To honor its 50th anniversary, Shelby American is unleashing a new line of Anniversary Edition Shelby GTS, GT350, and Super Snake vehicles. Only 50 white and 50 black of each post-title Shelby model will be manufactured, making it an instant collector's item and an iconic piece of automotive history.
"Few thought that Shelby American would make it in the car business for 50 years," said Carroll Shelby. "We built the first Cobra in a rented garage and then GT350s in an old hanger. But our company is still here, manufacturing the best cars that I've ever made. The next 50 years will be even better for Shelby American."
Each of the special cars will carry gold stripes to signify the golden anniversary. In addition, they come with commemorative 50th anniversary badging, custom interiors, special wheels, 6-piston front brakes, car cover, and a unique VIN number that will be entered into the official Shelby registry. A special museum delivery ceremony at the Shelby factory in Las Vegas is also included in the package, as well as exclusive collector merchandise.
The 50th GT500 Super Snake is available as a coupe or convertible in 650, 750, or 800 horsepower configurations. Based on Ford's Shelby GT500, the car is enhanced at the Shelby American facility with more powerful brakes, better handling, and updated styling cues to match the higher horsepower. The anniversary package begins at $59,995, not including base car.
In 2010, Shelby American returned the storied GT350 nameplate to the road. Based on the Mustang GT with its 412hp Coyote 5.0L engine, the car is turned into a high performance Shelby with a 430, 525, or 624 horsepower engine, big brakes, and razor sharp suspension. The car is available as a coupe or convertible with the supercharged engine only with a manual transmission, while an automatic is available with the normally-aspirated 430hp engine. Previously only offered in red, white, or blue, the black version with gold stripes is a one-year anniversary exclusive. The post-title package begins at $59,995, not including the base Mustang GT.
The Shelby GTS post-title package can be based on either the V6 or 5.0 Mustang. Starting at $19,995 for the V6 package ($24,995 for the V8), the GTS features upgraded brakes, suspension, tune, and appearance. Many options are available for the GTS, including superchargers to boost performance.
"From the 800 horsepower Shelby Super Snake to the agile GT350 and nimble GTS, each 50th anniversary Shelby is built to run," noted John Luft, president of Shelby American. "A 50-year anniversary only comes around once in life. These limited-edition Shelbys will mark that milestone for a select few who have a chance to own a piece of history."