NEW YORK — Ford unveiled what it calls the most powerful factory-built Mustang in history at the 2005 New York International Auto Show on Wednesday. The Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 is the result of collaboration between performance-car legend Carroll Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team.
Designed to be reminiscent of the Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s and based on the redesigned Mustang introduced for the 2005 model year, the GT500 is outfitted with a supercharged version of Ford's 5.4-liter DOHC V8 engine, rated at 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque and paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
Displayed at the show in red, the GT500 wears the classic Le Mans-style white stripe running from nose to tail. The front features a functional air splitter and heat-extraction ducts on the hood.
In case there is any doubt what this is, "SHELBY" in capital letters is prominently featured across the rear deck and the snake logo from past-generation SVT Mustang Cobras as well as late-model Shelby Mustangs is used on the interior and exterior.
The interior is wrapped in ebony leather. Seats and door panels have SVT red leather inserts. Gauges are titanium-faced.
The car goes on sale in 2006. Price hasn't been announced, but it is expected to be just shy of $40,000. Sales volume is expected to be about 8,000 a year, on par with past Mustang Cobras.
The GT500 will be its first SVT product in some time. It will be followed by the Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin. Ford promises the GT500 will be just the first "in a string of specialty Mustangs" from SVT.
What it means to you: The GT500 is back, and hell-bent for leather.
Designed to be reminiscent of the Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s and based on the redesigned Mustang introduced for the 2005 model year, the GT500 is outfitted with a supercharged version of Ford's 5.4-liter DOHC V8 engine, rated at 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque and paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
Displayed at the show in red, the GT500 wears the classic Le Mans-style white stripe running from nose to tail. The front features a functional air splitter and heat-extraction ducts on the hood.
In case there is any doubt what this is, "SHELBY" in capital letters is prominently featured across the rear deck and the snake logo from past-generation SVT Mustang Cobras as well as late-model Shelby Mustangs is used on the interior and exterior.
The interior is wrapped in ebony leather. Seats and door panels have SVT red leather inserts. Gauges are titanium-faced.
The car goes on sale in 2006. Price hasn't been announced, but it is expected to be just shy of $40,000. Sales volume is expected to be about 8,000 a year, on par with past Mustang Cobras.
The GT500 will be its first SVT product in some time. It will be followed by the Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin. Ford promises the GT500 will be just the first "in a string of specialty Mustangs" from SVT.
What it means to you: The GT500 is back, and hell-bent for leather.
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