike the H-pipe design used by the Mustang GT, the Shelby GT500 uses an X-shape stamping to create the desired sound and increase power output through dynamic scavenging.

6-Speed Gearbox

The gearbox used by the 2007 Shelby GT500 also is a rarity. Few transmissions exist in the marketplace today that can handle the torque loads generated by the supercharged GT500, so engineers are opting to stick with the proven heavy-duty performance of the TR6060 6-speed manual gearbox.

The GT500 employs an upgraded version of the T-56, which first appeared in the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, powered by a naturally aspirated 5.4-liter V-8 with 385 horsepower, and later in the supercharged 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra whose DOHC 4.6-liter produced 390 horses. For the Shelby GT500, the six-speed manual will be geared to make the most of the supercharged 5.4-liter’s broad power band.

Yes, Efficiency

"One of SVT’s goals in creating a vehicle is to deliver a balance of performance – acceleration, cornering, braking," says director Thai-Tang.

Another goal is to develop products and processes that can be applied not just to high-performance products, but also to other vehicles and in other parts of the company.

Then and Now

Performance cars have evolved dramatically since their heyday in the 1960s. In terms of safety, efficiency and refinement, today’s street machines totally outperform their elder muscle car colleagues in nearly all categories. Yet the story is seldom told about the tremendous gains made in reducing emissions while increasing overall power output.

The fact is, the GT500 is easily twice as powerful as the hottest V-8 package offered when Mustang was first introduced – yet still produces from 100 to 300 times fewer emissions. Additionally, today’s modern "MOD" V-8 powertrain enjoys a nearly 60-percent increase in average fuel economy compared to corresponding Ford products produced 30 years ago.

Back in the so-called Muscle Car era, driving a street beast with more than 400 horsepower was a dicey proposition. When dual carburetors, progressive linkage and dual-point ignitions were part of the equation, performance came with a price – drivability. Running too lean or too rich – or with the timing or spark out of adjustment could mean it would misfire or "carbon up" – sometimes with thick, black smoke coming from the tailpipe. Worse yet was fuel economy, with most of the big, high-powered V-8s at the time netting anywhere from six to 10 miles per gallon in typical driving.

Ford’s "MOD" V-8 family of engines makes more power than any Ford motors of the past, yet tops 20 mpg on the highway and meet the government’s LEV-II tailpipe emissions standards.

Multi-valve Engine Technology

Modern, race-derived technology provides an interesting power comparison: The GT500 with a 5.4-liter, DOHC, supercharged V-8 produces better than 100 horsepower more with nearly 100 fewer cubic inches. Compare that with the 1967 Shelby GT500’s 355-horsepower, 428-cubic-inch-displacement, big-block V-8.

The GT500 uses cylinder heads with four valves per cylinder and double overhead cams for optimum engine "breathing." Using multiple valves per cylinder provides the engine with a more efficient airflow, generating higher peak horsepower. As an additional benefit, multi-valve engines better utilize the air-and-fuel mixture in the cylinders with less waste and unburned fuel vapor. Also, multi-valve engines are better suited to help scavenge exhaust gases out of the cylinder after combustion is complete for more power with cleaner tailpipe emissions.

In addition, supercharging produces the peak horsepower of a much larger-displacement, naturally aspirated engine. Yet, at lower throttle applications, the smaller displacement enabled by supercharging consumes less fuel, resulting in increased fuel economy and lower emissions.

As a result, the 2007 Shelby GT500 is designed not only to be the most powerful Mustang from the factory – but also one of the cleanest.

CHASSIS

2007 SHELBY GT500: MUSCLE WITH AGILITY

The most powerful Mustang ever also delivers race-winning handling
Staggered tire sizes help get all the power to the ground
Brake system boasts Brembo 14-inch front vented discs with four-piston calipers
Stiffer front and rear stabilizer bars provide for neutral handling
Steering upgrades result in increased feel and precision

SVT engineers tested the 2007 Shelby GT500 at racetracks across the United States to design a car worthy of Carroll Shelby's name.

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2005 – A major goal set for the Shelby GT500 was to raise the handling to a new level. An easy road to success would have been to simply let Ford Special Vehicle Team chassis engineers tweak the critically acclaimed Mustang GT and have motorsports legend Carroll Shelby put his stamp on it.

Easy. Right?

"It all depends on what you’re satisfied with," says Tom Chapman, SVT Vehicle Dynamics Supervisor. "If you just want to make the Mustang live a bit more happily with a 60-percent increase in engine output, it’s fairly simple to do. If you want it to equal the handling of the Mustang GT despite a larger displacement engine, that takes a bit more work.

"But if you want to hold it up to a whole new set of standards and be worthy of the Shelby GT500 name, then you better be prepared to roll up your sleeves."

The GT500 retains the Mustang’s suspension setup. In the front, there are coil-over MacPherson struts with reverse "L" lower control arms made of lightweight I-section steel. In the rear, there’s a three-link live axle with coil springs, Panhard rod, outboard shocks and stabilizer bar.

Weight Distribution

Because of its larger engine, the Shelby GT500 coupe has more weight over the front wheels than does the standard Mustang GT coupe. On the GT500, 57 percent of the weight is in the front and 43 percent is in the back. In comparison, on the Mustang GT 56 percent of the weight is in the front and 44 percent is in the back. Weight distribution of GT500 convertible matches the Mustang GT coupe due to the power-top mechanism behind the passenger compartment.

Bar Talk

While a heavier nose generally disposes a car to understeer or "push," the Special Vehicle Team’s engineers were able to retain neutral handling with the Shelby GT500 through the use of stiffer stabilizer bars. In addition, the rear bar of the GT500 is larger than that of the Mustang GT.

The GT500 uses a 34-millimeter tubular front stabilizer bar. Coupe versions of the GT500 sport a 24-millimeter rear bar, while convertibles come with a 20-millimeter bar.

"Stiffer stabilizer bars provide reduced roll and deliver a more aggressive handling balance," says SVT Vehicle Dynamics Engineer Dean Martin. "We’ve also given the GT500 higher spring rates at both ends to handle the greater mass of the car and also to reduce roll."

Brembo brakes and 18-inch wheels and tires control the
475-hp Shelby GT500.

Stopping Power

The Shelby GT500 sports Brembo front brakes with four-piston calipers and vented 14-inch discs. In the back, GT500 carries over the Mustang GT’s 11.8-inch vented single-piston caliper rear-disc setup with unique pad material.

"We choose a friction material that will provide good track-day performance for the customer and still deliver satisfactory parking-brake performance and quiet operation," says Chapman.

Tires Manage Balance of Power

The GT500 sits on four 18-inch x 9.5-inch wheels, wearing 255/45ZR18 tires on the front and larger 285/40ZR18 tires on the rear.

"Larger rears help get the engine’s immense power to the ground better when accelerating off the line," says Martin. "They also improve handling balance when you’re powering away from the apex of a turn on the race track using as much torque and horsepower as the GT500 has."

Putting a Fine Edge on the Steering

The 2007 Shelby GT500 adds a brace that connects the rear lower arm bushings side to side. This was added to improve durability and steering feel.

A unique steering pump is used and the steering gear utilizes a unique torsion bar. Again, these work to improve steering feel and precision.

"We wanted to make sure the changes we made met enthusiast customer demands," Chapman says. "So we took our engineering cars not only to the test track, but to real-world drive routes and race tracks to make doubly sure that the GT500 would live up to the expectations."

SVT tested the 2007 Shelby GT500 at Grattan and GingerMan in Michigan, Nelson Ledges in Ohio and Las Vegas International Speedway. How long did they run?

"Long enough that we were satisfied," says Chapman. "And long enough to bring a smile to Carroll Shelby’s face."

EXTERIOR/INTERIOR

FORD SHELBY GT500: DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE

Exterior

Shelby GT500 is designed for performance, pays tribute to Mustang heritage
Aerodynamic lessons transferred from Ford GT program

The rear spoiler of the Ford Shelby GT500 echoes that of the classic GT500, while the rear air diffuser is inspired by the modern Ford GT.

DETROIT, Mich., Jan. 8, 2006 – The 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 is a purposeful performance car and striking to look at.

The design team did not merely take heritage cues and paste them onto the contemporary Mustang. Working with the engineering team, they dedicated themselves to a design that would enhance the car’s performance.

For example, the fog lamps were removed from the upper grille opening – where they are located on the Mustang GT. Smaller units were relocated on the outside of the lower front fascia where they function well.

"We found that the original Shelby Mustang’s design came about in response to maximizing the car’s performance," says Doug Gaffka, chief designer for Mustang, SVT and Vehicle Personalization. "The same is true of the SVT design language that has evolved over time."

A further example of how form follows function is the design of the heat extractors on the hood of the Shelby GT500. Here, they can better remove heat from the engine compartment – an important consideration for a car generating 475 horsepower.

"It is perfect, says Carroll Shelby of the car’s overall design. "I wouldn’t change a thing. It is everything I expected a modern Shelby Mustang to be."

Improved Aerodynamics

Other functional aero additions to the Shelby GT500 can be found at the front and rear. The rear spoiler adds significant downforce. Similarly, the front air splitter effectively combats lift.

The 18 x 9.5-inch wheels worn by the Shelby GT500 also bear a resemblance to those of the Ford GT.

Upscale Convertible, Regalia Stripes

The Shelby GT500 convertible shares cues with other high-end Ford Motor Company products. Rather than using vinyl for its top, as the mainstream Mustang does, the GT500 convertible uses the same type of cloth as that on the Ford Thunderbird and the Jaguar XK. The top is available only in black to match the car’s predominantly black interior.

"There is definitely an upscale feel to the top," says Keith Rogman, SVT design manager. "It fits in the same category as the stripes: They don’t make the car go faster, they don’t make it split the wind better, but they add a certain intangible authenticity to the car that you can’t quantify."

Indeed, stripes don’t make the car go faster, but they play a big role in the car’s identity. In coupe form, the car wears the full regalia of stripes Carroll Shelby bestowed upon the original GT500 coupe: a Le Mans stripe that runs over the hood, roof and rear deck and side stripes bearing the legend "GT500" nomenclature.

As did the original GT500 convertible, the modern version carries the side stripes but foregoes the Le Mans stripe. The Le Mans stripe, the side stripes or both may be deleted from the Coupe. The side stripes are also a delete option on the Convertible.

The stripes come in a range of four colors (Performance White, Vista Blue, Tungsten and Satin Silver) that, with one exception, can be matched with at least three of the seven available exterior colors. The exception is Vista Blue, which can be paired only with a Performance White exterior.

Exterior colors include Colorado Red (which can be paired with Performance White or Satin Silver stripes), Alloy (Satin Silver or Tungsten), Vista Blue (Performance White or Tungsten), Performance White (available with Vista Blue or Tungsten stripes), Tungsten Grey (Satin Silver), Valencia (Tungsten) and Ebony (Performance White or Tungsten stripes).

"Except for the Valencia and Tungsten combination, these combinations echo what we did with the original car," says Shelby. "I really like the yellow car. It has an eye-catching modern look to it."

Peter Horbury, executive director, Design, North America, had the opportunity to learn firsthand just how much that color combination does catch the eye. "I sneaked out on the Woodward Dream Cruise in a yellow prototype of the GT500," he said. "Everybody knew what it was. People were stepping out in the road to take pictures."

Carroll Shelby, it seems, is not the only one who feels expectations have been met .

Carroll Shelby's "GT500" script is emblazoned on the gas cap emblem, joined by an updated version of the classic Cobra logo that is repeated on the grille and the headrest.

Interior

2007 SHELBY GT500: PERFORMANCE INTERIOR

Front seats boast extra lateral bolstering for increased support during spirited driving
Key options are GT500 Premium Interior Trim Package, Shaker 1000 Audio System and SIRIUS Satellite Radio

The Ford Shelby GT500 convertible builds on four decades of open-air heritage; the first Mustang was a drop top. More than 1 million convertibles have been sold since 1964.

The 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 boasts an upgraded version of the mainstream Mustang’s interior, designed to cater to the dedicated driving enthusiast.

Most apparent is the use of light-faced gauges, a tradition on SVT’s cars and trucks and one that can improve readability under a variety of lighting conditions. The gauges also boast SVT graphics.

An astute observer will note that the speedometer and tachometer do not occupy the same positions they do in the rest of the Mustang line. In the Shelby GT500, the speedometer is on the left while the tachometer is on the right.

"This is something the SVT engineering staff insisted on – particularly because the GT500 is available only with a manual transmission," says Keith Rogman, SVT design manager. "Making the switch allows the driver the best view of the tach while changing gears."

Shelby GT500 sports a satin aluminum finish on instrument trim, rings and door handles. This helps reduce glare and provide a bit of sparkle.

Adds Doug Gaffka, chief designer for Mustang, SVT and Vehicle Personalization: "This is very much in keeping with the SVT hallmark of substance. It gives the customer a direct benefit and not just a bit of decoration."

Sit Down and Drive

Substance and function also are the reason the front seats in the Shelby GT500 are different from other Mustangs. Bolstering has been added to provide increased lateral support. This helps keep the driver optimally placed.

Seating surfaces are leather, and the classic figure of a cobra is embossed on the front seat backs. A cobra is also prominently featured on the tilt steering wheel’s air bag cover. The wheel rim is wrapped in leather and has unique thumb pads. The shift boot is also made of leather and the parking brake handle is leather clad.

Two interior color treatments are available, charcoal black and charcoal black with crimson red seat inserts and door trim panels. A GT500 Performance Interior Trim Package is optional. It features a leather-wrapped and stitched instrument panel brow and center console, upgraded door armrests and aluminum pedal covers.

Performance Sound System

SIRIUS Satellite Radio may be ordered with either the standard Shaker 500 Audio System or the optional Shaker 1000 system. The Shaker 1000 Audio System amps up to a full 1,000 watts from the standard system’s 500. It includes two subwoofers as part of its 10-speaker array, and an audio input jack is standard. Both the Shaker 1000 and the 8-speaker Shaker 500 systems include AM/FM Stereo with a six-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3 capability.

Convenience

Comfort and convenience touches abound. Manual air conditioning, power windows and power locks are standard. The center console includes not just an armrest, but storage as well. The interior also features dual power points as well as two cupholders.

And the Ford Special Vehicle Team has put its stamp on things as it welcomes enthusiasts into the car via bright door sill trim plates bearing SVT script

SAFETY

SHELBY GT500: SAFETY

Shelby GT500 has increased torsional rigidity, which can aid driver vehicle control and provide protection in an accident.
Features Ford’s Personal Safety System® and standard driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact air bags. BeltMinder™, SecuriLock™, all-speed traction control, anti-lock brakes and a host of other innovative features are included.
An active anti-theft package aimed at combating high performance-car insurance premiums on Shelby GT500 includes a separate alarm sounder, anti-tow sensor, an ultrasonic interior-motion sensor and perimeter anti-theft sensors.

The Ford Shelby GT500 convertible builds on four decades of open-air heritage; the first Mustang was a drop top. More than 1 million convertibles have been sold since 1964.

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2006 – With a body structure providing considerably more torsional rigidity than the previous generation Mustang hard top, the chassis of the 2007 GT500 coupe is better able to respond to driver inputs to help control the vehicle in emergency maneuvers.

The body structure is 31 percent stiffer in torsion, meaning that a twisting force of 15,500 foot-pounds can deform the body by only one degree. Such dramatic leaps in body stiffness contribute to the GT500’s driving performance, with parallel benefits in accident protection.

Engineering a body with such high stiffness creates a passenger "safety cage" that helps protect the cabin from deformation and intrusion.

The front structure is designed to absorb energy in a controlled manner and dissipate it before it can reach the passenger compartment. The GT500 front rails have an octagonal shape to spread forces evenly at the firewall and progressively deform for increased protection in demanding offset frontal crashes.

Other safety features include all-speed traction control, anti-lock brakes (ABS) and Ford’s Personal Safety System®. When you add in the standard driver and front passenger side-impact air bags and side intrusion door beams, the GT500 provides a comprehensive safety package.

GT500 Confidence: Ford Personal Safety System®

Topping the list of GT500’s safety equipment is Ford's Personal Safety System®, one of the industry's most comprehensive safety technology suites. The system is designed to provide enhanced protection in many types of frontal crashes by analyzing impact factors and determining proper air bag response in milliseconds.

It uses dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags capable of deploying at full or partial power. In less severe frontal crashes, air bags inflate with less force.

Ford’s Personal Safety System® employs pretensioners to tighten front seat belts in the first milliseconds of a crash. Energy management retractors gradually slacken the belt, if necessary, to reduce forces across the occupant's chest during the impact.

Standard Front Passenger Classification Sensing

Standard front passenger classification sensing builds on the strength of the Personal Safety System™ to tailor deployment of the front-passenger air bag. If the passenger-seat sensor detects no weight or very little weight, like a newspaper or a jacket, the passenger air bag is automatically switched off.

If more weight is on the seat, like a small child, the air bag remains deactivated and an instrument panel light alerts the driver with the message "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF." Of course, the safest place for children remains the rear seat, properly restrained. If an adult is seated properly in the passenger seat, the air bag automatically is switched on, ready to inflate within milliseconds, if needed.

Among the dozens of standard safety and security features the GT500 offers are:

BeltMinder™
The most effective way to help save lives on roadways is one of the simplest safety technologies on the market – the safety belt. Ford’s BeltMinder™ system gives occupants a gentle chiming reminder to fasten their safety belts. A Ford innovation introduced in 1999, BeltMinder™ already is proving to increase safety-belt use.
SecuriLock™ Passive Anti-Theft System
Passive anti-theft systems like SecuriLock™ help protect against drive-away theft through the use of an electronically coded ignition key. The system is designed to help prevent the engine from being started unless a coded key programmed to the vehicle is used. A miniature transponder with an integrated circuit and antenna is imbedded in the ignition key. A wireless radio-frequency transmission transfers an electronic code between the transponder in the key and the vehicle. If the codes match, a signal passes through the wiring system to the electronic engine control, allowing the vehicle to start.
Battery Saver
Battery Saver helps prevent accidental battery drainage from Mustang’s interior lights. The battery saver feature automatically turns off interior lights in a parked vehicle after a few minutes, like when a door is left ajar. If interior lights are left on while the ignition is in the Off position, a relay is deactivated in 10 to 40 minutes cutting power to the interior lights.
Fail-Safe Cooling
A fail-safe cooling system lets GT500 be driven under limited power for short distances if engine coolant is lost, eliminating the cost and inconvenience of towing. If the coolant level sensor reads below a critical level, the engine computer module switches the engine to an emergency limp-home mode, in which only half the cylinders get fuel. With only half the cylinders firing, the engine operates at lower power and generates much less heat. The cylinders alternate between even- and odd-firing pistons in this mode. The engine can move the vehicle at moderate speeds (up to about 50 mph).

Keeping the Shelby Where It Belongs

The GT500 also features an active anti-theft package aimed at combating high performance-car insurance premiums. The package includes:

Separate Alarm Sounder
The GT500 employs a separate, remotely located alarm sounder in conjunction with the traffic horn, making it harder for thieves to disable the system and make off with the car or its contents.
Anti-Tow Sensor
The vehicle is guarded against tow-away thefts. An inclination-sensing module records the vehicle’s angle when the anti-theft system is armed. If the sensor detects a change in vehicle incline, it sends a signal to the alarm system, which triggers a separate alarm, traffic horn and flashes the car’s lights.
Ultrasonic Interior Motion Sensor
To detect "smash-and-grab" break-ins, an ultrasonic interior-motion sensor is designed to detect motion inside the vehicle cabin. If an intrusion is detected, the alarm sounder and traffic horn are activated and the exterior lights flash to frighten would-be thieves.
Perimeter Anti-Theft Protection
Perimeter anti-theft sensors also detect the opening of the hood, doors or trunk when the anti-theft system is armed. If the vehicle is parked and the window rolled down, for example, the alarm is sounded if a would-be-thief tries to open the door to gain access to the car.
High-Capacity Battery
A 60-ampere-hour battery is capable of sounding the alarm longer. This powerful battery lends an extra measure of authority to the active anti-theft system and helps prevent battery run-down from use of GT500’s powerful audio system while the engine is off.

SPECIAL FEATURES

SHELBY GT500: A HISTORY OF SUPERCHARGERS

First supercharged Shelby Mustang was the 1966 Shelby GT350
Ford Thunderbird offered a supercharger beginning in 1957
Ford SVT’s first supercharged engine was the 360-hp 1999 SVT F-150 Lightning
Lightning was followed by the 390-hp 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra

The Ford Shelby GT500 convertible builds on four decades of open-air heritage; the first Mustang was a drop top. More than 1 million convertibles have been sold since 1964.

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2006 – Carroll Shelby has always been a fierce competitor, both on the track and in business. He does not like to lose.

"About the only thing I like less than losing is losing and not learning from it," says the racing great.

That philosophy sums up how Shelby, superchargers and Mustangs came together in the first place.

The story begins in 1965 when a supercharger manufacturer tried to interest Shelby in putting its product on his then-new GT350 Mustang. At the time, Shelby’s plate was full with building, selling and racing cars. He declined.

Then the manufacturer’s rep showed up at Shelby’s shop in the shadow of the Los Angeles airport with a supercharged GT350. Shelby agreed to a race on the vast expanses of empty concrete that surrounded the airport. He jumped behind the wheel of a 289 Cobra roadster – a vehicle much lighter than the 289 GT350 – and soundly lost.

"Well, I figured if that rep was going to teach me a lesson I might as well profit from it," he says. "So for the 1966 model we made a supercharger a factory option on the GT350 as well as an aftermarket accessory."

A supercharger remained in the Shelby catalog right through the end of production of the original Shelby Mustangs. It was offered on GT350 models. In 1966 and 1967 these were powered by the 289 cubic-inch V-8. In 1968, displacement was boosted to 302 cubic inches. Beginning in 1969, the GT350 sported Ford’s then-new 351 cubic-inch V-8.

Using a Blower to Call Down the Thunder

However, these were not the first – nor, obviously, the last – production Ford passenger vehicles to be supercharged.

Thunderbird and supercharger have long been synonymous. The relationship began in 1957 when a supercharged version of the "Y-block" 312 cubic-inch V-8 was offered as a more powerful alternative to the two non-blown engine choices. Output of the standard Thunderbird four-barrel 312 was rated at 245 gross horsepower. A dual four-barrel version generated 270 gross horsepower. However, the supercharged engine topped them both with a gross rating of 300 horsepower.

Thunderbirds and superchargers would not meet again until the 1989 model year when the Thunderbird Super Coupe was introduced. This time around, the engine was a V-6 displacing 3.8 liters. From 1989 through 1993, the Super Coupe carried a net rating of 210 horsepower and 315 lbs.-ft. of torque. This was upgraded to 230 horsepower and 330 lbs.-ft. for the 1994 and 1995 model years.

SVT Finds Special Uses for Superchargers

Superchargers have also played an important role in the history of the Ford Special Vehicle Team.

SVT’s first production vehicle to use a supercharger was the F-150 Lightning. An all-new F-Series platform gave SVT engineers a "clean-sheet" opportunity for the 1999 model year. SVT started with the smallest, lightest F-150 chassis for optimum acceleration and handling – the sporty short wheelbase, Regular Cab FlareSide configuration. Engineers lowered the truck two inches in the rear and half an inch in the front, added big brakes and a sport-tuned suspension as well as unique front and rear styling treatments.

However, the big news was a special SVT-developed supercharged 5.4-liter Triton™ V-8. Output was an arresting 440 lbs.-ft. and a mighty 360 horsepower – 40 more horsepower than even SVT’s flagship 1999 Mustang Cobra generated. Needless to say, the 1999 SVT F-150 Lightning set new standards for full-size sport trucks. For 2001, SVT bumped up the Lightning’s output to 380 horsepower and 450 lbs.-ft.

Meanwhile, engineers were learning the lessons that eventually would pay off in the form of the 2007 Shelby GT 500.

Introduced as a 2003 model, the SVT Cobra took Mustang horsepower to as-yet unseen heights with a new, Eaton supercharged DOHC 4.6-liter "Terminator" V-8. Rated at 390 horsepower and 390 lbs.-ft. of torque, it was among the most powerful Mustangs ever to leave the production line up to that time. It also featured a 6-speed manual transmission, redesigned front and rear fascias and a new "heat-extraction" hood.

A blueprint for the future had been drawn.

Ford Shelby GT500: morbidly obese

Sat, 08 Oct 2005 08:45:14 GMT

+350 pds, 57% weight on the front

Turns out we were right (and the cavemen on SVTPerformance.com refused to believe it). According to Ford's own figures, the GT500 will gain 350 pounds, all up front, and have a 57% front 43% rear weight balance. That's absolutely lousy.

So much for a lightweight car... so much for the inherently good weight balance of the base 4.6 liter Mustang. So much for braking - despite the better binders the weight balance will work against it.

255s on 18x9.5" wheels. Skinny wheelwells. Not much traction there, even if the windup of the higher profile tires contributes to leaving the line. Plus numerically lower gears and the same ratios in the T-56. Not much multiplication there, but there is little point with the torque.

40 grand minimum, gas guzzler fee, & dealer ripoff on top of that. Nets up to a car that is is only incrementally faster than an '03/04 Cobra.

Of course, this is heresy. The first person who pointed this out in the public forums got tossed off. The rest of us added it up bit-by-bit and discovered the weight gain a long time ago. Car & Drivers loaded test car was 3523 pds, that makes a Shelby 3873. This is progress???

It's now becoming clear that SVT has foresaken handling and balance and fallen backwards into simple straight-line acceleration. What a shame that twelve years of progress has been abandoned, just when breakthrus could have been acheived.

The Faster They Fall: All Ford Dealers now Sell SVT

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:30:58 GMT

SVT is no longer exclusive - now all dealers (regardless of service quality certification) can sell SVT-badged products.

More downhill slide over at SVT land: there are no longer SVT-specific dealers. All Ford dealers will now sell all "SVT"-badged products.

The original plan had specific dealers earning their way into being able to sell SVT - by paying money up front, "certifying" their salesmen and machanics, and advertising as such. Alledgedly, this made for a premium sales and service experience. In reality, however, very few sales people could talk their way around a product their customers almost always knew more about. And the service was as good - or awful - as it is in a Ford dealer anyway.

Nonetheless, a little more of the premium value-add "shine" is gone from SVT. Add to that the dropping of the sporty intent for their products (no special suspension tuning, just straight-line cars and trucks... and only 1 of each) and a leader of SVE who insults his former customer base. Is there any point at all left to SVT?

Continue at source: [My Ford Dreams]

Absurd Shelby Expedition

Sat, 20 Nov 2004 02:06:50 GMT

Oh how the mighty have fallen. It's sad to see that even 'Ole 'Shel himself has fallen prey to the SUV plague. Anybody who thinks that this type of vehicle could possibly have any sporting aspirations or abilities is sadly mistaken - the appearance is all about posing. Being seen.

Shelby is in it for the money, pure and simple. Greed and excess rule the day for Shelby. Never mind that it has a 550-horse Ford GT engine in it... the sole purpose is to get as much cash out of you as possible. And, possibly, to get you that 100% tax exemption before it expires.

Press release follows:

Carroll Shelby and Ford Collaborate to Debut Product-Intent Concept Vehicle

    LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Carroll Shelby
International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CSBI) announced it will unveil a Ford
Shelby Expedition production-intent concept vehicle at the 2004 Specialty
Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas November 2-5. This
newest Shelby model, which stakes its claim as a Shelby "Performance Utility
Vehicle" (PUV), combines true performance with cargo and towing capacity, and
delivers a number of performance, handling and styling upgrades over the
standard Ford Expedition model. The vehicle will be on display in the Ford
Motor Company exhibit booth in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention
Center, from November 2-5, 2004.
    Powered by a 5.4-liter, 4-valve Ford GT engine with a unique supercharger,
the Ford Shelby Expedition delivers 550 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, and is
equipped with a 5-speed automatic gearbox and a Borla performance exhaust
system. Its chassis is engineered with Optimum Composite Design structural
enhancements and Brembo brakes with 385mm cross-drilled rotors in front and
4-piston, 355mm rear rotors bring the Shelby PUV to a stop with ease.
    The Ford Expedition by Shelby offers dynamic Shelby-inspired exterior body
accents, graphics and ground-effects, a Shelby-enhanced custom interior that
includes an Eclipse navigation, CD/DVD system, Accelevision headrest LCD
monitors, Monster Cable wiring, and a Cobra alarm system. The Expedition is
accented with 22-inch custom SVT-inspired billet aluminum wheels and tire
package.
    "The Expedition is the first in a series of products and concepts we have
on the drawing board," says Brent Fenimore, vice president of Shelby
Automobiles. "We're calling this a production-intent concept, because it will
be reviewed for feasibility via a market study and then if it's approved, the
Shelby Ford Expedition will be produced as a limited edition version."
    The production schedule, quantity and/or price for the Ford Expedition by
Shelby concept vehicle are yet to be determined.

    About Carroll Shelby International, Inc.
    Carroll Shelby International, Inc. is the parent company of Shelby
Automobiles and Carroll Shelby Licensing, http://www.carrollshelbyinternational.com.
    Shelby Automobiles Inc. is manufacturing high performance Shelby vehicles
under the guidance of the legendary Carroll Shelby and will be involved in
prototype manufacturing, design and engineering projects; and plans to
increase production and availability of these Shelby products through an
expanded dealer network and direct sales under a license agreement with
Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. For more information, call 702/325-4851 or
visit the company's web site at http://www.shelbyautos.com.
    Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., founded in 1988, is the exclusive holder of
automotive manufacturer and entrepreneur Carroll Shelby's trademarks and
vehicle design rights, which include some of the world's most famous muscle
cars and high-performance vehicles, including the car that brought home to the
U.S. it's first and only FIA World Manufacturers Championship in 1965, the
famous Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. It also holds trademark rights for
Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For additional
information about the company or licensing opportunities, call (310) 914-1843,
or fax (310) 914-1853 or write to Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., 11150 West
Olympic Boulevard, Suite 1050, Los Angeles, CA 90064 or visit
http://www.carrollshelby.com.

    Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking
information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933
and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to
the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements
of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements
regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be
no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results
and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements.

SEMA: Shelby intros Ford GT-powered Expedition

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 06:00:00 GMT

SEMA: Shelby intros Ford GT-powered Expedition

Just the tow vehicle I wanted (/not!!!)

2004 NAIAS: Shelby Cobra Concept

Mon, 05 Jan 2004 04:00:00 GMT

SHELBY COBRA’S NEW BITE: 605 HORSEPOWER

At the time Carroll Shelby began his Cobra project in 1962, England’s AC Cars had a beautiful little open-top car that needed an engine. Ford had the industry’s best family of V-8 engines. Shelby saw the possibilities and brought the two together. The rest is history.

"The Ford engines turned out to be a great choice," Shelby said. He first tried the 260- and 289-cubic-inch Ford small block V-8 engines before settling on the massive 427 as the ultimate Cobra engine.

For the next chapter in the Cobra legend, the modern Ford team also had a few powertrain options. They included the supercharged
5.4-liter V-8 from the Ford GT, as well as turbocharged 4.6-liter and 5.4-liter mills. Outstanding engines, yes, but they didn’t pack the spiritual punch of Shelby’s overpowering Ford 427.

They needed something more, something that would capture the essence of that 427 in a modern roadster. They found it in a satellite Ford engineering operation devoted to developing new powertrain technologies away from the narrower demands of product development.

In an atmosphere that is part think-tank and part speed-shop, the Advanced Powertrain team develops technologies that frequently have as many applications on the race track as in consumer vehicles.

For approximately two years, they had been working on an all-aluminum V-10 targeted at ultimate, naturally aspirated performance. When they bolted this beast into a Mustang chassis for evaluation, it only took one drive to confirm its potential.

"The Ford Shelby Cobra concept just begged for this engine," said Graham Hoare, director, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. "Although it’s not yet ready for production, we’ve reached a credible engineering level for such a serious concept car – and it has a modern soul that matches the famous 427."

Blending the Advanced Powertrain team’s work with elements from the 4.6-liter, 4-valve V-8 used in the 2004 Mustang Mach 1, the resultant Ford Shelby Cobra concept engine has 10 cylinders and is bored and stroked for a 6.4-liter displacement, or about 390 cubic inches. It produces 605 horsepower at 6,750 rpm and 501 foot-pounds of torque at 5,500 rpm without supercharging or turbocharging.

"In many ways, it’s not very exotic," said Hoare. "It uses the same basic castings and assembly techniques as our production modular engine family. The output, though, is phenomenal. If you can’t get in trouble with this kind of power, you’re not trying hard enough."

Kevin Byrd, the V-10 project leader, thinks of the Cobra V-10 as an all-star combination of current Ford engine technologies. "This engine is an amalgam of everything right about Ford engines. We took the best that the modular engine family has to offer, then added some tricks of our own. The V-10 is a culmination of 100 years of building engines," he said.

The double-overhead-cam cylinder heads and cylinders are fed by port fuel injection and racing-derived velocity stacks that are just visible within the hood scoop. For a low hood line, the throttles are a slide-plate design and the lubrication system is the dry-sump type, which relocates oil from underneath the engine to a remote tank. The engine proudly wears brushed aluminum "Powered By Ford" valve covers.

The rear-mounted six-speed transaxle is identical to the high-performance unit in the Ford GT, with an integral limited-slip differential to drive the rear wheels. Based on the engine’s 7,500-rpm redline and the drive ratios, this Ford Shelby Cobra concept has a theoretical top speed of more than 260 mph and would break 130 mph in third gear, although it’s electronically limited to 100 mph – for now.

Front-Mounted Engine and Torque Tube

One of the challenges of fitting a 10-cylinder engine into a compact roadster is leaving room for the driver’s legs and feet. With a conventional transmission mated to the back of the engine, the tradeoff between hood length and passenger room often makes for a cramped footwell and dramatically offset pedals – a flaw of the original Cobras and many modern sports cars.

Because the Ford Shelby Cobra concept was planned from the outset to be a production-feasible "runner," not just a pretty show car, the team had to address the legroom concern. They found that mounting the transmission at the rear of the car, connected to the front-mounted engine with a torque tube, let them use a very narrow "tunnel" between the seats.

Compared to a conventional driveshaft, which is typically mounted behind the transmission, a torque tube-style driveshaft spins considerably faster because it is running at engine speed. The spinning inner shaft is supported within a stationary outer tube that stabilizes the engine and transmission in bending and in torsion. The inner shaft taps crankshaft torque via a twin-disc, small-diameter clutch mounted at the rear of the engine.

Computer-aided design was essential in helping the first prototype come together smoothly. "Because they spin so much faster than driveshafts, these torque tubes can be a nightmare in terms of vibration," said Manfred Rumpel, manager, Advanced Product Creation. "Using our electronic tools, we optimized the location of the driveshaft support bearings, and it ran smoothly on the very first try. This type of modern engineering tool gives us a development advantage that pioneers like Carroll Shelby could only dream about."

Creating a New Chassis From Existing Parts

Although the AC Cars 260 roadster was the starting point for the original Cobra, the Ford Shelby Cobra concept team had no obvious existing architecture suitable for the project.

"We knew we wanted a front-engine car that had to be ultra-compact and lightweight, yet robust enough to handle 605 horsepower," said Theodore. "There was nothing that fit the bill on first glance."

But Rumpel’s team saw a creative solution.

"We were already planning to use the Ford GT suspension systems, and we asked ourselves how much more of the GT we could borrow," he said.

Quite a lot, as it turns out. Even though the GT is a mid-rear-engine car, and the proposed roadster was to have a front engine, a decision to mount the transmission at the rear made the connection.

"Once we really started looking into it, we had an epiphany," Theodore said. "The project took on a new sense of purpose when we really started leveraging the Ford GT engineering."

The team worked long hours with John Coletti, head of Ford’s Special Vehicle Team, to maximize the commonality. Fresh from completing the all-new Ford GT in just 15 months, Coletti understood what it took to build fast cars faster than ever. "It was a great team effort," Coletti said.

The bulk of the rear structure is made from slightly modified Ford GT components, including the massive, trellis-like cast aluminum suspension nodes, the rear rails and bumper beam, a major cross-member and the brackets used to mount the transmission.

The center portion of the space frame also has a high degree of GT commonality–major aluminum extrusions are based heavily on existing pieces. At the front of the roadster, the team incorporated the extruded main rails, steering rack cross-member, crash-management sections and the bumper beam.

"The concept car was even assembled using the prototype jigs the GT team no longer needed," said Rumpel. "This commonality and re-use goes hand-in-hand with our speed and cost efficiency."

Overall, the Ford Shelby Cobra concept is more than 2 feet shorter than the GT, with a wheelbase nearly 7 inches shorter. Even the track width has been reduced by more than an inch. That the concept car and the GT share any parts at all is a testimony to the flexibility of the space frame design and the creativity of the chassis team.

Ford GT Suspension, Steering and Brakes

To attach the massive 18- and 19-inch wheels and tires to the car, the team chose to use the Ford GT suspension system with a few modifications to accommodate the increased weight up front. Like engine technology and electronics, suspension design has come a long way in more than 40 years.

"The original leaf-sprung Cobras were awesome on the straightaway but didn’t make a name for themselves in the turns," said Rumpel.

Theodore was even more direct, "The original 427 was a beast."

The new Ford GT earns praise for its combination of agility, grip and easy-to-drive character, a reflection of its sophisticated suspension design and the expertise of its chassis engineers. The Ford Shelby Cobra concept applies the best of the GT suspension to a big-engine roadster.

A double-wishbone suspension design with unequal-length aluminum control arms, coil-over monotube shocks and stabilizer bars is used front and rear. The upper control arms are identical at all four wheels and are made with an advanced rheo-cast process that allows the complexity of form associated with casting, yet retaining the strength of forging. The metal, heated to just below its melting point, is the consistency of butter when it is injected into a mold at high pressure. Pressure is maintained as the part cures, preventing porosity in the final product for exceptional strength.

The steering rack also is borrowed from the Ford GT, with a few modifications. The steering column, like the Ford GT’s, draws on Ford engineering best-practices like the low friction, high stiffness and light weight that have made the Ford Focus steering column among the best in the industry. Braces between the front shock towers and below the isolated engine mounts improve torsional rigidity and aid steering response.

With more than 600 horsepower available at the throttle pedal, the brake pedal had to be equally potent. The team set braking distance targets comparable with today’s best sports cars, and turned to the Ford GT braking system for suitable components.

Brembo "monoblock" one-piece aluminum brake calipers with four pistons each grab cross-drilled, vented discs at all four wheels. The discs are a massive 14 inches in front and 13.2 inches in the rear, for fade-free stopping power. But the team stopped short of fitting the car with an antilock braking system, in keeping with its racing character. Brake balance is biased slightly to the front wheels to aid stability.

For packaging reasons, the team devised a novel offset actuation linkage for the brake booster and master cylinder, so the brake pedal can be placed in a normal position even though its hardware is off to the side of the engine bay.

The one-piece BBS wheels are wrapped by BF Goodrich Z-rated racing slicks, size 275/40R18 in front and 345/35R19 in the rear.

: Ford - Shelby

HST International: Electric Mustang and Cobra

Carroll Shelby gnaws off the hand that fed him

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR introduced

Separated at birth?

Barrett-Jackson Auction sells Shelby/Hertz for $250k

Three new Fords for NY Auto Show, including Ford Shelby GT500KR

Shelby vs Crown Vic cop car

Jason Plato drives the Shelby GT500

The Truth About Cars: Shelby GT500 - Counterpoint

Challenger competition - comparison charts

Terrible execution of the Ford Shelby GT500

GT500 engine *already* failing!

SVT finally dead!

How the Ford Shelby GR-1 Works

NAIAS: 2006 Shelby GT500 Introduction

Ford Shelby GT500: morbidly obese

The Faster They Fall: All Ford Dealers now Sell SVT

Absurd Shelby Expedition

SEMA: Shelby intros Ford GT-powered Expedition

2004 NAIAS: Shelby Cobra Concept

GT500 engine already failing!