In 1970, the last of the original Shelby Mustangs hit American highways. The most coveted of those were the GT500KR convertibles that combined a 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine rated at a very conservative 360 horsepower and open air motoring. On paper, the GT500KR wasn’t the most powerful Mustang. The Boss 429 was rated at a whopping 375 horsepower, but any self-respecting drag racer knew that the Cobra Jet engine was actually stronger. Ford had simply under-rated the horsepower figure so that its cars would have an advantage on the drag strip when matched up with other production cars of similar horsepower ratings. The world had to wait for three-and-a-half decades for the return of the Shelby Mustang. And for all those years, those Boss 429, Cobra Jets and GT500KRs reigned as the most powerful Mustangs ever built. That all changed as the new 2007 GT500 Mustangs started rolling off the production line in the early summer of 2006. Thanks to 329.5 cid of supercharged double-overhead camshaft, 32-valve V-8 power, the new GT500 has taken the crown with an honest rating of just over 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. All that power reaches the rear wheels by way of a Tremac six-speed manual transmission. The MacPherson strut front suspension and live rear axle suspension have been extensively tuned by Ford SVT with lessons learned from the Ford Racing Mustang FR500 that won the 2005 Grand Am Series championship. Visually, the new Ford Shelby GT500 has many styling cues tying it back to its namesake, including the Le Mans-style racing stripes and the Shelby snake grille logo in place of the standard Mustang emblem. And because most other drivers will only see the tail of this potent street machine the gas cap medallion between the taillights reads “Shelby GT500” centered on the Cobra image. The black Shelby Mustang GT500 on offer is a very special car—in many ways. Trimmed with dark charcoal leather (with embroidered Shelby logos) and a black convertible top, this is just the 18th GT500 built. Fitted with all standard GT500 equipment, including big brembo disc brakes at all corners, 16 x 9.5 aluminum wheels, aluminum hood, boost gauge and air conditioning, options include Sirius satellite radio and the GT500 premium trim package. But, this car also comes complete with two features not listed on the window sticker and unavailable at any price—the signatures of Carroll Shelby and Bill Ford on the car and on the factory invoice. Jennifer and David Fischer of The Suburban Collection, long time supporters of The Henry Ford, enlisted the aid of Ford Motor Company to secure this special serial number vehicle and have it signed by Carroll Shelby and Bill Ford. They then made it available for auction with the proceeds benefiting the museum’s capital campaign. With delivery mileage only, this gleaming black early production GT500 is one of the first Cobras to be offered for public commerce. The Henry Ford, a National Historic Landmark in Dearborn, Michigan, is one of the largest history destinations in the world. Celebrating the American experience for more than 75 years, The Henry Ford includes five distinct venues and a public charter high school —Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, IMAX Theatre, Benson Ford Research Center, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, and Henry Ford Academy. The Henry Ford provides unique educational offerings based on authentic objects and the stories of ordinary people who changed the world. In addition to a substantial collection of important vehicles, the research center has one of America’s finest automotive libraries. Bonhams & Butterfields is delighted that The Henry Ford and the Fischers have chosen them to offer this exciting new performance car at Quail Lodge. Not only will the new owner take possession of an incredibly powerful example of American engineering, he or she will be supporting one of the country’s great museums of the American experience.
In 1970, the last of the original Shelby Mustangs hit American highways. The most coveted of those were the GT500KR convertibles that combined a 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine rated at a very conservative 360 horsepower and open air motoring. On paper, the GT500KR wasn’t the most powerful Mustang. The Boss 429 was rated at a whopping 375 horsepower, but any self-respecting drag racer knew that the Cobra Jet engine was actually stronger. Ford had simply under-rated the horsepower figure so that its cars would have an advantage on the drag strip when matched up with other production cars of similar horsepower ratings. The world had to wait for three-and-a-half decades for the return of the Shelby Mustang. And for all those years, those Boss 429, Cobra Jets and GT500KRs reigned as the most powerful Mustangs ever built. That all changed as the new 2007 GT500 Mustangs started rolling off the production line in the early summer of 2006. Thanks to 329.5 cid of supercharged double-overhead camshaft, 32-valve V-8 power, the new GT500 has taken the crown with an honest rating of just over 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. All that power reaches the rear wheels by way of a Tremac six-speed manual transmission. The MacPherson strut front suspension and live rear axle suspension have been extensively tuned by Ford SVT with lessons learned from the Ford Racing Mustang FR500 that won the 2005 Grand Am Series championship. Visually, the new Ford Shelby GT500 has many styling cues tying it back to its namesake, including the Le Mans-style racing stripes and the Shelby snake grille logo in place of the standard Mustang emblem. And because most other drivers will only see the tail of this potent street machine the gas cap medallion between the taillights reads “Shelby GT500” centered on the Cobra image. The black Shelby Mustang GT500 on offer is a very special car—in many ways. Trimmed with dark charcoal leather (with embroidered Shelby logos) and a black convertible top, this is just the 18th GT500 built. Fitted with all standard GT500 equipment, including big brembo disc brakes at all corners, 16 x 9.5 aluminum wheels, aluminum hood, boost gauge and air conditioning, options include Sirius satellite radio and the GT500 premium trim package. But, this car also comes complete with two features not listed on the window sticker and unavailable at any price—the signatures of Carroll Shelby and Bill Ford on the car and on the factory invoice. Jennifer and David Fischer of The Suburban Collection, long time supporters of The Henry Ford, enlisted the aid of Ford Motor Company to secure this special serial number vehicle and have it signed by Carroll Shelby and Bill Ford. They then made it available for auction with the proceeds benefiting the museum’s capital campaign. With delivery mileage only, this gleaming black early production GT500 is one of the first Cobras to be offered for public commerce. The Henry Ford, a National Historic Landmark in Dearborn, Michigan, is one of the largest history destinations in the world. Celebrating the American experience for more than 75 years, The Henry Ford includes five distinct venues and a public charter high school —Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, IMAX Theatre, Benson Ford Research Center, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, and Henry Ford Academy. The Henry Ford provides unique educational offerings based on authentic objects and the stories of ordinary people who changed the world. In addition to a substantial collection of important vehicles, the research center has one of America’s finest automotive libraries. Bonhams & Butterfields is delighted that The Henry Ford and the Fischers have chosen them to offer this exciting new performance car at Quail Lodge. Not only will the new owner take possession of an incredibly powerful example of American engineering, he or she will be supporting one of the country’s great museums of the American experience.
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
