Monday 20th August 2012

850hp Mustang tribute to Carroll Shelby

'Friends of Carroll Shelby' unite to create one-off supercharged Mustang special

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Plenty of interesting metal has been unveiled at events in and around the weekend's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California and amongst them was this monstrous one-off Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang.

Created as a tribute to the late and very great Carroll Shelby, the car has been put together by 'Friends of Carroll Shelby', a collection of companies including the Ford Motor Company and Shelby American. Created to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Shelby Cobra, the show car is based on a 2013 Shelby GT500 (itself not short of power at 662hp). A Ford Racing Whipple supercharger ups the tribute car's power output to 850hp.

GT500 tribute wears 13-inch rear tyres

Revealed at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, the tribute car also features an extra-wide body kit with a bespoke bonnet design, finished in traditional Cobra blue'n'white striped paintwork. It also features upgraded brakes (probably not a bad idea with all that power) and new 20-inch wheels - a whole 13 inches wide at the back.

"Even at 89 years of age, Carroll was an inspiration to us all," says Ford's marketing and sales vice-president Jim Farley. "The one-off car we have created represents the very idea he had about making the 2013 Shelby GT500 into a true Cobra."

Shelby's active philanthropy was referenced at the Mustang's unveiling, together with the announcement that the car will be taken on a tour around the States before being used in "a special way" at the tour's end, leading to speculation that the car may ultimately be auctioned for charity.

In an additional tribute to the great man, Ford has renamed the road leading to its Product Development Centre proving ground in Dearborn as Carroll Shelby Way. The tribute seems fitting, given that at the age of 88 Shelby reportedly spent over five hours racking up miles behind the wheel of the most powerful Shelby Mustang yet at various proving grounds as part of its final development.

[stevevx220]

That should be ok for 'popping' to the shops!

[mylesmcd]

Lovely car.

Mustangs for me have always been so right from some angles, but so wrong from others. I think these aesthetic improvements really bring out the best in this car.



And, yes. I work in Marketing.

[Krikkit]

What a lovely thing.

Is this the ideal shopping car for the guy who owns an Agera R?

[biglump]

So good I want to lick it!!! Bet it tastes great too!!! YUMMY

[will261058]

That could be the house going on the market then!

[Eighteeteewhy]

A fitting tribute.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Surprised LuS1fer hasn't popped up with an opinion just yet!

I should think 850 bhp in one of those could be a quick way to join Mr Shelby in the afterlife.

[Raitzi]

Ok car but I would make new cobra to tribute him.

[J4CKO]

Saw three of the Shelby 1000's lined up when I visited the factory recently, the tour guide started one up, sounded fantastic, god only knows what they are like to drive.

[Motorrad]

"A 4.0-litre Ford Racing V8 ups the power output to 850hp courtesy of a Whipple supercharger."


???????????

That quote makes no sense whatsoever.

[jamespink]

Raitzi said:

Ok car but I would make new cobra to tribute him.

But then it would not have been a shameless, tasteless, same old-same old, yet more power plug for the awful Muzzi. Its just another "more BHP custom shop special". How much interest can this possibly generate? Shelby did beautiful racing stuff with delicate, pretty cars not just power hike another production clunker... Sorry, not much of a tribute in my book.

[666 SVT]

Isn't it a 5.0 not a 4 litre ?

[JJMatrixx]

One is for sure....driving that fast on the roads is likely to scare you stless

[GlynMo]

666 SVT said:

Isn't it a 5.0 not a 4 litre ?

I've got a feeling it's a 5.8 litre. Whatever, it's not a 4 litre! Come on PistonHeads - get the facts right!!

[soad]

5.8-liter V-8 with the help of a Ford Racing 4.0-liter Whipple supercharger, shirley?

[Dave Hedgehog]

soon to be seen heading towards a ditch backwards in a ball of fire

love it

[em177]

When I die I want a v8 Mustang built in my honour.... worthy tribute to the man. Rest in noise!

[famfarrow]

Its the Shelby GT500's 5.8 with a 4.0 litre Supercharger I believe.

oh and absolute heaven

Edit: ah Soad you got there first /tip of the hat

[wildman0609]

jamespink said:

But then it would not have been a shameless, tasteless, same old-same old, yet more power plug for the awful Muzzi. Its just another "more BHP custom shop special". How much interest can this possibly generate? Shelby did beautiful racing stuff with delicate, pretty cars not just power hike another production clunker... Sorry, not much of a tribute in my book.

I think an Aston dbr1 tribute would be better. Could you imagine a new lightweight Aston roadster with an old school straight 6. That would be a great tribute to the great man.

[Motorrad]

soad said:

5.8-liter V-8 with the help of a Ford Racing 4.0-liter Whipple supercharger, shirley?

It sure as fk isn't a 4.0 V8 as the article suggests.