Shelby and Hertz. That’s a very bizarre collaboration, if you think of it. These two companies have teamed up and come up with two special vehicles – the Mustang Shelby GT500-H and the Mustang Shelby GT-H. If this tag-team raised your eyebrows, well, there’s some more surprising news. This isn’t the first time they’ve collaborated to create special rental cars. Their friendship dates back to 1966 when Shelby and Hertz created the GT350-H and the latter offered it to the public via a special program called ‘Rent-a-Racer’. That’s some history lesson for the day, huh?
What’s The ‘Hertz’ Of The Matter?
Shelby and Hertz first teamed up in 1966 and came up with the Shelby GT350-H. They later joined hands again in 2006, 2007, and 2016. Now, they’re back again with two more cars. Shelby American and Hertz will offer the GT500-H and the GT-H to customers at select Hertz airport locations. The cars will be available from the summer of this year. This special production run of history-making vehicles is part of a three-year custom-car partnership between Shelby and Hertz, which means we’ll see more such vehicles in the future. For now, the two have come up with a 900-horsepower GT500-H and a 480-horsepower GT. The latter will be available in the fastback as well as convertible style.
Ford Shelby GT500-H
The Shelby GT500 comes with a 5.2-liter, supercharger V-8 ‘Predator’ engine under the hood. It churns out 760 horses and 625 pound-feet of torque in the stock form. For the Hertz edition, Shelby has plonked in a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger. It features a high-volume intercooler and heat exchanger, and is finished in cold. You also get an open cold air intake system here. The result? 900 horsepower at the rear wheels! To remind you of the collaboration, you’ll find Hertz engine caps as well.
As for the changes on the exterior, the GT500-H comes with a Shelby carbon fiber performance hood. It has functional air vents and air vent water management trays. There are over-the-top Le Mans style stripes as well, along with side stripes on the driver and passenger sides. The aftermarket company has equipped new 20-inch, one-piece, forged aluminum mono-block wheels. They are finished in gloss black and come wrapped in performance-spec tires. Shelby has also installed a Borla CAT back exhaust.
On the inside, there aren’t a whole lot of changes. You get a CSM numbered dash plate, leather seat recovers, and window tints.
There will be 25 GT500-Hs up for grabs, 19 of which will be finished in Shadow Black exterior paint, and the rest six, in Oxford White to honor Shelby American’s 60th anniversary.
Ford Shelby GT-H
The Shelby GT-H, unlike the GT500-H, doesn’t seem to have any drivetrain upgrades. In the stock form, the Shelby GT puts out 480 horses from its 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 Coyote. The tuner offers a Ford Performance supercharger as an option that brings the total output to over 700 ponies. But, there’s no word about the supercharger in the GT-H, so we don’t think it’s offered here. The only performance-related upgrades you get are a deep draw hood with functional air vents and a Borla CAT back exhaust. Hertz engine caps and CSM numbered engine plates will be visible when you pop the hood.
The GT-H will be available in the fastback as well as convertible style. You get a plethora of exterior features. Up front, there’s the Shelby grille and winglets. Just like the GT500-H, you get the over-the-top Le Mans style stripes as well as the side stripes on the driver and passenger sides. There’s a spoiler and a Shelby taillight panel at the rear. The convertible models get a convertible light bar. Apart from this, you’ll find Shelby GT emblems and badging, and the 60th-anniversary badges.
On the inside, the exclusivities are limited. Leather seats recovers on the fastback models and headrest embroidery on the convertibles will distinguish the GT-H from the rest. You’ll find embroidered floor mats, illuminated door sill plates, and dash plaques, too. Oh, and did I mention that the windows will be tinted?
There’s no word on how many GT-Hs will be produced, but it will be available in four exterior shades – Shadow Black, Oxford White, Carbonized Gray, and Rapid Red Metallic.
Where Can You Get Them?
The GT500-H will be available in:
- Las Vegas
- Phoenix
- Tampa
- Miami
- Orlando
- Fort Myers
The GT-H will be available in:
- Atlanta
- Dallas
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Phoenix San Diego
- San Francisco
- Tampa
- Miami
- Orlando
- Fort Myers
- Fort Lauderdale
Conclusion
The official press release didn’t reveal the pricing, but Shelby’s official website mentions that the daily rental rate is $399 for the GT500-H and $99 for the GT-H. The Shelby Hertz Mustangs will be available to rent this summer.