Shelby American marks 50th year with special-edition cars
Photo credit: ROGER HART
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Shelby American is marking its 50th anniversary with limited numbers of a special-edition car. Only 50 white copies and 50 black copies of the car will be available.
Shelby American, a Las Vegas performance-car maker and converter, was founded by former race driver Carroll Shelby. Its products include the Cobra performance car and GT350, GT500, Super Snake and GTS conversion packages for the current-generation Ford Mustang.
"Few thought that Shelby American would make it in the car business for 50 years," Shelby said in a statement. "We built the first Cobra in a rented garage, then the GT350s in an old hangar. But our company is still here, manufacturing the best cars I've ever made."
The special editions -- unveiled today at the Detroit auto show -- will have gold stripes to commemorate the company's golden anniversary. Additionally, each car gets 50th-anniversary badging, a custom interior, special wheels, six-piston Wilwood front brakes, a car cover and a vehicle identification number that will be entered in the official Shelby registry. Museum delivery is also included at the Shelby factory in Las Vegas.
The GT500 anniversary model is offered with 650 hp, 750 hp or 800 hp in coupe and convertible body styles. Shelby enhances the production Ford Mustang's brakes and suspension and updates the styling. All of the black and white cars will wear gold stripes, which Shelby says will be a one-year option. The anniversary package for the GT500 will cost $59,995, not including the cost of a donor car.
The GT350 will also get an anniversary makeover. Based on the 5.0-liter GT Ford Mustang, the GT350 can be upgraded to 525 hp or 624 hp. Shelby adds Le Mans-style stripes and bigger brakes. The GT350 is offered as a coupe and convertible. An automatic transmission will be offered on the lowest of the three custom packages; bigger-horsepower cars have manuals only. The GT350 anniversary package begins at $59,995, plus the cost of a donor car.
The GTS upgrade costs $19,995 and can be added to the GT and V-6 Mustangs. For that price, Shelby upgrades the brakes, suspension, tune and appearance.
"A 50-year anniversary only comes around once in a life," Shelby American president John Luft said. "These limited-edition Shelbys will mark that milestone for a select few who have a chance to own a piece of history."
