Ford will provide the 2023 Mustang GT models for Shelby American to turn into a special car. These cars celebrate the founder and legend Carroll Shelby.
This month would have been Shelby’s 100th birthday, and Shelby American has the right idea. They are producing a limited run of 100 Carroll Shelby Centennial Edition Ford Mustangs as a celebration. These cars will use the GT model as the base, but special badging and more power make the starting point of what owners will enjoy in this special, high-performance Mustang.
These cars sold out fast, as expected
It only took four days for all 100 models of this special car to be sold. That’s not a big surprise. Shelby American unveiled the prototype of this car in Gardena, California, just before opening the order books. That unveiling was enough for 100 buyers to open their checkbooks and pay the $49,9995 on top of the price of the base Mustang GT to reserve these cars. This influx of cash is great news for Shelby American, which can now get to work to build these cars to the exact specifications of each new owner.
Aren’t all of these special edition models the same?
The team at Shelby American isn’t being strict about the type of Ford Mustang GT that serves as the foundation for the special edition car. As long as it’s a GT, they will add the elements to make it the Carroll Shelby Centennial Edition car. The only aspect of this car the company seems to be strict about is the exterior colors. All models must adhere to the stock Mustang colors. This means there won’t be a Mach 1 or California Special colors used for this car. Otherwise, as long as it has the GT badging, a special edition model will be made.
Taking horsepower to a new level
As you would expect, the team at Shelby American will turn up the heat of this special Mustang. The standard GT model makes 450 horsepower, but this team will add their supercharger to make it pump out 750 galloping ponies. In addition to this supercharged engine, we’ll see a Borla cat-back exhaust system to give this car excellent performance and power. This hot rod version of the GT receives a lot more than just the power improvements from the supercharger.
This special Mustang brings more than just power
When Shelby American gets its hands on these 100 Ford Mustang GT models, it will do more than just boost the power. The front fenders are wider, and the stock wheels are replaced with 20×11 Shelby wheels. The tires around those wheels are replaced with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S performance tires, which can stick to the tarmac better than the stock models.
Adding more power means the need for better cooling, which is achieved using the Shelby vented hood and Shelby Performance Radiator. If the Mustang GT shows up for the special edition treatment without the Ford Performance Pack, Shelby American adds the Performance Pack brakes to the front axle, improving the stopping power of this high-performance Mustang.
Badges, we need lots of stinkin’ badges
Some people like to remove all of the badges from a car, but the new Carroll Shelby Centennial Edition Mustang will have badges that won’t allow anyone to forget what it is. the Shelby name is everywhere, on all four wheels, the upper grille, door sill plates, floor mats, and the top of the hood. A silhouette of the iconic man is shown off throughout the car as well.
In addition to the exorbitant number of badges and silhouettes on this amazing car, every customer also receives a special black Stetson hat and a copy of the Shelby Centennial Book that’s been published by Team Shelby.
There’s no denying this is the right way to honor the legendary life and influence of Carroll Shelby.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the 2023 Ford Mustang GT.
The GT comes with the right powertrain
If you’ve ever heard of the Coyote engine, you know it’s one of the most highly-respected power plants in the automotive world. This engine is a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 that delivers 450 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque. While not quite as powerful as the Mach 1 version, it’s the right foundational element for the Shelby American team to add their supercharger and boost power to the 750 horsepower level.
2023 is the final year of this Mustang generation
The next generation Mustang is already underway and will arrive for the 2024 model year. That said, we can’t move the 100th birthday of the iconic Carroll Shelby. The 2023 model of the Ford Mustang GT is the final year of the sixth generation of this car. The GT offers an incredible sound and the right notes to make anyone fall in love with this amazing car.
What does the Performance Pack bring to the table
The Ford Performance Pack adds a limited-slip differential, an improved suspension, stronger brakes, and a host of other performance extras. It makes perfect sense for anyone that slapped down nearly $50k to get their Mustang GT upgraded to the special edition model to add this performance pack. For $6,150 more, those owners get all of the extras instead of only the brakes.
Several different versions of this special car will appear
There’s a legendary story that Carroll Shelby started out selling his first performance cars by painting one car a different color every time he showed up for a sales pitch. Doing this offered the appearance of having several different versions to offer.
The 100 new owners of the Carroll Shelby Centennial Edition Ford Mustang GT can all have the same car underneath but have something different in almost every model. Shelby American is willing to turn nearly all Mustang GT models into this special car. Some could be coupes, other convertibles, some fastbacks, and others more traditional. The body style and color don’t matter much, but the overall car matters.
The right car to honor the legend of Carroll Shelby is certainly the Ford Mustang GT.
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