Ford Announces 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible

The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Now Ford returns to Chicago to celebrate its past and look to the future with the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible.

In honor of SVT’s anniversary, a commemorative lighted sill plate will be used in the 2013 Shelby GT500 to celebrate the many years of performance vehicles. The 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra offered a 235-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine, which demonstrates just how far the products have come in 20 years. The 2013 Shelby GT500 with its 650-horsepower V8 marks the latest offering from one of the oldest and most successful automotive performance groups in the world.

"The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is," said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. "All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track but can still be driven on a daily basis."

Ford Executives Confirm EcoBoost Mustang Rumor

While there have been rumors of an EcoBoost-powered Mustang ever since Ford coined the EcoBoost name, the company's executives have been pretty mum on the subject. But at an event in conjunction with the first press preview day of the 2012 Detroit auto show, the company's chief product man, Derrick Kuzak, acknowledged the existence of the turbo Mustang.

Said Kuzak, "Given the success we’ve had with EcoBoost across the lineup that we've talked about, it's fair to assume that we will have an EcoBoost Mustang in the very near future."

And that is all Kuzak is saying about that. Our guess is that the engine in question would be a four-cylinder version, similar to the 2.0-liter unit that will power the upcoming 247-hp Focus ST. If so, it would leave room for the current 305-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 to slot between the new turbocharged, direct-injected four and the 412-hp 5.0-liter V-8 (which will be upgraded to 420 hp for 2013). Earlier rumors indicated that the EcoBoost motor would be a larger displacement four-cylinder making more on the order of 300 hp. We're reading Kuzak's words to mean that the new engine option would appear within the next year or two.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Shelby Unveils 50th Anniversary Mustang Packages

To honor its 50th anniversary, Shelby American today unleashed a new line of Anniversary Edition Shelby GTS, GT350 and Super Snake vehicles. Only 50 white and 50 black of each post title Shelby model will be manufactured, making it an instant collector’s item and an iconic piece of automotive history.

“Few thought that Shelby American would make it in the car business for 50 years,” said Carroll Shelby. “We built the first Cobra in a rented garage and then GT350’s in an old hanger. But our company is still here, manufacturing the best cars that I’ve ever made. The next 50 years will be even better for Shelby American.”

The Shelby American name is synonymous with high performance worldwide. Over the past five decades, the company has relentlessly pushed the envelope with a string of superior vehicles and parts.

“Our golden anniversary is a remarkable milestone worthy of this limited edition line of Shelby vehicles,” said John Luft, president of Shelby American. “On the heels of the unprecedented sellout of our 50th Anniversary Edition Cobra 289, we expect demand for these new Shelby’s to be strong.”

Ford Announces New Licensed Reproduction 1967 Mustang Convertible Body Shell

2013 Shelby GT500 Debuts with 650 Horsepower, Top Speed of 200+ MPH

The ultimate Ford Mustang – Shelby GT500 – raises the bar high on performance with the introduction of the new 2013 model that goes on sale next year delivering 650 horsepower and a top speed of more than 200 mph.

“SVT keeps the Shelby GT500 on the cutting edge of technology and takes muscle car performance to new heights,” said Jost Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development. “We encapsulated every aspect of performance in this car – whether it’s 0-60, top speed, racetrack or quarter-mile times. Beyond that, the daily driver also will find this car perfectly fits his or her needs.”

The 5.8-liter V8 aluminum-block engine produces 650 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful production V8 in the world. The 3,850-pound car also stays exempt from the gas-guzzler tax.

Nearly every part of the powertrain has been optimized for producing the additional horsepower, including a new supercharger, new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle.