The history of the Ford Mustang extends more than 50 years, and in that span, a the muscle car’s legacy has been defined by a number of custom tunes and special edition models. As rich as that history is though, there is one model that trumps them all, largely because Shelby only built one model of it as a prototype. That model was the 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake, and to this day, it remains as the most expensive Mustang ever sold when it fetched $1.3 million at a Mecum auction back in 2013.

Over the years, Ford has revived the Super Snake name a number of different ways, most recently with the 2015 Shelby Super Snake, a special edition Mustang that was limited to just 300 units. Fast forward to this year and the Super Snake name is making another comeback with the launch of the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition. Yes, the one-and-only original 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and for a car that has turned into arguably the most iconic Mustang in history, a special edition run of 500 units (499 more than the original Super Snake!) is the least Ford can do to commemorate the original Super Snake.

Like with most special editions, the 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition comes with a long list of exclusive features and details, including new bodywork from Shelby, commemorative appointments to indicate its status, and best of all, the option to get the car’s power up to 750 horsepower.

The 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition may never have the lasting legacy of the legendary 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake, but it is a fitting tribute to a muscle car that was completely ahead of its time in more ways than one.

Continue after the jump to read more about the 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition.

2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition
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Pros
Cons

Exterior

Let’s establish the foundation of this car first. This car is, by definition, a 2017 Ford Mustang GT. It is not the new 2018 model. You’ll notice that by the shape of the headlights, which retains the 2017 configuration. And since we’re talking here, it’s also important to point out that the 2017 Shelby Super Snake sprung to life through a series of exterior, interior, and performance upgrades that all amount to a pretty significant added expense to the Mustang GT.

The exterior, in particular, features an extensive list of components, all of which, according to Ford, are Shelby engineered and are “developed and tested with original equipment manufacturers” through a delicate OEM process. The results are pretty evident in the car as it carries some of the Super Snake’s trademark features, including the bulging front hood with the forced air scoops in the middle. The scoops are admittedly smaller than the 2015 Shelby Super Snake, although the differences are negligible enough to be unnoticed. The mesh front grille is also new and you’ll also notice that in place of the Shelby logo on the right hand side is a commemorative nameplate that indicates “50th Anniversary Super Snake” with an inscription of Carroll Shelby’s signature on top of it.

Note: side-by-side photo between the 2015 Shelby Super Snake and the 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition.

Speaking of Shelby, the very pronounced front splitter on the car also bears Shelby’s name, as the does the space between the two taillights where the Shelby logo is once again replaced by just “Shelby.” Move to the side and the Mustang’s standard splitters have also been replaced with Shelby-engineered components and a return trip to the car’s rear section reveals a new rear spoiler, rear tail panel, and diffuser.

On the cosmetic end of the design spectrum, the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition sports the trademark racing stripes that have become synonymous with the Shelby name. A few more badges and commemorative emblems are spread throughout the body, including one just after the front wheel arches where we see Shelby’s “cobra” logo flanking the words “Shelby 1967-2017” and “50th Anniversary.” All 500 units of the 50th Anniversary Edition will be available in “all Ford factory colors” so if your preference is to steer clear of Shelby’s iconic blue-and-white color scheme, you have the opportunity to do so.

Last but certainly not least is the new set of 20-inch forged aluminum wheels that are available in either black or polished finishes and are wrapped in Shelby-spec performance tires. The wheels and tires complete the exterior features of the special edition Super Snake.

Remember the Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition?

The really cool thing about revisiting the history of muscle cars is that you’ll realize that they all started in pretty much the same era, give or take a few years. Just last year, it was Chevrolet who actually celebrated the 50th anniversary of its own muscle car, the Camaro. Granted, there’s a stark difference in how history has remembered the Camaro and the literal one-off 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake, but the parallels are no less amusing considering that both the Camaro and the Mustang (the model that the original Super Snake was based on) remain as relevant today as they were 50 years ago.

Note: photo of the Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition

The Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition that was revealed back in March 2016 only featured exterior and interior upgrades so it’s also not fair to compare that package with what Shelby gave to the Super Snake 50th Anniversary. Nevertheless, the upgrades on the Camaro included an exclusive Nightfall Gray Metallic paint, a body-colorer front splitter, and plenty of its own 50th Anniversary stripe package and badges.

Interior

The interior of any Shelby-built Mustang has never been one to embrace opulence so in keeping with that theme, the 2017 Shelby GT Super Snake’s interior isn’t what you’d call a standard bearer of luxury. That said, it does have a few important additions, not the least of which is a new gauge cluster on the dashboard that features wireless gauges from Autometer. Complementing that inclusion are more of the same anniversary logos on the seats and floor mats, as well as special door sill plates, and a plaque on the dashboard that denotes the serial number of a specific model. When it comes to keeping tabs on a car’s exclusivity, having the serial number plastered on the interior is as sure a way to let everyone know that you’re not just driving an ordinary ‘Stang.

On that note, the package does come with a number of added interior options in case the ones mentioned aren’t enough. For those who prefer to dress up their special edition Super Snakes, there is an option to upgrade to a “Shelby by Katzkin” leather seat package. Likewise, there are also options to take out the rear seats entirely and install a four-point roll bar, but that’s probably only for those who have track intentions for the 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition.

What does the Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition have in its interior?

More of the same, if I’m being honest, although the option to take out the rear seats and install a roll bar wasn’t available with that model. The Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition did have a well-dressed interior featuring the same black and orange theme found in the body, including black leather upholstery with suede inserts and orange accent stitching. Specific special-edition logos and badges also adorned the dashboard, seatbacks, steering wheel, and the illuminated sill plates. That’s about it, although I should mention that the unique two-tone color of the special edition Camaro actually added to the car’s exclusivity since the combination was not offered in “non-50th Anniversary cars.”

Drivetrain

At the heart of the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition is a 5.0-liter “Coyote” V-8 engine. The difference with this particular engine setup is that it doesn’t just produce 435 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque like the standard Mustang GT does. Instead, it’s output is up to 670 horsepower, which Shelby achieved by supercharging the V-8. No torque numbers were mentioned, but a conservative suggestion of over 600 pound-feet of torque should be a good estimate. The increased output is impressive, but there’s also another level to it.

Suffice to say, the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition has the equivalent of a Level 2 upgrade in aftermarket tuning circles. That upgrade revolves around the addition of a more powerful Whipple or Kenne Bell supercharger, which in turn increases the output to a Hellcat-challenging 750 horsepower. Once again, no torque numbers were announced, but it should reach the vicinity of a little more than 700 pound-feet of torque.

The resulting performance capabilities of the 750-horsepower Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary are just as impressive. For instance, with the full complement of upgrades in place, the limited edition muscle car should be able to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds before hitting the quarter-mile mark in just 10.9 seconds, all while delivering as much as 1.2g on the skip pad.

By comparison, a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat comes with a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine that produces 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. With an automatic transmission, it can hit 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds before lagging behind in a quarter-mile sprint with a time of 11.7 seconds. In fact, if you take a look at the other Hellcat in Dodge’s lineup, it actually makes a better competitor to the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition.

That, of course, is the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, which actually has identical power numbers (707 horses and 650 pound-feet of twist) as its Challenger SRT Hellcat cousin. But on account of its mechanical features, the Charger SRT Hellcat can actually sprint to 60 mph a little faster than the both the Challenger SRT Hellcat and the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition with a time of just 3.4 seconds. The Charger SRT Hellcat does slow down a bit after that initial burst because its 11.0-second quarter-mile time is 0.1 seconds slower than the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition.

Obviously, we can’t mention these pony cars as competition to the limited edition Super Snake without mentioning the most powerful version of the Chevrolet Camaro, the ZL1. The Camaro ZL1 is by no means a slouch, but it does “only” produce 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque from its own 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine. If you base it on those numbers alone, the Camaro ZL1 falls out of the conversation, but fortunately, its output is just one part of its overall capabilities. Despite having the lowest horsepower figure among the four cars mentioned, the Camaro ZL1 is still good enough to hit 60 mph from a standstill position in just 3.5 seconds before breaking a quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds.

Check out the table below to see how the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary stacks up against the competition.

Model

Horsepower

Torque

0 to 60 MPH Time

Quarter-Mile Time

Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition

750 horsepower

700 pound-feet*

3.5 seconds

10.9 seconds

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

707 horsepower

650 pound-feet

3.6 seconds

11.7 seconds

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

707 horsepower

650 pound-feet

3.4 seconds

11.0 seconds

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

650 horsepower

650 pound-feet

3.5 seconds

11.4 seconds


Now that we’ve established how the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary compares to its rival, let’s go back to other components and equipment that are being offered as options. On top of the Whipple or Kennel Bell superchargers, extra options on the engine also include Shelby’s own extreme cooling package, which ensures that things don’t get too hot under that hood.

Suspension upgrades are also included to help the special edition Super Snake retain its handling capabilities with all the extra power it’s getting. On this end, Shelby installed its own spec dampers, sway bars, springs, and bushings, while also throwing in Ford Performance’s half shafts and a one-piece drive shaft. A track-tuned adjustable suspension from Shelby is also available as an added option, as is a Shelby exclusive brake and bearing duct cooling system that works in concert with Wilwood six-piston calipers on floating rotors in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear.

Price

The total price of the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition is $69,995. That total already comes with the price of the base Ford Mustang GT, which, if you do the math, means that the Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition package comes out to a price of $36,795. Remember though that the cost of the car goes up with every added option thrown into the mix, including the choice of either Whipple or Kennel Bell superchargers that bring the muscle car’s output to that magical 750-horsepower number.

Once more, let’s line up the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition with its competitors and see how it compares to them in terms of price tag.

Model

Model

Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition

$69,995

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

$60,990 (including destination charges

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

$63,995

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

$62,135


Well then. I guess there’s an extra price to pay for getting one of only 500 units of the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition.

Competition

Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat X Raffled

I’ve harped on the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat as a notable rival to the Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition but since the Super Snake is a limited edition model that was born from the legacy of a one-off model from the 60’s, let’s turn the tables a little and feature the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat X Raffled, a similar one-off that was created by Walsh Motorsport for an organization called Dream Giveaway back in July 2015. Not only is the Challenger SRT Hellcat X Raffled defined by its super exclusivity, it also featured the addition of turbochargers to the already supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine. The result is a total output of 800 horsepower and 805 pound-feet of torque, a 98-horsepower and 150-pound-feet of torque improvement over the standard Challenger SRT Hellcat. Wowza.

Read the full review here.

Conclusion

I think it's safe to assume at this point that Shelby's Super Snake legacy is alive, well, and fully intact with the introduction of the limited-run 50th Anniversary Edition. Not only does the muscle car check off a lot of what the original Super Snake so special, it also comes in limited enough quantities (only 50 units available) that remains true to the legacy of the original Super Snake.