2007 FORD SHELBY GT500: MOST POWERFUL MUSTANG EVER

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• Performance Inspiration: Carroll Shelby and Ford Special Vehicle Team join forces to create a modern successor to the famous Shelby GT500 of the late 1960s
• Performance Hardware: 475-horsepower supercharged V-8, 6-speed manual transmission, race-tuned suspension, four-piston Brembo brakes
• Performance Design: Mustang heritage with aggressive muscular front-end design, Le Mans racing stripes, unmistakable "Cobra" logo and Shelby nameplate

The Ford Shelby GT500 seamlessly combines the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance cues, such as the famous Shelby Cobra logo.

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2006 – What happens when a legend from Texas reunites with a legend from Dearborn? The most powerful Mustang ever.

After 40 years, racing legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Mustang are back together with the introduction of the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500.

Performance legend Carroll Shelby first put the muscle in the pony car.

A modern interpretation of the Shelby Mustang of the 1960s, the Ford Shelby GT500 uses advanced engineering to attain the performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road.

True to the original GT500, it will be available both as a coupe and as a convertible when it goes on sale in the summer of 2006.

"When Carroll was developing the original GT350 and GT500, he wanted to build the most powerful, most capable Mustangs of his day," says Hau Thai-Tang, director, Advanced Product Creation and Special Vehicle Team. "Our goal was to build the most powerful, most capable Mustang ever."

Serving as touchstone and inspirational leader for both the concept and the production versions, Shelby was impressed by what the team has accomplished.

The rear spoiler of the Ford Shelby GT500 echoes that of the classic GT500, while the rear air diffuser is inspired by the modern Ford GT.

Shelby knows something about creating modern supercars. He served as a senior adviser on the team that developed and built the 550-horsepower Ford GT.

As expected of anything with Shelby's name on it, the heart of the car is what's under the hood. The Ford Shelby GT500's supercharged 5.4-liter, 32-valve V-8 evolves from Ford's experience with tuning its modular, or MOD, engines. Output is a brawny 475 horsepower.

The engine is force-fed an air-and-fuel mixture via a "Roots-type" supercharger providing 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. The GT500 uses a cast-iron engine block. It borrows from the Ford GT program aluminum, four-valve cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings, adding a high level of performance durability to the drivetrain. "Powered by SVT" camshaft covers add the finishing touch to the engine.

Helping put the power to the pavement is a 6-speed manual gearbox. For the performance driver, its evenly spaced gears mean less "stirring" is needed to find the "sweet spot." This gives a rewarding experience throughout the engine's broad torque curve. The heavy-duty transmission has proven itself a willing companion to Mustangs in both road and track environments, including recent road-going Mustang Cobras and the new race-winning Mustang FR500C.

The Ford Shelby GT500 continues a legacy of all-around performance that made the original a world-class racer on tracks and road courses around the world.

The Ford Shelby GT500 starts with the solid Mustang underpinnings. The all-new Mustang was designed from the beginning with performance derivatives in mind, providing an exceptionally rigid, well-engineered starting point for GT500 chassis engineers.

SVT engineers retuned and upgraded key chassis components. Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the Ford Shelby GT500 stop and turn with the same authority as it goes.

The Ford Shelby GT500 features a MacPherson strut independent front suspension with Reverse L lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle.

This rear suspension design has been validated on the track by Ford Racing. The Ford Racing Mustang FR500C was purpose-built from the base 2005 Mustang body structure and suspension geometry to run in the Grand-Am Cup series, a class of road racing for production-based cars.

Competing against the best from Germany and Japan, a Mustang FR500C won its first race in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February 2005. It went on to dominate the season and clinch the championship.

"SVT and Ford Racing will be working closer than ever as we go forward on future projects, especially Mustangs," says Thai-Tang, a Ford Racing alumnus who served as the race engineer for the Newman-Haas Racing team in 1993.

To match this power and handling ability, engineers fitted some of the biggest brakes in the business to the Ford Shelby GT500. Four-piston Brembo calipers are fitted to 14-inch Brembo vented rotors up front, and 11.8-inch vented discs in the rear continue SVT's legacy of great-braking Mustangs. Secure footing is provided by 255/45ZR high-performance tires in front and 285/40ZR high-performance tires in back. Wheels are 18 inches by 9.5 inches.

One glance shows this is not the typical Mustang Cobra. A sinister-looking front-end design includes wide upper and lower fascia openings with a functional air splitter. The upper intake sports the famous Cobra logo floating off-center in place of a centered galloping pony found on other Mustangs. On either side, slanting headlamp openings add to the dramatic front appearance.

The "GT500" script emblazoned on the gas cap emblem is joined by an updated version of Shelby's classic Cobra logo that is repeated on the grille and the headrest.

"The restrained, performance-oriented SVT design theme has become instantly recognizable to enthusiasts without brash styling cues," says Doug Gaffka, design director, Ford SVT vehicles. "The GT500 takes a huge leap forward by combining the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance look."

The 2005 Mustang design team drew inspiration from classic 1968 Mustangs, the models that transformed the mild-mannered pony car into a muscle car with attitude. Envisioning a high-performance model, the team tested GT500 design cues on the Mustang GT coupe concept that was unveiled at the 2003 North American International Auto Show.

In 2004, designers further developed the GT500 look on the Mustang GT-R, a race-bred concept with the dual purpose of foreshadowing SVT's Mustang design direction and Ford Racing's plans to return Mustang to road racing. The Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra concept coupe capped the design conceptualization effort.

The production Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe now comes into full light, punctuated by the classic Le Mans-style white stripes that race along the top from nose to tail. The stripes recall the Shelby Mustangs that marked another important 1960s Mustang transition when Ford put it on the track to becoming a racing legend. The GT500 nomenclature is prominent in the lower bodyside racing stripe, another cue from the classic Shelby Mustangs.

In a touch also borrowed from the GT500's past, no Le Mans stripes will be seen on the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible. However, the convertible will sport a cloth top similar to those found on pricier convertibles.

"There were no Le Mans stripes on Shelby's original GT500 Convertible, so we decided to pay homage by not offering them on the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500," says Gaffka. "We also went with a cloth top material as another measure of substance and authenticity. The fabric used is the same used on the 2002-03 SVT Mustang Cobra, the Thunderbird, Jaguar and Ford's other high-end convertibles."

The unique rear fascia features lower strakes inspired by the Ford GT's integrated rear airflow diffuser, and a rear spoiler reminiscent of a classic GT500. To mark the collaboration of two Mustang performance icons, the GT500 features Shelby and SVT badging.

The fenders each feature an updated design of the Cobra. The front grille features an off-center snake in place of the standard running horse. "GT500" is emblazoned inside the side rocker stripes, and the name SHELBY is prominently written across the rear deck. The SVT logo can be seen on the wheel center caps, a signature SVT location, as well as on the doorsill plates. To top it off, the medallion between the taillights reads "Shelby GT500" centered on the Cobra image.

The Ford Shelby GT500 convertible builds on four decades of open-air heritage; the first Mustang was a drop top. More than 1 million convertibles have been sold since 1964.

The Shelby GT500 script and Cobra image are repeated on the steering wheel cap. Behind the wheel, the gauges wear light faces in keeping with SVT tradition. The chromed accessories inside the cabin have been replaced with a satin aluminum finish, including the aluminum shift lever knob that is nicely positioned for quick, positive shifts.

With the look and legend one would expect from Shelby and the kind of power and performance enthusiasts have come to expect from SVT, the GT500 points to a brand-new era in Ford's performance future.

The Ford Shelby GT500 features Le Mans-style white racing stripes from nose to tail, inspired by those featured on classic Ford Shelby Mustangs.

The ultimate Shelby Mustang of the era was the GT-500KR, or "King of the Road." Powered by a big block 428-cubic-inch "Cobra Jet" V-8, the GT-500 was one of the most powerful, and memorable, muscle cars of that period. Shelby Mustang production ceased in 1970 with a total volume of 14,559 units.

The Ford Special Vehicle Team brought high performance back to Mustang in 1993. After 12 years, with nearly 80,000 high-performance Mustangs on the streets and total SVT vehicle production nearing 145,000, SVT is primed for growth with the GT500 serving as the foundation for other performance Mustang projects.

By bringing together Shelby and Ford SVT, the company's commitment to performance becomes as powerful as at any time in its history – including the famed "Total Performance" days of the 1960s. From the Ford GT supercar, the GT500, to a rejuvenated Ford Racing Performance Parts program, performance and racing can drive innovation and add luster to Ford's proud brand heritage.

"SVT will remain the leader in performance vehicle engineering," says Thai-Tang. "It will continue to build new, innovative products using advanced processes that will not only provide great enjoyment to the dedicated driving enthusiast, but that also will provide great benefit to other Ford products and Ford Motor Company itself."

The Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at the Ford-Mazda joint venture, AutoAlliance International, in Flat Rock, Mich.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS  BODY Construction Unitized welded steel body, aluminum hood  POWERTRAIN AND CHASSIS ENGINE Type V-8 Manufacturing location Romeo, Michigan Configuration Iron Block and Aluminum Heads Intake manifold Cast-aluminum with Roots-type supercharger and air-to-water intercooler Exhaust manifold Cast iron Crankshaft Forged steel Throttle Body Dual 60 mm, electronic Valvetrain DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Valve diameter Intake: 37.0 mm; Exhaust: 32.0 mm Pistons Forged aluminum Connecting Rods Cracked forged steel I-beams Ignition Coil-on-plug Bore x stroke 3.552 x 4.165 in. / 90.22 x 105.8 mm Displacement 330 cu. in. / 5,409 cc Horsepower 475 (estimated) Torque 475 lb.-ft. (estimated) Compression ratio 8.4:1 Redline 6,250 rpm Idle Speed in Neutral 750 rpm Engine control system Silver Oak PCM Recommended fuel Premium only Fuel capacity 16.0 gallons Fuel Injection Electronic returnless sequential Oil capacity 6.0 quarts  5W-50 Full Synthetic Coolant capacity 21 quarts DRIVETRAIN Layout Rear-wheel drive TRANSMISSION Standard (Type) Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual Gear Ratios 1st 2.97 2nd 1.78 3rd 1.3 4th 1.0 5th 0.80 6th 0.63 Final Drive 3.31 SUSPENSION Front Reverse-L independent MacPherson strut, 34-mm tubular stabilizer bar Rear Three-link solid axle with coil springs, Panhard rod, 24-mm solid stabilizer bar STEERING Type Rack and pinion with power assist Ratio 15.7:1 Steering column Tilt BRAKES Type Four wheel power disc with 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and traction control Front Brembo 14-inch diameter vented discs, four-piston aluminum calipers Rear 11.8-inch diameter vented discs, two-piston calipers TIRES AND WHEELS Tires P255/45R18 front tires, P285/40ZR18 rear tires Wheels 18 x 9.5-in machined aluminum wheels with SVT center caps  DIMENSIONS (inches unless otherwise noted) (All dimensions are Preliminary) EXTERIOR Wheelbase 107.1 in. Overall length 187.6 in. Overall width 73.9 in. Overall height 54.5 in., Coupe; 55.7 in., Convertible Track width, front/rear 61.9 in. / 62.5 in. Ground clearance 5.71 in. INTERIOR Seating capacity 4 passenger Headroom Front row 38.6 in., Coupe; 38.8 in., Convertible Second row 35.0 in., Coupe; 36.3 in., Convertible Legroom Front row 42.7 in., Coupe; 42.7 in., Convertible Second row 31.0 in., Coupe; 30.3 in., Convertible Shoulder room Front row 55.4 in., Coupe; 55.4 in., Convertible Second row 53.3 in., Coupe; 45.0 in., Convertible Hip room Front row 53.6 in., Coupe; 53.6 in., Convertible Second row 46.7 in., Coupe; 45.4 in., Convertible Cargo Volume 12.3 cu. ft., Coupe; 9.7 cu. ft., Convertible  WEIGHTS AND CAPACITIES (pounds unless otherwise noted) Curb weight, pounds Coupe ~3,920 pounds Convertible ~4,040 pounds Weight distribution (f/r) 57/43  SAFETY Safety belts Load-limiting seat belts with pretensioners and height-adjustable shoulder belts for front seating positions (coupe) Three-point safety belts for all seating positions BeltMinder™ safety-belt reminder chime Air bags Dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags with crash-severity sensor, driver-seat-position sensor and front-passenger weight sensor Seat-deployed side air bags for driver and front passenger Child safety Childproof rear door locks LATCH anchors for rear outboard seats Brakes Anti-lock braking system (ABS) Traction-control system Fuel Inertia-activated shutoff switch for fuel pump Security SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system Remote keyless entry Separate alarm sounder Anti-tow sensor Ultrasonic interior motion sensor Perimeter anti-theft battery  MAJOR STANDARD EQUIPMENT Audio system Shaker 500: AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD/MP3 player with eight speakers EXTERIOR Badging Unique GT500 Top Black cloth (Convertible only) Exhaust Tuned dual stainless steel Fascia Unique GT500 color-keyed front and rear Fog lamps Front Grille Unique upper with Cobra emblem Hood Unique with heat extractors Locking Remote keyless entry Spoiler Unique color-keyed decklid spoiler Trim Over-the-top "LeMans" stripes and "GT500" side stripes (Coupe) "GT500" side stripes (Convertible) Trunk “Fix a Flat” tire repair kit INTERIOR Air conditioning Manual Console Center with full armrest and storage Cupholders 2 Door trim inserts Soft vinyl Floor mats Front, color-keyed with driver-side retention hook Instrument cluster Includes boost gauge and message center, SVT graphics Map pockets Front doors Power points 2 Scuff plates Door sills, with bright SVT script insert Seats Leather sport buckets; 6-way power adjustable driver seat with power lumbar and 2-way adjustable head restraint Shift knob Unique with leather shift boot and parking brake handle Steering wheel Leather-wrapped with unique thumb pads, adjustable for tilt Windows/door locks Power  OPTIONS DELETE OPTIONS "LeMans" stripes Coupe only "GT500" side stripes Coupe, Convertible AUDIO Shaker 1000 1000 watt audio system: AM/FM stereo, in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 player, 10 speakers Satellite radio SIRIUS PACKAGE GT500 Premium Interior Trim Package Wrapped and stitched instrument panel brow and center condole with upgraded door armrest, electrochromic rearview mirror and aluminum pedal covers  EXTERIOR/INTERIOR COLORS EXTERIOR Paint/stripe colors Torch Red Clearcoat with Performance White or Satin Silver stripes Alloy Clearcoat Metallic with Satin Silver or Tungsten stripes Vista Blue Clearcoat with Performance White or Tungsten stripes Performance White Clearcoat with Vista Blue or Tungsten stripes Tungsten Grey Clearcoat with Satin Silver stripes Valencia Yellow Clearcoat with Tungsten stripes Ebony Clearcoat with Performance White or Tungsten stripes Convertible top Black cloth INTERIOR Charcoal Black/Charcoal Black Charcoal Black/Crimson Red  WARRANTY INFORMATION Warranty 3-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty 1968 and 2007 FORD SHELBY GT500 COMPARISONS   1968 Shelby GT500 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 2006 Ford Mustang GT  BODY Construction Unibody Unibody Unibody Styles Fastback, convertible Coupe, convertible Coupe, convertible  ENGINE Type 90 degree V-8 90 degree V-8 90 degree V-8 Bore x stroke 4.13 x 3.98 inches/104.9 x 101.1 mm 3.552 x 4.165 inches/90.22 x 105.8 mm 3.55 x 3.54 inches/90.22 x 90.0 mm Displacement 428 cu. In./ 7,013 cc 330 cu. in./5,409 cc 281 cu. in./4,606 cc Horsepower 360 @ 5,400 rpm (SAE gross) Estimated: 475 (SAE net) 300 @ 5,750 rpm (SAE net) Torque 420 lb.-ft. @ 3,200 rpm (SAE gross) Estimated: 475 lb.-ft. (SAE net) 320 lb.-ft. @ 4,500 rpm (SAE net) Horsepower per liter 51.33 (SAE gross) Estimated: 87.95 (SAE net) 65.13 (SAE net) Block Cast iron Cast iron Aluminum Heads Cast iron, overhead valves Ford GT aluminum, dual overhead cams Aluminum, single overhead cam Compression ratio 10.5:1 8.4:1 9.8:1 Valvetrain   Camshaft Single, in block Dual, overhead Single, overhead   Valves per cylinder Two: 1 intake, 1 exhaust Four: 2 intake, 2 exhaust Three: 2 intake, 1 exhaust Fuel system   Delivery 4bbl carb w/ 600 cfm primaries, 715 cfm secondaries Elec. fuel injec., dual 60 mm throttle body Elec. fuel injec., dual 55 mm throttle body   Intake manifold Cobra Aluminum Alum with supercharger and intercooler Aluminum Ignition Mechanically-driven distributor Coil-on-plug Coil-on-plug Exhaust system   Manifolds Cast iron Cast iron Cast iron   Arrangement Dual Dual Dual  TRANSMISSION Standard 4-speed manual 6-speed manual 5-speed manual Optional 3-speed automatic None 5-speed automatic Final drive 3.50:1, manual/3.50:1, automatic 3.31:1 3.55, manual/3.31, automatic  SUSPENSION Front Independent Reverse-L independent Reverse-L independent   Springs and shocks 360 lbs./in. coil with adj. hydraulic shocks MacPherson struts MacPherson struts   Stabilizer bar 23.9 mm 34 mm 34 mm Rear Live axle Live axle Live axle   Type Hotchkiss with custom windup dampers Three-link with Panhard rod Three-link with Panhard rod   Springs 135 lbs./in. 4-leaf semi-elliptical coil springs coil springs   Shocks Adjustable hydraulic shocks       Stabilizer bar   24 mm, Coupe; 20 mm, Convertible 20 mm, Coupe; 18 mm, Convertible  BRAKES Type Power assisted front disc, rear drum Pwr asst four-wheel disc w/ ABS, Traction Control Power assisted four-wheel disc, ABS   Front 11.3-inch ventilated discs Brembo 14-in. vented discs, 4-piston calipers 12.4-in vented discs, twin-piston calipers   Rear 10.0 x 1.75-inch rear drums 11.8-in. vented discs, single-piston calipers  WHEELS/TIRES Wheels Standard: 15-inch x 6-inch steel wheels Standard: 18-inch x 9.5-inch aluminum wheels Standard: 17-inch x 8-inch aluminum wheels   Optional: 15-inch x 7-inch steel wheels Optional: None Optional: 18-inch x 8-inch aluminum wheels Tires E70 x 15 nylon 4-ply nylon, rated to 130 mph Front:P255/45ZR 18; Rear: P285/40ZR 18 Standard: P235/55ZR 17       Optional P235//50ZR 18 Steering Type Power assisted recirculating ball Power assisted rack and pinion Power assisted rack and pinion Ratio 16 to 1 15.6 to 1 15.6 to 1  DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES Wheelbase 108.0 inches 107.1 inches 107.1 inches Length 186.8 inches 187.6 inches 187.6 inches Width 70.9 inches 73.9 inches 73.9 inches Height 51.8 inches (Fastback) 55.7 inches (Coupe) 55.4 inches (Coupe) Track, front/rear 58.1 inches/58.1 inches 61.9 inches/62.5 inches 62.8 inches/63.0 inches Curb weight 3,445 lbs. (Fastback with automatic) ~3,920 lbs Coupe 3,488 lbs. (Coupe with manual) Weight distribution, f/r 56.4%/43.6% (Fastback with automatic) 57%/43% 54%/46 (Coupe with manual)