When rumors started circulating that Carol Shelby was about to retire, we were all saddened to say the least. Then we heard that the 2011 Mustang GT350 might be his last project before the legend said goodbye to custom Mustangs. Thankfully, that last little rumor was 100% incorrect as Shelby will be releasing one more project to ensure he retires in style. The last customized Mustang will be the 1000 HP Shelby GT500 twin-turbo model. This will be the most radical Mustang to come from Shelby yet, priced at no less than $100,000.
The package will include a twin-turbo 5.4 liter V8 engine producing 1000+ rwhp mated to a 6-speed paddle shifter. The exterior package will get a carbon fiber front fascia splitter, carbon fiber mirror covers, carbon fiber rocker panels, Shelby deck lid letter kit and special badging for the grille and front fenders.
For those who cannot afford the hefty price tag of the GT500, Shelby will also be releasing a more affordable GTS package, priced between $9,000 to $12,000. This package will include a variety of visual and performance enhancements. There will be upgraded brakes, new front and rear fascias, a redesigned hood, and a stepped up exhaust.
Check out the Shelby GT500 twin-turbo’s specifications after the jump.
A man who held a ticket for a chance to win a 2011 Shelby GT500 sold it for $200 to another dude who ended up winning the car. Ridiculous? Yeah.
Unbelievably enough, it’s also true.
In a scene straight out of a Hollywood script, an attendee at this year’s QuakeCon Gaming Festival that was held in Dallas sold a raffle ticket – it was just one of 100, actually – for just $200. Turns out, it didn’t take long for this sale to backfire on the poor attendant.
Moments after thinking that he just swindled $200 from the supposed “schmuck” who purchased it, the latter’s newly-bought raffle ticket was chosen among the 100 tickets, winning him a $50,000 Shelby GT500.
One of the hosts summed up the whole situation perfectly by saying, “He’s (the seller) gonna have some drinks tonight. He’s (the buyer) going home with a Shelby GT500!”
Talk about a broad spectrum of emotions at play. The seller’s probably kicking himself right now and the buyer, well, to say he’s ecstatic is a gross understatement.
We all know what the 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible looks like and what it’s capable of so we won’t bother with introductions anymore because it certainly doesn’t need one.
On the other hand, the ‘Firebreather’, as the car is most commonly referred to, may not be familiar to a lot of us today, but come next year – or whenever the new movie, ‘Jinn’, will be shown – this piece of machine will be synonymous to one of the most iconic movie cars in history.
That being said, the Firebreather may look like a Pontiac Firebird on the outside, but it’s actually a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro under that entire guise. Created by Classic Design Concepts in collaboration with Exxodus Pictures, the car comes with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 monster that produces a fire-breathing output of over 600 horsepower. Quick tangent: Exxodus Pictures and Classic Design Concepts even made 50 production cars to be sold to the public so you can expect these babies to sell like pancakes when the movie comes out.
That being said, with the Firebreather and the 2011 Shelby GT500 in close vicinity to each other, the folks over at The Smoking Tire couldn’t resist the temptation of pitting one against the other. So how does the 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible stack up against the Firebreather? The Smoking Tire host Matt Farah has the answer.
Although demand for the 2011 Shelby GT500 is higher than expected, Ford has decided to limit the car’s production for 2011 to only 5,500 units. Until now Ford has received more than 3,300 orders for the muscle car. "We are pleased with the pace of retail orders for the 2011 Shelby GT500," said Fritz Wilke, Mustang brand manager. "The car continues to be popular with sports car enthusiasts and collectors who are blown away by the increase in horsepower and performance. The limited production of the 2011 should make this year even more desirable."
The 2011 GT500 is powered by an all new aluminum 5.4 Liter supercharged V8, derived from the unit inside the Ford GT super car, that produces 550 HP and 510 lb-ft of torque. The list of standard equipment includes a new 2.75-inch exhaust system, revised brake cooling, pedal box construction for more consistent brake pedal efforts and feel, and electric power-assisted steering (EPAS).
The classic Shelby GT350 should definitely be every car lover’s dream. The bad news is not every Shelby lover will get the chance to own such a marvel of a car. The good news is that one very lucky person will have the honor of owning a unique 1965 Shelby GT350 Prototype (the basis for the famed "Eleanor" movie car) as the car will be on auction at Mecum’s Monterey auction during the Pebble Beach Concours.
This particular Shelby was originally shipped to Shelby American on May 22, 1965. It was then completed as a GT350 on May 25 and started its life as a prototype driver for Shelby American. The first threee models years were spent as a prototype driver and the vehicle was then sold off to Shelby’s Hi-Performance Motors in El Segundo, California on May 11, 1967.
The car on auction is equipped with rear quarter windows, side scoops, 1966 Shelby stripes, Shelby/Crager 15" Black accent wheels, 1966 underride traction bars, 1965 override brackets, prototype carpeted rear shelf (’66), 1967 Shelby GT350 wood steering wheel, very rare ’66 Mustang AM 8-track stereo and door speakers, very rare Cobra badge on the glove compartment. Also it is the only known pre 1967 Shelby GT350 with a factory rear spoiler, authenticated by SAAC.
So anyone want a piece of Shelby history? Better start saving up to bid on this magnificent piece of machinery. The Pebble Beach Concours is August 13-14, 2010, but the Shelby GT350 will be sold on Saturday, August 14th at 2:30pm.
