| Shelby GT500KR | |
| Manufacturer | Shelby American |
|---|---|
| Production | 1965–1970 2006–present |
| Class | Pony car Muscle car |
| Platform | FR layout |
| Related | Ford Mustang |
The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang which was built by Shelby American from 1965 through 1970. Following the introduction of the fifth generation Ford Mustang, the Shelby nameplate was revived in 2007 for new high performance versions of the Mustang.[1]
Contents |
| Shelby G.T. 350 | |
| Production | 1965–1966 |
|---|---|
| Assembly | Los Angeles, California |
| Engine | 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8 |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic 4-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 108.0 in (2,743 mm) |
| Length | 181.6 in (4,613 mm) |
The 1965–1966 cars were the smallest and lightest of the GT 350 models. These cars are often improperly called "Cobras", which was the Ford-powered AC-based two-seat sports car also produced by Shelby American during the same period. The confusion arises from the use of the Cobra emblem, the paint scheme, and optional "Cobra" valve covers on many GT350s (part of a marketing tie-in by Shelby as well as one of his iconic symbols). All 1965–66 cars featured the K-Code 271 hp 289, modified to produce 306 hp. Marketing literature referred to this engine as the ""Cobra hi-riser" due to its high-riser intake manifold. Beginning as a stock Mustang with a 4-speed manual, the cars were shipped to Shelby American, where they received the high-riser manifolds, had their stock Ford Falcon live rear axles replaced with heavy-duty Ford Galaxie rear axles, and were given larger, metallic-lined rear drum brakes and Kelsey-Hayes front disc brakes. The 1965 G.T. 350 was truly a street-legal race car, and as such was not built for comfort or ease of driving. Even more "hairy" were the less than 30 "G.T. 350R" race-spec cars that were built specifically to race under SCCA rules. While the 1966 G.T. 350 was still an extreme and difficult car, it had some of its sharper edges smoothed out for the comfort of casual drivers (i.e back seats, different colors, automatic transmission). This trend continued every year, with the cars becoming progressively larger, heavier and more comfortable, while losing much of their competitiveness in the process. The 1969 G.T. 350s and 500s were largely styling modifications to a stock Mustang, not at all the light and harsh racers of 1965-67. By 1969 Caroll Shelby was no longer involved in the Shelby GT program, and design was done in-house by Ford. As the Shelby GT's popularity was built on its reputation as an "all-race" automobile, once word began to spread in the street that the newest Shelby's were simply Mustangs with "Shelby" badges and different trim, sales began to slip.
1965–1966 G.T. 350s were delivered from Ford's San Jose assembly plant in body in white form for modification by Carroll Shelby's operation, originally in Venice Beach and later at Los Angeles International Airport. San Jose cars carried an "R" in the Ford VIN denoting that facility.[2] The only year that Shelby Mustangs from the 1960s came from another plant was 1968, where they came from New Jersey, "T" in the VIN,[3] and were modified by A.O. Smith.
1965–66 GT 350s were very successful racers, and had many production-class victories.
All 1965 G.T. 350s were painted Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue rocker stripes. Contrary to popular belief, very few GT350s were delivered to the dealer with the optional "Le Mans" (or "LeMans") top stripes, which run the length of the entire car. According the current Shelby American registry, approximately 28% of the 562 1965 cars built had Le Mans stripes. Dealers often added the stripes, probably at the customer's request.[4] Today, it's difficult to find a GT 350 not so equipped.
Many 1965 cars had the battery relocated to the trunk (which was changed mid year from complaints of fumes), featured over-rider traction bars, relocated A-arms, and other modifications. Over-rider traction bars are named so due to their design being on top of the leaf spring as opposed to underneath them. There was only one transmission available, a 4-speed Borg-Warner T-10 manual. The exhaust system in the 1965 G.T. 350 was a side-exit dual exhaust with glass-pack mufflers. For this one year, the G.T. 350 also featured special 130mph Goodyear "Blue Dot" tires, named for the prominent blue dot on each sidewall. The 1965 G.T. 350 had a full size spare tire mounted in place of rear seats, making it a 2-seat-only vehicle (to be allowed to race under SCCA regulations as as "sports car" , and rode on either silver-painted steel wheels or special cast-magnesium center "Cragar Shelby" 15" rims with chromed center caps marked with a stylized "CS". There were 562 1965 Shelby Mustang G.T. 350's built, less than 30 of which were the even more extreme "G.T. 350R" race car.
For 1966, the GT 350 lost its Mustang tag and was marketed simply as the Shelby GT 350.[5] 1966 also saw the introduction of non-white colors, including blue, red, green and black. Other changes include special rear quarter-panel windows replacing the factory extractor vents, functional brake scoops on each side and optional automatic transmissions, as well as the addition of an optional Paxton supercharger. The battery was no longer relocated to the trunk for 1966, and the over-rider traction bars were discontinued. A fold-down rear seat was now optional. Where early 1965 cars had black engine blocks, 1966 and later cars had the 289 ci engine painted Ford dark blue. The 1966 Shelby had a full dual-exhaust, rather than the race-type side exit system of the 1965 model, as driver comfort began to take some priority. The 4-speed manual was no longer the only available transmission, with an optional SelectShift 3-speed automatic added.
The first 252 GT 350s for 1966 began as 1965 Mustang K-Code Fastbacks. Often these first 252 1966 G.T.350s are referred to as "carry-over" cars, but this is not the case. These 252 1965 Model Mustangs were specifically ordered by Shelby American for conversion into 1966 GT 350s. They were definitely "left over" from the 1965 production. Upon delivery to the tarmac outside Shelby-American, random cars were pulled for conversion. This is the reason Shelby VINs do not correspond in numerical order with Ford VINs.
The Ford VINs were shipped in 'blocks,' but many differ significantly with the order they were taken into the building. Only SAAC knows for sure, but there have been reports that some carry-over VINs have an earlier number than the last '65 Shelby VINs. They had the 1965 Ford Mustang bodies and 1965 Ford Mustang serial numbers under their Shelby serial numbers. They mostly had 1965 features including standard Koni shock absorbers and engines painted black. Blue engines did not appear in 1966 until after these first 252 GT 350s were produced.
The production for 1966 was 1,373 fastbacks, including two prototypes and four drag cars, and 252 early production models with Ford Mustang 1965 bodies. For Hertz Corporation, 1,003 fastbacks were produced, including two prototypes. Four convertibles were also produced, for a total of 2,378 units for 1966. A small number (recent estimates identify only 11) of the 1966 models were fitted from the factory with Paxton superchargers, but not the No-Spin limited slip differential; with an option price of US$670, the engine was rated at 440 hp (330 kW).[6][7][8]
1966 production numbers: GT 350 — 2,378 units (four were special order convertibles for Carroll Shelby, the rumor is that six were made, but only four correct VINs have been discovered).
Shelby struck a deal with the Hertz Corporation to produce a special line of G.T. 350s for rent that, after their rental-car lives were finished, were returned to Ford, refurbished, and sold to the public. These "GT 350-H" cars[9] are much sought-after today, with some examples selling for more than $200,000.
Shelby produced 1,003 of these cars. Most Hertz cars featured gold LeMans stripes and rocker panel stripes, although a few were white with blue stripes. The first 85 Hertz cars were available with four-speed manual transmissions and Hertz advertised them as "Rent-a-Racer" cars.[10] During rental, these cars were sometimes used as production class cars at SCCA events, and were rumored to have been returned to Hertz with evidence of roll bars being welded in.[10] Hertz ordered the last 800 models with black paint, gold stripes and black interior, as well as automatic transmissions.
When the Hertz cars were returned to Ford to be prepared for sale to the public, the high-performance parts were often "lost" (presumably at the manufacturer) before final sale.[11]
| Shelby Cobra GT 500 and GT 350 | |
| Production | 1967–1968 |
|---|---|
| Assembly | 1967: Los Angeles, California 1968: Ionia, Michigan |
| Body style | 2-door fastback 2-door convertible (1968) |
| Engine | 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8 (1967 GT350) 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 (1968 GT350) 390 cu in (6.4 L) (Early 1968 GT500) 428 cu in (7.0 L) V8 (GT500) |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic 4-speed manual |
For 1967, the GT 350 carried over the K-Code high performance 289 with a 'COBRA' aluminum hi-rise. The GT 500 was added to the lineup, equipped with the 428 Police Interceptor. These later cars carried over few of the performance modifications of the 1965–66 GT350s, although they did feature more cosmetic changes.
In September 1967, production was moved to the A.O. Smith Company of Ionia, Michigan, under Ford control.[12] Shelby American had substantially less involvement after this time.
For 1968, the Cobra name was applied to both models, and they were now marketed as the Shelby Cobra GT 350 and the Shelby Cobra GT 500.[13] In February 1968, the Cobra GT 500-KR "King of the Road" debuted; under the hood was a 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8 which was rated at 335 horsepower (250 kW).
| 1969 Shelby GT 350 | |
| Production | 1969–1970 |
|---|---|
| Assembly | Los Angeles, California |
| Body style | 2-door fastback 2-door convertible |
| Engine | 351 cu in (5.8 L) V8 (GT 350) 428 cu in (7.0 L) V8 (GT 500) |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic 4-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 108.0 in (2,743 mm) |
| Length | 187.4 in (4,760 mm) |
The GTs lost their Cobra tag for 1969 and once again were marketed simply as Shelby GT 350 and Shelby GT 500.[14] The GT 350 and GT 500 for the 1969 model year received an extensive face lift, the body alone increasing in length by 4 inches (100 mm). Ford was heavily involved with design and style decisions, with Shelby having very little input. The GT 350 was now equipped with a 351 cubic-inch V8. Carroll Shelby terminated his agreement with Ford in the summer of 1969.
No production of 1970 Shelby GT 350 and 500 models was actually undertaken, however partially constructed 1969 cars were completed from stock of parts and given 1970 serial numbers.[11] The 1970 models had no styling or mechanical changes from the previous model.[11] A total of 286 were produced.[11]
Even though production of Shelby GTs had ceased, a small numbers of 1971 and 1972 models were produced on the request of Belgian Shelby dealer Claude Dubois. Shelby agreed to build 14 1971/1972 Mustang based models which were marketed as the "Shelby Europa" and sold only in Europe.[15]
Ford introduced the Shelby GT-H version of the Mustang at the 2006 New York Auto Show. Like the original GT350H from 1966, the GT-H featured gold-on-black paint and was only available at the Hertz car rental agency. A modest power bump over the regular Mustang GT V-8 engine. Features included a 5-speed automatic transmission, and a package from Ford Racing including a 90 mm cold air intake kit, X-pipe, special performance suspension, and Ford Racing "GTA" axle-back mufflers. Only 500 cars were built to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original Shelby GT350H.[16] For 2007, a convertible version of the GT-H was offered for rental at Hertz.[17] This time the convertibles came with a custom light bar reminiscent of the 1968 Shelby Mustang convertibles.
The 4.6 liter, 281-cubic-inch, 319 hp (238 kW) Ford Shelby GT slots between the 300 hp (220 kW) Mustang GT and the Ford Shelby GT500. It is essentially a retail sale version of the Hertz rental-only Ford Shelby GT-H, except a manual transmission is available. The Shelby GT was offered based on strong demand from enthusiasts wanting Ford and Shelby to offer a retail version of the GT-H. Other differences include the deletion of the rear spoiler, a retro Shelby hood scoop in place of the CS6/8 Shelby hood, and silver versus the gold stripes, with the car available in either white or black in 2007 and Vista Blue, Grabber Orange or Black with red stripes for 2008. The Grabber Orange Shelby GT-C (California) was sold exclusively in California and only available as a coupe (less than 220 models were produced). Again, the popularity of the 2007 Shelby GT-H rental car, this time the convertible, Shelby offered the 2008 Shelby GT as a coupe or convertible in limited numbers. Based on requests from enthusiasts for a blue Shelby GT, Vista Blue became the signature color for the 2008 Shelby GT. The Vista Blue models were available as a coupe or convertible. A very limited number (100) Barrett Jackson Shelby GTs were built in 2008 that were black with red stripes, also available in coupe or convertible. The Barrett Jackson Shelby GTs were sold exclusively in Arizona. The Hertz Shelby GT-H attracted so much attention that Ford dealers and customers asked for a version of their own. Like the GT-H, the Shelby GT is modified at Shelby Automotive's factory in Las Vegas, which distinguishes the GT-H and Shelby GT models from the GT500 in that the GT500s are produced entirely by AutoAlliance International.
A limited (100 units) version of Shelby GT coupe and convertible, were named after the Barrett-Jackson auction. They include black exterior with "Barrett-Jackson Red" LeMans Hood and Side Stripes, Barrett Jackson Edition door sill plates, black interior with the Shelby GT serial number plate, special gas cap insert, autographed photo of Carroll Shelby, Craig Jackson, Amy Boylan, and Steve Davis.
The vehicle was unveiled in Arizona International Auto Show.
Production version were sold in Arizona Region Ford dealers with MSRP of US$38,980.00 (including $250 donation to the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation).[18]
At the request of owners a number of Shelby GTs are being modified in various ways by Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas. One of these modifications results in a model known as the Shelby GT/SC (Supercharged). A large number of add-ons can be had including the "Super Snake" brakes and larger wheels and tires which are necessary to accommodate these brakes. Additionally there are three different available superchargers, again installed by Shelby Automobiles or authorized Shelby Mod Shop, that can increase rated horsepower to 500 or more.
Production of the Shelby GT began in December 2006 and the car went on sale in January 2007. It was originally planned that up to 6,000 cars would be built. However, with final numbers as of this date still not in, they are expected to be slightly less than this amount. As of this date the following approximate number of 2007 Shelby GT's is known;
2007 Shelby GT Production Numbers:
| Shelby GT500 | |
| Production | 2007–present |
|---|---|
| Assembly | Flat Rock, Michigan |
| Body style | 2-door convertible 2-door coupe |
| Platform | Ford D2C platform |
| Engine | 5.4 L 500 hp V8 5.4 L 540 hp V8 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 107.1 in (2,720 mm) |
| Length | 2007–09: 187.6 in (4,765 mm) 2010–: 188.1 in (4,778 mm) |
| Width | 2007–09: 74.0 in (1,880 mm) 2010–: 73.9 in (1,877 mm) |
| Height | 2007–09: 54.5 in (1,384 mm) 2010– Coupe: 55.6 in (1,412 mm) 2010– Convertible: 56.1 in (1,425 mm) |
Shelby and Ford returned for the 2007 model year with the Shelby GT500. Introduced at the 2005 New York International Auto Show, the GT500 uses a 5.4 L (330 CID) Modular 500 hp (370 kW) supercharged V8. Features include the Tremec TR-6060 6-speed manual transmission, suspension tuning, a body kit, and 18 inch wheels.
Deliveries of the Shelby GT500 began in May 2006.[19]
A collaboration of Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and Carroll Shelby, the GT500 was produced in limited quantity for three years (approximately 10,000 units per year) on the line at Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan (AutoAlliance) assembly facility.
Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) also released a small series (687 units) of GT500 using the S/C from Saleen. These cars had the 5.4L engine and were equipped with a 3.55:1 final drive. The GT500 has 500 hp (373 kW) @ 6000 rpm and 480 lb·ft (650 N·m) of torque @ 4500 rpm.
The Ford Shelby GT500KR, revealed at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, was released in the spring of 2008. The car is powered by a 540 horsepower 5.4-liter (330 CID) supercharged V-8 version of the base GT500 engine with functional Cold Air Intake and unique calibration. SVT and Shelby announced that 1,000 40th Anniversary Editions will be built for the U.S. in 2008, with another 571 units in 2009. This 1,571 production run matches that of the original 1968 GT500KR. In total, 1,712 units were produced, with the remaining units going to Canada, export markets and military sales.
All KRs were built by AutoAlliance International on the normal Mustang production line and then shipped to Shelby Automobiles Incorporated (SAI) where final assembly was completed. SAI was the manufacturer of record.
The Shelby GT500KR features a carbon fiber composite hood with functional scoops and vents, twist-lock hood pins modeled on the original 1968 KR, a unique carbon fiber splitter, carbon fiber mirror caps, and functional brake cooling ducts. The suspension was tuned by SVT with unique spring rates, dampers, stabilizer bars, and strut tower brace and was sourced from Ford Racing. Unique Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires were developed for the KR with a unique compound. With the same tread pattern as the Eagle F1 Supercar tire on the 2007–2009 GT500 they can only be identified by a unique Goodyear "Wingedfoot" emblem on the sidewall.
The 2008–09 GT500KR draws on styling cues from the classic 1968 "King of the Road" GT500KR model, and the 2008 model includes "40th Anniversary" badging; both years will have availability of standard GT500 colors with "LeMans" stripes, and Carroll Shelby signature embroidered seats. The GT500KR's starting price was $120,000.95
The GT500KR was featured prominently in the new Knight Rider television series on NBC. One of the main characters of the show was KITT, an advanced Artificial Intelligence housed in a GT500KR. Also, in the return of the show, KARR was also a GT500KR.
Starting in 2008, previous 2007 Shelby GT500 Mustangs could be sent to Carroll Shelby's Special Performance Plant in Las Vegas Nevada to be rebuilt into a Super Snake, for an additional cost of $27,995. The Super Snake will offer a 605 hp (451 kW) (at the engine) 5.4 L. A Whipple twin-screw supercharged version with "over 725 hp" will also be available, without warranty and offer a 0–60 mph runs in 3.5 to 3.7 seconds.[22][23] The Super Snake is inspired by the 1967 GT500 Super Snake, a car made by Carroll Shelby for Goodyear Tires.
The Super Snake also comes with a variety of other performance, handling and cosmetic changes including badging, gauge pod, 20" Alcoa wheels, fibreglass ram-air Super Snake hood, stripes, carbon fiber front splitter and skirts, larger 6-piston Baer brakes, front and rear brake cooling ducts, complete track setup suspension, aluminum driveshaft, 3.73 differential gears and cat-back exhaust system.
It is a limited (100 units) drag racing package for 2007–2010 Ford Shelby GT500 cars, named after Don Prudhomme. The engine is rated 800 hp on race fuel or 750 hp on 93 octane pump gas. It includes a Whipple supercharger and modified air intake sticking out of the hood in the tilt front end, a five-point Impact safety harness and a Borla side exhaust system, front and rear adjustable BMR racing suspension and drag tires with optional street tires, side lower rockers are incorporated.[24]
The package has MSRP of $100,000 (not including car).[25]
The Prudhomme concept car went on sale in 2009 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction.[26] The vehicle was sold with winning bid price of $275,000US (before buyer premium).[27]
For the 2010 model year, the Shelby cobra Mustang GT500 was redesigned along with the base Ford Mustang. As with the 2007–09 GT500, the 2010 includes unique front and rear fascias, hood with functional vents and unique rear spoiler. The rear spoiler includes a functional Gurney flap. Along with new exterior colors, customers have the option of extending the exterior stripes onto the seats. Production was limited to 2000 units.[28]
The 5.4 L engines's power output was increased to 540 horsepower (403 kW) and 510 lb·ft (690 N·m) of torque with the addition of a cold air intake similar to the 08/09 GT500KR and includes a knock sensor to protect the engine if lower octane fuel is used. The 2010 GT500's fuel efficiency increased by 2 miles per gallon.[29]
SVT re-tuned the coupe's suspension and worked with Goodyear on 19" tires with new construction, compound and tread pattern. The coupe's 19" wheels are forged for a reduction in unsprung weight. The convertible retained the 18" wheels offered on the 2007–09 GT500.
Much like the 2011 V6 and GT Mustangs, the 2011 Shelby GT500 gets an engine update with an all-new 5.4 L aluminum engine which is 102 pounds lighter than the previous cast-iron engine and uses Ford-patented plasma-coating technology (Plasma transferred wire arc). The inventors of PTWA received the 2009 IPO National Inventor of the Year award. This technology was initially patented and developed by inventors from Flame-Spray. The technology was subsequently improved upon by Ford and Flamespray.[30] With the engine updates, not only has performance improved to 550 horsepower and 510 ft.lb. of torque, but the GT500's gas mileage has improved to 15 MPG city and 23 MPG highway, which was enough to eliminate the U.S. Gas Guzzler Tax.[31] The final production number of the 2011 Shelby GT500 by the end of the year was 5100 units.[32]
Ford also improved upon the handling characteristics of the GT500. The overall stance of the car has been lowered by 11 millimeters in front and 8 millimeters at the rear. The car also features Ford's new Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) that improves torque build-up and road feel which delivers quicker and more precise steering, increased effort on the racetrack or winding roads, and reduced effort in low-speed parking maneuvers. The car also has Ford's AdvanceTrac stability control system, which features a sport mode when pressed twice consecutively.
External improvements include an optional SVT Performance Package, which includes Goodyear EagleF1 SuperCar G: 2 tires, all-new lightweight 19-inch forged-aluminum wheels in front and 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels at the rear, a 3.73 rear axle ratio, and performance tuned front and rear shocks along with stiffer springs. The package includes a unique rear spoiler Gurney Flap for improved handling, slightly revised front and rear fascias, a new pedal box for improved clutch use, slotted brake dust shields for improved brake cooling, standard HID (high-intensity discharge) headlamps, MyKey programmable vehicle key, integrated spotter mirrors, and fold-down rear headrests. Optional is a glass top roof, previously available, starting in 2009, with the Mustang GT.
The improvements in handling and performance gives the 2011 Shelby GT500 a skidpad rating of 1.0G, and a Virginia International Raceway lap time of 2:58:48, making it as fast as, and sometimes faster than, cars such as the M3, Audi R8 V10, Dodge Viper SRT-10 and Porsche GT3 around this racetrack.[33]
For 2012, a new Recaro seat option became available, otherwise everything else remained the same from the 2011. Furthermore the Sterling Gray color was no longer available. The total number of Sterling Gray colored GT500s in 2011 was 492. [34]
The Terlingua Racing Team package for the V6 Ford Mustang includes performance enhancements and modified cosmetic details. The hot rod features improvements to the handling and braking capabilities that were developed with Ford Racing; an optional supercharger (by Paxton/Vortech) for 375 horsepower at 6 psi. The coupe sports a deep draw hood, 20” anthracite “Razor” wheels, and styling changes including a logo with the Terlingua rabbit "Lucifer". The package will be applied, with a Shelby serial number, by Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas or one of official factory mod shops. Terlingua Mustangs are available either as complete automobiles, or as modifications of customer-owned vehicles.[35]
Coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the original 1965 Shelby GT350, Shelby American unveiled an all new GT350 Mustang at the opening night gala of the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ. Presented in concept form, the new GT350 features a supercharged version of the brand new 5.0-liter V8 engine in the 2011 Mustang GT as well as performance upgrades from Ford Racing, Borla, Cragar, Baer and more.
The GT350 is a post-title upgrade available from Shelby. Customers can have their 2011 Mustangs shipped directly to Shelby's Las Vegas facility to be converted or they can deliver the car themselves. Automatics will be available for conversion as a naturally aspirated tune producing up to 440 horsepower, and manuals have the option of NA or fitted with a Ford Racing supercharger to produce 525 horsepower, or at the expense of the warranty, 624 horsepower, a Ford Racing suspension system (The first 100 are being fitted with the Eibach suspension carried over from the GT500 Supersnake), Baer brakes in front and optional in rear, Custom Borla exhaust system, 19" Cragar wheels, and more. For the exterior, Shelby fits a new front fascia, front splitter, functional hood scoop, functional brake cooling ducts, tail light trim, rear deck lid filler panel, and a rear fascia with center exhaust exit. Performance White with Guardsman Blue racing stripes will be the only available color combination for 2011 models. 2012 models will be available in other colors, but will lose the 45th Anniversary badge of the 2011.
Initial road tests of the GT350 by Motor Trend show impressive statistics. The 2011 Shelby GT350 hits 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.[36], compared to the 412 horsepower 2011 Mustang GT's time of 4.4 seconds.[36] The 2011 GT500 needs 4.2 seconds to get to 60 mph and even the Shelby Super Snake with 750 hp still takes 4.1 seconds. Weight difference isn't a factor to blame for the better performance than the GT500, considering the GT350 is only a mere 24 pounds lighter than the newly lightened GT500.[36]
The GT350's quartermile time is 12 seconds flat at 121.4 mph. This means the 2011 Shelby GT350 is the fastest production Mustang in the Shelby history.[36]
In 2002, Carroll Shelby sold a license to a company called Unique Performance in Farmers Branch, Texas, to produce the GT500E, a Shelby based on the "Eleanor" 1967 GT500 featured prominently in the 2000 movie Gone in 60 Seconds, starring Nicolas Cage. Other new Shelbys followed, including the GT350SR and GT500SR. Each of these new Shelbys is given a Shelby VIN
On November 1, 2007, Unique Performance was raided by the Farmers Branch Police Department due to VIN irregularities and subsequently declared bankruptcy, which effectively ended the Shelby continuation "Eleanor" production.[37]
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