When the Shelby GT500 came out in 1967, it was a real monster. It looked mean, it sounded menacing, and it was like a stench. In a time when cars were starting to drop in price, the GT500 did the opposite. Like an elegant thug, delicate but also brutal. It demands respect and rewards you with unparalleled levels of adrenaline and excitement. It’s more like the muscular, tattooed brother of the Mustang that you don’t want to mess with.
There was something very interesting about the original Shelby GT500. A massive engine housed in a blistered body with vents and shovels is a pretty good start. Carroll Shelby knows a thing or two about car modification, and the GT500 is considered one of his best cars.
Off the back of the GT40 that beat Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966, it can be said that the morale around the Ford Motor Company was pretty high. Ford’s image has always been at an all-time high, and they (and Shelby) decided to try to make the most of that when designing the GT500. Since then, one of the designers has revealed that he took a lot of inspiration from the GT40 when coming up with the concept of the GT500’s look.
Almost everything Shelby touches turns to gold, so there’s a lot of optimism surrounding the GT500. Working with the first-generation Mustang was brave, as it can be difficult to modify such an emblem in a way that maintains its unique soul but only rotates the dial up to eleven. Shelby has achieved this with the GT350 – a noisy, rattling car that will clack and slam into the streets, sure to put a childish smile on the driver’s side.
