Pricing confusion on 500's from newbie

The Shelby GT is a Mustang modified by Shelby Autos and sold thru the Ford dealer channel.
The Shelby GT-H is a special modified Mustang sold to Hertz for rental, and will be disposed at the end of the term by Hertz.
The Shelby Ford GT500 is an Shelby-endorsed factory built Mustang sold thru the Ford dealer channel...and untouched by Shelby Autos.
The Shelby GT500KR is a Ford GT500 modified by Shelby Autos and sold back thru the Ford dealer channel.

 

You should check over on some of the other boards for add'l information, but here is what I gather about the running topic of the GT 500:

1. MSRP is between $42k and $44k (coupe), but very few, if any, have found a car for that price. Current ADMs seems to be starting at $5k and going up to $20k. If you find one on the lower range, you better jump on it - I see used GT500s selling for more than MSRP (when they are listed). If you hold out for a good deal or because you refuse to pay ADM, you may be S.O.L.

2. They plan to make around 9,000 or 10,000 GT500s each year, but that doesn't seem to be knocking the ADMs down. Just extremely high demand.

3. 500+ horsepower is a big jump from the regular Mustang's 220 or so and the GT's 300 and the Shelby GT-H / GT's 325, so for what you are paying for, you get a lot of car.

4. There is a running debate about the "Shelbyness" of the GT500, as they wear Shelby badges, but are built strictly by Ford in their plants and never see Las Vegas (unless you send your car there for additional modifications). The GT-H and SGT are purchased by Shelby and then are modded by in Vegas. Do you care (some people do)?

If you still have thoughts towards the GT-H or the GT-H convertible, have you thought about a Shelby GT (both models will be out in '08)? I think the colors are white / silver, black / silver, blue /silver silver or, in California, orange / silver, and they aren't making too many, but it's a NEW vehicle nearly identical to what you rented and you CAN find them for close to or lower than MSRP (for the coupes, anyway).

Sorry for the lengthy post (I'm a lawyer, too, and it runs with the job).

 

Car is a GT500 (see side stripes and hood) convertible. GT500 models do not come with stripes. Also wrong blue for a 2008 Shelby GT which is just starting production and will be available through lottery distribution to dealers based on 2006-7 Mustang sales. This has been posted on other web sites.

 

I believe GT500s DO come with the stripes, but there is the option for the stripe delete package. As far as I know, the Shelby GTs cannot be delivered without the stripes.

 

Not the convertibles. Only the coupes come from the factory with stripes included.

 

Correct, the over the top stripes are not available on the GT500 convertible.
Only the side stripe is available.

Both coupe and convertible can be ordered without stripes.

robin

 

Spoke to Ford's SVT through their 1-800 line last week. Forecasted production for 2008 GT500's is, "hope to get to 8,000."

 

When did the following Shelbys see the inside of a Shelby plant? : 68 GT350, 68 GT500, 68 GT500KR, 69/70 GT350 and GT500's

As Shelby once said "if its a great car the name won't matter, if its a bad car the name won't save it". I think a factory 500 horse Mustang by any name would have similar pricing.

 

65 - You make a good point about the older cars, but I wasn't around to know whether those cars were marketed as "SHELBY" GT350s / GT500s back in the day. Unfortunately, even if you're right, it doesn't seem to sway the arguments I've seen on other boards. Perhaps the difference is better observed if you compare the original Shelbys ('65 and '66), where they actually did some of the modifications in-house, to the current Shelby GTs and GT500s.

The current cars are promoted, to a large degree, as a "Shelby" designed model, distinguished and removed from the regular Mustangs and Mustang GTs. Not just another special edition, but a vastly superior car based loosely on the same body style (and interior, which seems damn near identical).

If you're only after the horsepower and can ignore the name plates, there are plenty of modifications that can be made to a 4.6L to get you into that kind of power without spending the $25,000 to $30,000 in higher MSRP and exorbinant ADM to get a GT500. But that's a whole other debate!