A celebration that lasts three years is incredible, but that’s what’s happening with the latest Shelby Mustang that we see in the market.
This new car is extremely rare and one that you might never see or get your hands on, but it is still there, and it’s being made to be a limited-run model that is made to celebrate the fact that Shelby American has been around for sixty years. The Mustang represents one of the greatest collaborations in the automotive market, between Carroll Shelby and the Ford team, which turned into a partnership that won at Le Mans in the 1960s.
It Wasn’t the Mustang that Won
The collaboration between Shelby and Ford went much farther than the GT40 that was winning Le Mans in the 1960s; this collaboration turned into some special models of the Ford Mustang as well. In fact, most of us understand the Shelby versions of the Mustang are the most powerful, most aggressive, and wear the cobra snake logo in several areas of the car to give you the look that symbolizes the height of driving on the road or track. This look is certainly one that honors the man who put his name on these cars.
A Return to the Past
Understanding that the Shelby Mustang is the top level of driving for this car name, the model that’s celebrating sixty years of Shelby American being in business is truly the pinnacle of driving fun and performance for this name. This car is the new GT500KR which has only been offered in the market two times in the past, and now it has returned to be a car that will symbolize the success and incredible run that has been part of this amazing company.
How Rare is the GT500KR
The Shelby Mustang GT500KR is only going to be made in sixty models for each of the first three model years of the 2020 decade. These sixty are being sold in the United States with an additional 45 for the international market, making this one of those rare cars that could easily be the only one in a particular state or country. We might find out that many of the people that purchase this rare Mustang will be those that only add it to their collection of cars and never drive it, but there just might be a few owners out there who decide to truly enjoy what this car has to offer.
When Have We Seen this Car in the Past?
The GT500KR is a car that came out as a special edition model in 1968 and again from 2008-2009, giving us the other two times in history that we have had the “King of the Road” from the Shelby American team. Yes, KR does mean King of the Road, and this car certainly can be that for the performance drive that owners will enjoy during a drive.
Shelby Made More Models Before
The first King of the Road version of the Shelby Mustang that was built took place in 1968, and there were 1570 versions of that GT500KR that were built and sold. This was a large number made, with 1053 of them being fastbacks and 517 were convertibles. These cars were rated at 335 horsepower: a far cry from the 900 horsepower for the latest model of this amazing Mustang.
Only 1000 units of the 2008-2009 version of the GT500KR were supposed to be built, but more were made due to the high demand. The final total came in at 1,712 models, which ended up being the largest number of this version of the Shelby Mustang. When this model came to the market, it was built to produce 540 horsepower for drivers who bought the car. Once again, that number is much less than the 900 horsepower of the current model.
Let’s take a look at what the latest version of the GT500KR will bring.
Standing Out in the Crowd
The Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic but also most common sports cars in the market. This car brings a carbon-fiber hood, front splitter, and rear diffuser to have some lightweight components that will aid in the performance of this amazing car out on the road. Yes, this car will be road legal and will be one of the most powerful cars that are legal to drive on the road.
We also see this car wearing new performance tires that will ride on special one-piece 6061-T6 forged aluminum wheels. These wheels are going to be staggered as 20 x 11 inches up the front and 20 x11.5 inches for the rear, giving drivers the performance qualities desired in the wheels. When this car shows up, a set of Shelby rocker stripes and badges, a Shelby hood strut system, and leather seats covers are part of the upgrades you’ll find that will make this car one that looks amazing and ready for some fun on the road or track.
Substantial Performance in the Shelby Mustang GT500KR
All of the impressive visual items offered in this version of the Mustang allow this car to harness the power of an amazing powertrain. This car is powered by a 5.2-liter V8 engine, which we find in the GT350 and GT500 models of this car. This engine is tuned up to an incredible level of 900 horsepower to provide fun and speed. The 3.8-liter supercharged attached to the engine makes this possible, making this a car that can run fast and hard on 93-octane fuel.
Along with the power offered, this car will be balanced with the MagneRide suspension that has been recalibrated to give the drive desired, whether on the road or out on a track running some fast laps. Shelby American also adds a set of Ford Performance front and rear sway bars to this rare and amazing version of the Shelby Mustang.
As you can see, a three-year celebration of being in business for 60 years is certainly appropriate for Shelby American with the latest version of the Mustang GT500KR. Maybe you’ll get to see one of these cars racing around at a track near you.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.