Are they really "one-of-a-kind," as stated by Kruse on its official auction page, if there are 25 of them going up for auction on the same day? That's not to say getting one of the 500 Hertz Shelby Mustang GT-H Convertibles (sheesh, that's a mouthful!) that were built in 2007 is a bad thing, but nobody really knows if these vehicles will ever really gain in value over more pedestrian versions of Ford's iconic pony car like their forebears have. Rest assured, though, you are not going to be bidding the same $250,000 that collector Ron Pratte paid for serial #001. For reference, the last batch of rent-a-racers that were auctioned off managed about $33K per unit.
The car itself is powered by a 319-horsepower version of Ford's ubiquitous 4.6-liter three-valve V8 engine mated to an automatic transmission -- perfect for the kind of top-down summer cruising that these vehicles are likely to see. If you want one of the 25 going up for auction, they'll be at the Kruse Select Auction in Monterey, CA next week.
Whenever we rent a car from Hertz, we always peruse the Fun Collection then settle on a cheap economy car that won't break the bank. Today Hertz announced that it's adding a new model to the Fun Collection that may change our renting habits this summer. Just like it did with Ford when the rental company offered the Mustang GT-H, Hertz has teamed with General Motors to offer the Corvette ZHZ, a specially customized model of the famous sports car for rental customers to abuse this summer. The car is finished in Hertz' trademark yellow color with a black stripe that starts around the Corvette emblem on the hood and travels back over the roof. It's basically a run-of-the-mill Corvette Coupe with the optional optional dual-mode exhaust system the gives the standard 430-hp 6.2L LS3 V8 a bump to 436 hp. The only other modification are a set of 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels that are chromed and feature seven spokes apiece, and some special "Hertz" and "ZHZ" badging. Only 500 examples are being added to the Hertz fleet and they will be available in 24 major cities. The first locations to get them will be Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. There's no word on what the rental price will be, but we already know that being part of the Fun Collection comes with a price.
The Hertz Shelby GT-H hit the auction scene with a bang back in 2007, as the first black and gold drop-top sold at Barrett Jackson for a hefty $250k . In the past year, the powerful pony cars have had to endure some wear and tear from reckless renters, and what's likely to be a much lower price of ownership. Between 75 and 100 Shelby GT-H Convertibles are scheduled to hit the block at Kruse's 17th Annual Auburn Spring Motorfair from May 29 to June 1, 2008.
The special edition Mustangs will still likely cost a large premium over the average Mustang leaving rental duty, both because of its Shelby origins and limited production run of 500 vehicles. But in return you get a speedy convertible with truly unique looks. If you would like a Shelby GT-H Mustang, but have no plans or desire to head over to Indiana, you can even bid for the weekend racer of your dreams right from the Kruse website. Hit the jump to read the Auburn Spring Motorfair press release.
