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.
We're here at Milan Dragway for the 2nd annual Ford Racing invitational and just like the guys at Indy, drag racers don't run in the rain. Ford invites the a bunch of Michigan-based media out to Milan during NMRA weekend so that we can try out our quarter-mile skills in a bunch of Mustangs. Since this is bracket racing, where the goal is to be consistent from run to run rather than just fast, we have 17 different Mustangs here including GT500s, GT500KRs, Roush machines and others with assorted Ford Racing parts. We were all assigned cars randomly and I drew this GT500 that serves as the Pace Car at the Homestead, FL track. After rains yesterday morning and early afternoon it finally let up just before 3:00 PM when practice sessions were due to start. When it was finally our turn to hit the track, we headed out to the staging lanes and waited. Before we got to the line, though, it started raining again and it didn't look like it was going to let up any time soon. The weather is supposed to be clear today, so hopefully I'll get my chance to defend the honor of Autoblog.
We haven't seen new spy shots of the 2010 Ford Mustang for a while, so leave it to an Autoblog reader to have his camera at the ready when one flies by on the highway. Brandon R. took these pictures on an undisclosed road somewhere in the U.S. (that should narrow it down for you) and tells us that the driver wasn't very interested in smiling for the camera. After he realized that the car was being photographed, the Mustang jockey slammed on the brakes and promptly pulled over, but not before Brandon had taken his pics and recorded video of the Mustang showing off its passing power.
It's all speculation as to what's powering this prototype, but it appears to be a GT model if wheel size and two grille-mounted fog lamps are any indication. Out back are dual exhaust pipes and what must be a rear spoiler all covered up, as well. The hood features a big bulge, but don't get too excited as we surmise it's not to make room for some monster engine but rather keep the contour of the new hood a secret. Studying the front end, we also get a clearer view of the Mustang's new headlights as well as the lower air intake. All in all, Brandon did an excellent job in his impromptu debut as a spy photographer/videographer and we hope he spends more time with the cruise control on and his camera riding shotgun.
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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.
While parts sales don't typically show up in quarterly earnings reports, they can comprise a big chunk of profits. Ford is protecting its parts investment by filing a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington against eight companies that are reproducing Mustang parts without the Blue Oval's consent. Ford parts affected are the hood, bumper, fender, side-view mirror and tail lamp assemblies, which are all covered under Ford's 14-year design patent on design elements. Chicago-based LKQ Corp and its Keystone Automotive Industries are named in the complaint along with several companies in Taiwan. Ford has already come out victorious in a similar case involving some of the same suppliers and the F-150, and Keystone is currently appealing. With Ford already winning a similar case, and what we'd assume is a much larger legal budget than the defendants', the Blue Oval will likely come out on top in this ruling, as well.
Ford will be producing 1,000 GT500KR Mustangs this year, with another 700 in 2009, so FoMoCo is pricing the ultimate 'Stang accordingly. For $79,995 (including destination and gas-guzzler tax), you get everything included in the "standard" GT500, plus Ford Racing's Power Upgrade Package, which includes a new exhaust and a recalibrated ECU to push out 540 hp and 510 lb.-ft. of torque from the supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The only options on the ordering form are a Shaker 1000 stereo, Sirius satellite radio and a navigation system. Ford hasn't disclosed fuel economy numbers yet, but we doubt anyone willing to drop $80k on a blown V8 is troubled by topping off their own KR with $4.00-a-gallon premium. Get your orders in now; sales begin later this month.
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We're rather pleased that Saleen has seen fit to offer their excellent 302 cubic inch V8 as a crate engine. Having driven several Mustangs equipped with the powerplant , we feel qualified to say that this is an engine more than worthy of carrying on the 5.0 legacy. If you want take-no-prisoners style horsepower, consider opting for the supercharged model, which we found almost too powerful for every day use in the Saleen S302E Mustang. Perhaps a more streetable choice would be the naturally-aspirated version that we sampled in the Saleen/Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang.
Regardless of your choice of induction, the base engine will have started life as one of Ford's 4.6 liter modular blocks. After being bored and stroked to the requisite five liters, the block receives bigger injectors, ported aluminum heads, performance camshafts, forged-aluminum pistons, forged-steel connecting rods and a forged-steel crank. Power levels range from 390 to 580 horsepower, depending on your choice of options. You can peruse the complete press release after the break.
We've shown you plenty of 2010 Ford Mustang spy shots in recent months, but after seeing the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 in person this week at the Chicago Auto Show, our eagerness for the pony car wars to begin anew has reached a fever pitch. These new spy shots of the refreshed Mustang GT that is scheduled to debut as a 2010 model focus exclusively on the car's rear end where we get our best view yet of its new taillights. It appears that brake lights are inspired by three vertical brake lights that were on the original Mustangs. Brenda Priddy's spy photog also happened to catch this particular convertible just as a train was passing by bearing "GT" on the side of a car. It must make spy photography so much easier when random objects in your environment happen to caption the subject of your shot.
With all the hype surrounding the upcoming production versions of the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro, it's easy to forget that the Mustang is still king of the hill when it comes to pony car sales. We've had the very competent current model since Fall 2004, while any competition continues to be stuck in future-tense. Even without any direct competition, Ford has stayed on top of its RWD V8 American icon, and the 2+2 pony car is still the stuff of dreams. The marketing geeks at Ford picked up on the phenomenon, and the result is a :30 spot with some lucky Joe performing power slides and donuts in a red Mustang GT while the fuzz give him the thumbs-up. Ford added a hot brunette driving a Mustang convertible for good measure, and you've got the ideal REM of many-a-man.
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