joeyr

Another pony joins the Shelby stampede
By Karl Brauer
Date posted: 08-14-2006


If there's one thing Ford has learned in recent months, it's the magic that comes with combining the words "Mustang" and "Shelby." Throw in the harsh reality that Ford needs all the magic it can conjure these days, and you have the makings of yet another Shelby Mustang. Following closely (some might say too closely) on the heels of the Shelby GT500 and Shelby GT-H, this latest hot-rod pony is simply dubbed "Shelby GT" and is, for the most part, a retail version of the GT-H rental car offered through select Hertz agencies.

Inside Line recently piloted the 2007 Shelby GT at Ford's proving grounds in Dearborn, Michigan, and while we'd have preferred a full-fledged road test, our limited seat time did confirm that Carroll Shelby still has some compelling tricks up his sleeve.

"GT" plus "Ford Racing" equals "Shelby GT"
Shelby Automobiles, based in Las Vegas, begins with a stock Mustang GT and adds a Ford Racing Power Pack and Handling Pack to each car. The Power Pack consists of a 90-millimeter cold-air intake, reworked engine calibration, upgraded exhaust flow (via a new X-pipe) and a shorter rear axle ratio (3.55 versus the GT's 3.31). And while the rental GT-H comes in automatic form only, the Shelby GT can be had with a slushbox or a five-speed manual transmission featuring a Hurst short-throw shifter.

The Handling Pack consists of shorter springs, stiffer dampers and an upgraded front antiroll bar. The shorter springs drop the car 1.5 inches, which is unfortunate in the sense that it makes seeing these upgraded parts — all of them painted a shimmering shade of Ford Blue — even harder to see unless you have access to a vehicle lift. A front strut-tower brace and P235/55ZR18 tires complete the Shelby GT's handling upgrades.

Once again, Carroll leaves his mark
While both the Power Pack and Handling Pack are available to anyone willing to visit the Ford Racing catalog (or Web site), the Shelby GT's styling modifications are not so easily replicated. They begin with a pair of silver Le Mans racing stripes painted over either a white or black coupe (no convertible versions are planned). Additional "Shelby GT" side stripes connect the 18-inch chrome wheels and run underneath unique side scoops (just ahead of the rear wheelwells). A lower front fascia with a brushed-aluminum grille — minus foglights — sits below a Cobra-inspired, non-functional hood scoop. Perhaps our favorite exterior design cue is the "SHELBY" spelled out across the trunk lid in individual, classic-font letters, just as it appeared on the 1968 GT500 KR.

The Shelby theme continues inside with "Shelby GT" floor mats, doorsill plates and an authentication plate above the center stack featuring a CSX number (a matching CSX numbered tag is located in the engine compartment).

numbered tag is located in the engine compartment).

Classic design cues, modern performance
While the Shelby badging clearly identifies who put this Mustang together, our favorite interior component has to be the Hurst shifter, both for its classic chrome-and-cue-ball look as well as its powerful, purposeful feel. It's this sort of shifter action, along with the Shelby GT's baritone exhaust warble and immediate throttle response, that truly evokes the muscle car era from which the Shelby legend springs. The real difference comes with 40 years of progress, meaning you now can enjoy those traits plus inspired steering feel and predictable at-the-limit handling. On the proving grounds we repeatedly tossed this newest pony car into sharp corners for the sheer joy of throwing the tail out and reeling it back in.

A Way Forward by looking back?
Beyond its obvious performance and image-building characteristics, the Shelby GT is an example of what Ford is calling its "Go Fast" decision-making progress. What this essentially boils down to is removing the traditi

joeyr

because I couldnt find the numbers in the article here they are

325 horsepower
0-60 in 5.0 seconds
$35,000

If you arer intrested in seeing pics and or a video of the car go to http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...leId=116496#26.

bored out

Wow, I like that car. I'm not a huge fan of the Mustang GT but I really like the GT500 look but it is a bit pricey. This Shelby GT seems to be right in the middle and good mix of cost and performance for me.

Looked online at dodge.com today and with employee pricing you can get a Charger SRT8 for $35,695. That is a good price for 425 horses!

RLSH700

$10,000 more for .1-.2 secs faster is not worth it to me. I'd rather have the Challenger.

That is what I've been saying all along about the Charger.

awsure

I think the fact that we will have Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers in competition will help keep prices more reasonable. We will, in my estimation, still see a premium on the Challenger when it 1st comes out (same for the Camaro) but I expect that hype factor will calm down quicker than it would if no competition were available.

RLSH700

This is true. The prices on anything that is popular has an initial price hike. Even the PT Crusier had one, but it died down. Competition is good at making prices and products better. Having competition forces companies to work harder at making a better products at a better price. Competition is good.

wallstreetman

A Mustang is not a Challenger, END OF STORY!

RLSH700

Your techinally correct. The Challenger was designed to compete as a more premium performance due to the marketing of Dodge, but I'm expecting them to try to compete to a degree.

awsure

Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger buyers are in the same demographic however inmy estimation. The cars are no doubt different but manufacturers are ABSOLUTELY competing for dollars amongst the less than rabid fan of the respective models. I am a die hard devotee of the new Challenger & would not consider anything else but consider the mass of buyers that might just want a muscle car in the $25-40k range. These three will be at the top of the list... I am glad of the competition and I think the Mustang & Camaro (while not totally to my taste) look pretty decent.

RLSH700

Competition makes things more interesting. I lost interest in the Mustang after the F-cars were dropped because the improvements to the Mustang didn't seem relevant anymore. The showdown was over.