Autoblog

Click above for a high resolution gallery of the 2008 Shelby GT500KR

I have to admit, the Shelby GT500 was somewhat of a letdown. I have no complaints about the 500 horsepower or the muscular lines, but at nearly 4,000 pounds, it's got a serious weight problem. The iron block, 5.4-liter V8 and the addition of a supercharger puts much the weight in the worst possible place -- the front -- so the GT500 feels unmotivated around the corners compared to a regular Mustang GT. Other complaints include a suspension that doesn't seem up to snuff to handle the prodigious power, as well as a vague and rubbery shifter. Despite its shortcomings, the GT500 is one of the world's best performance bargains. Never before has such a powerful car been available for so little cash (although the Ford dealers did a pretty good job of ruining its value with markups). Still, one couldn't help but think that the GT500 could have been better.

All photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Check out First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR, Part 2 by clicking here.

The Mustang passed yet another landmark less than a week after its 44th anniversary on April 17 when production reached nine million units. The milestone Mustang, a GT Convertible, went to a dealership in Iowa for delivery to its lucky customer. As Ford's longest running nameplate, the Mustang had one of the best starts of any production car with over 22,000 sold on the first day and more than one million sold in the first two years. It's had its ups and down over the past 40+ years, but it's safe to say that the Mustang has enjoyed an upswing in popularity since its retro-restyle a few years back.

[Source: Ford]

Click image for a high-res gallery

If you own an '05 - '08 Ford Mustang, watch your mailbox for a recall notice from the Oval in the coming days. It turns out that the NHTSA learned that the passenger-side frontal airbag could potentially deploy with greater-than-allowable force for a petite, unrestrained passenger. Over 470,000 of the ponycars qualify for the recall, with 435,000 of them located in the US. A dealer-performed software update will correct the problem. According to Ford, there are no reported injuries related to the issue, and the particular scenario in which the problem could manifest itself is rare.


[Sources: CNNMoney]

click image above to view high resolution photos from the build

How long does it take to build a show car worthy of being in the upcoming Fast and Furious 4 movie? Well, if the fourth installment is anything like the first sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, we'd say about ten minutes with a paint gun ought to do it. Hopefully the new FF film will be the best, however, since the original duo of Walker and Diesel are both back. A car for this movie, then, takes about six hours according to Stangpede, a San Diego-based Mustang club. Less than a dozen members from the club turned a stock Mustang into a full-blown show car in front of a live audience at the 2008 San Diego Auto Show. The transformation took just over six hours and included the addition of a Saleen 550-hp supercharger system, custom interior with racing seats, a glassback roof from Classic Design Concepts, and a retro body kit finished in Candy Apple Red paint. You can view details of the build in the photo gallery below.

Ford is giving potential Mustang buyers a third choice alongside its coupe and convertible in the form of a glass roof option that will be available on 2009 V6 and GT models. The $1,995 option consists of a special tinted glass that reduces infrared rays and heat, as well as a manual roller blind can completely block incoming sunlight.

This new option comes on the heels of a heavy decline in Mustang sales as the current model it enters its fourth year on the market. Nearly 30% fewer Mustangs were sold this November than last year, and overall sales for the year are down nearly 19%. This new option, and hopefully a Mach 1 or Boss model, just might give Mustang sales a kick in the pants in its last year before a refresh for 2010.

More details about the glass roof option are available in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

UPDATE: Check out the video of the original Mustang Shelby GT500KR after the jump.


We reported earlier this week that Ford will be debuting a new special edition Mustang this week live on television during the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Palm Beach. The first one in a series of 500 will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation. While we're sure Ford wanted to keep it a secret until the weekend, Car and Driver is reporting that Ford will debut the 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby KR at the New York Auto Show next week, leading us to believe this Shelby special edition will be the one on sale at Barrett-Jackson this weekend.

The original KR dates back to 1968, when a special edition of the '68 GT500 was sold as "King of the Road", complete with a set of extra flared nostrils. The new model, according to C&D, will unfortunately not feature a version of the long awaited "Boss" motor that's slated to become a HEMI-killa in the Ford lineup. Not much else is known about the Mustang Shelby KR, except that it will likely feature a honkin' pair of intakes on the hood. Here's hoping they're functional and not just for show.

While we're happy the mystery Mustang isn't something so expected as a Shelby GT Convertible, which was our guess, we're a little disappointed it's not the Bullitt edition, too.

Thanks for the tip, Drew!

[Source: Car and Driver]