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Automotive Legend Carroll Shelby dies at 89
 
Every automotive enthusiast has heard about Carroll Shelby and knows about his huge contribution to the automotive industry. He began his racing career as an amateur, and in 1959, won Europe’s prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1962, he tested his first Ford-powered AC 260 Roadster – the car that would become the Shelby Cobra. This was the beginning of his extremely impressive career, but unfortunately, on May 10, 2012, this legend died at the age of 89. "Today, we have lost a legend in Ford Motor Company’s history, and my family and I have lost a dear friend. Carroll Shelby is one of the most recognized names in performance car history, and he’s been successful at everything he’s done. Whether helping Ford dominate the 1960s racing scene or building some of the most famous Mustangs, his enthusiasm and passion for great automobiles over six decades has truly inspired everyone who worked with him. He was a great innovator whose legend at Ford never will be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends," said Edsel B. Ford II, member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company and great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. RIP Carroll Shelby. The automotive industry has lost an inspiration and will surely miss you. Hit the jump to read more about key moments in the history of Carroll Shelby. Full story
New Shelby Supercharger kit adds 300 HP to your 2007-2012 GT500
 The 2007 Shelby GT500 came out with a whopping total of 500 HP, before the power output jumped up to 540 HP in the 2010 model year. Both sets of numbers are rather significant, but with the 2013 Shelby GT500 pushing 650 HP upon its arrival, customers who own a 2007-2012 GT500 may feel as though they are at a disadvantage. Well, worry no more. Shelby Performance Parts has announced a new supercharger kit for the 5.4-liter V8 engine that can add an impressive 300 HP to the GT500. This means, the total output can be increased to an amazing 840 HP! The new kit will replace the stock roots-type supercharger and will add a new Competition Heat Exchanger and Shelby GT500 Competition Intercooler Tank to improve cooling performance. The new Competition Heat Exchanger will keep the intake charge cool, while the Competition Intercooler Tank can be filled with ice or dry ice to further reduce intake temperatures. The bad part to all of this is that there are no pricing details associated with the package as of yet. We’re thinking an upgrade package of this caliber will run customers somewhere in the $5-6K area. 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Chevrolet’s release of the all new Camaro ZL1 at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show allowed them to reignite the muscle car wars that have been burning up the automotive websites for a good and long time. But before Chevrolet can shout out "Checkmate," Ford has answered the ZL1 with an update car of their own: the 2013 Shelby GT500. Recent spy shots have revealed that the company is already testing the 2013MY GT500 and it will be more powerful than ever. The Camaro ZL1’s LSA 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine producing an estimated 550 HP and 550 lb.-ft. of torque is nothing to shake a stick at, but Ford has one-upped them once again. The Eaton M112 supercharger that is being housed in the current GT500’s V8 engine will be replaced with the more-efficient and quieter TVS unit. The V8 engine found in the 2013 model will also get modified and bumped up to 5.8L, all while producing up to 650HP and making it the most powerful, factory made Mustang ever! The game continues...Your move Chevrolet. UPDATE 03/16/2012: Ford has announced prices for the new 2013 Shelby GT500. The base price is $54,200, but if you want to add the SVT Performance Package, it jumps up by another $3,495. This package includes: Torsen limited-slip differential, 19" forged-aluminum front wheels or 20" forged-aluminum rear wheels, Bilstein adjustable dampers, unique rear springs, a unique instrument cluster, and an SVT gear shift knob. A glass roof will add yet another $1,995, while an electronic package adds another $2,340. UPDATE 05/08/2012: Ford has unveiled a pretty cool commercial for the Shelby GT500. The idea behind the commercial is pretty simple: Everyone has an Inner Mustang. Unleash yours! Of course, you’ll have to wait until Summer 2012 when the Mustang goes on sale! More details on the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 after the jump. Full story 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 officially rated at 662 HP
 When Ford unveiled the 2013 GT500 at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, they announced that the car’s new 5.8-liter supercharged V8 engine would deliver about 650 HP, an impressive increase over the previous 550 HP. Well, hold on to your coffee, folks, because the news just got even better. Ford has confirmed that the GT500 has been officially SAE-certified as the most powerful series production V8 in the world with peak output of 662 HP and 631 lb-ft of torque. Take that, Chevrolet and your baby 550 HP ZL1! This new V8 engine is backed by a chassis that has also been tuned to absorb the road imperfections that can cause instability at high speeds. These changes assist the GT500 in achieving speeds of 200 mph and beyond. The 2013 GT500 also offers an improved fuel consumption with an EPA-estimated 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined with no gas guzzler tax. As an extra bonus, we have a series of "spy shots" for you showing the car in action at the Nurburgring. Enjoy!
Shelby GT500 To Survive Until Next-Generation Mustang in 2014
 In the midst of global economic uncertainty and further clampdowns by governments, automotive brands all of the world are looking for cheaper and more energy efficient fuels to replace oil, but thankfully the internal combustion engine is set to stay for at least the foreseeable future. Why do we say this you ask? Well, if Mustang Daily is to be believed, the Shelby GT500 will live on in the next-generation Ford Mustang said to be previewed next year before hitting the market as a 2014 model. The current GT500 is the most powerful one ever produced and with it delivering no less than 650 horsepower, it really has reached the upper echelons of the muscle car market, and is edging ever closer to sports car domination. No additional details have been released about the next GT500 however; it’s unlikely to hit the market until 2015 or 2016 once the facelifted model has been in showrooms for at least 18 months. Shelby America president John Luft reportedly released the news to Mustang Daily and said that further collaborations between Ford and Shelby are assured beyond 2015 due to the recent signing of a contract extension. It’s more than likely that the next GT500 would feature a host of improvements to further reduce fuel consumption and the simplest way to do so would be to reduce the car’s overall weight. And with carbon fiber becoming cheaper and more accessible, Shelby could very well look down that exotic path if it really wants to create a muscle car to not only destroy competitors but to also compete with far more expensive supercars from Europe. 2013 Ford Shelby Mustang 1000
In a world of continued one-upsmanship, Ford and Shelby are building a Mustang that will definitely stick something up the Chevrolet Camaro’s posterior. At the 2012 New York Auto Show next week, Shelby America will be introducing the most powerful Shelby ever built, appropriately called the Shelby 1000. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the "1000" designation on the Mustang signifies the kind of output the car will be generating: 950 ponies! By taking the muscle car’s 5.4 liter V8 engine, Shelby modified the powertrain by adding a slew of new components, including new connecting rods, a new crank, and new pistons. They also upgraded the cooling and exhaust, replaced the supercharger, and gas flowed the heads, resulting in an output of 950 horsepower for the street-legal version and, if you’re looking for something to exclusively assault the race tracks, a 1,100-horsepower model. In addition to the aforementioned performance modifications, the Shelby 1000 was also treated to upgraded 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in the rear. Moreover, the suspension was also modified to include new struts, sway bars, and bushings. Aesthetically, the Shelby 1000 was also given new aero components, including a front splitter, a new bonnet, and a new rear diffuser. All told, the Shelby 1000 is poised to become the fastest and most powerful Shelby ever built, one that will come with a premium price tag to justify its billing. The 950-horsepower street-legal version will retail for $149,995 while the track version will sell for 154,995. And in case you want a car that comes with all the bells and whistles, you’ll need to shell out around $200,000 for that bad boy. Be sure to score one as fast as you can because only a little number of models will be available, each numbered and documented by Shelby America themselves. Updated: Before you got to excited about the images of the new Shelby 1000, you have to know something: they are fake and they have been made by using Photoshop. Yes, we are talking about the images that show the car lifting off the ground. USA Today has made a deeper search and came up with the conclusion that this was impossible: the Mustang is too heavy, the tires in the photo are regular street one and do not appear to be under stress. When asked about this, Scott Black, spokesman for Shelby American confirmed it: "That is fake shot. That shot is not real. I am beyond embarrassed."
2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible
The history of the SVT (Ford’s Special Vehicle Team) began at the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning and now, as a celebration of their 20th anniversary, Ford has unveiled the 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. Just like with the coupe version, the GT500 Convertible is powered by a 5.8-liter supercharged V8 engine that delivers a total of 650 HP. When equipped with the optional Performance Package, the new GT500 Convertible is nearly 3.5 seconds faster than the outgoing model at Sebring International Raceway. "The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is," said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. "All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track but can still be driven on a daily basis." UPDATE 02/08/2012: This review has been updated with the official details and images of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible. Hit the jump for more details on the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible. Full story 2012 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 50th Anniversary Edition
Back in 1962, Carol Shelby built his first updated Mustang and now, as a celebration of their 50th anniversary, Shelby is offering a special edition Mustang in three different variants: the GTS, GT350, and Super Snake. Each model will be built in a limited run of 100 units, 50 white and 50 black, and will all be combined with gold racing stripes. The most powerful version, the Super Snake, delivers a total of 750 HP and comes with a unique body kit, an upgraded interior, and a new set of wheels painted in matte black. Prices for the new models are as follows: the Shelby GTS is priced at $19,995 for the V-6 and $24,995 for the V-8; the GT350 is priced at $59,995; and the Super Snake is priced at $59,995. All prices do not include the price for the standard 2012 Mustang GT or the Shelby GT500 for the Super Snake version. Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Shelby GT350 50th Anniversary Edition. Full story 2012 Ford Racing Champions Shelby GT500 Special Edition Mustang
The Hagerty Fantasy Bid has catapulted since its inception in 2005, with bids coming in at 10 times the amount of the original game, and its latest offering illustrates this popularity. At the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Scottsdale Auction, Speed TV will be on hand to give away a special edition Ford Racing Champions Shelby GT500. All you have to do is make a bid during the Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game and you will be automatically entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen by random drawing from the Fantasy Bid players. But let’s get back to the actual car that’s up for grabs. The Ford Racing Champions Shelby GT500 Special Edition Mustang was given a few exterior aerodynamic and stylish upgrades, but it still features the standard 5.4-liter V8 engine. The engine, however, has been souped up with a Ford Racing Supercharger kit to take the standard 550 HP all the way up to 750 HP. This engine is then combined with a six-speed manual transmission that succeeds in sending the power to the rear wheels and a new, intense-environment C&R Racing cooling system and a 3.5-inch aluminum drive shaft. The handling of power is achieved through a high-performance handling pack with Dynamic Suspension’s front-and-rear adjustable shocks, lowering springs, and stabilizer bars in the front and rear. Additionbally, stopping power will be acquired through the use of an upgraded Wilwood brakes package featuring 14-inch drilled, slotted rotors and six-piston forged billet calipers on the front, and 12-inch rotors and four-piston forged billet calipers at the rear. Details on how to enter your bid during the Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game can be found after the jump. Full story Special 2013 Shelby GT500 will be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson
Last year at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction Ford has managed to sell a Grabber Blue Boss 302 Laguna Seca for an impressive $450,000. At this year’s event the company will once again come with a special 2013 Shelby GT500 and they hope to raise the same amount of money. All the proceeds will go to the JDRF. Its true Ford did not revealed any details just yet on this "special" Shelby GT500, but as no unit has been sold just yet we expect this to be the first production 2013 Shelby GT500. We will have the official confirmation in the upcoming weeks. However, under the hood you will see the same 5.8 liters V8 engine that delivers an impressive 600 HP. The auction will be held at approximately 8:30 PM January 21, 2012, so if you are interested you have to mark this date. But until then we expect the GT500 Convertible at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. | featured reviews:Ford Mustang Shelby latest reviews:Ford Mustang Shelby tuning:
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