Autoblog

Coupes seem to be somewhat resurgent lately, and the stupendously awesome Pontiac G8 GXP might be set to lose a pair of doors. While that would make it essentially a repeat of what came here as a revived GTO not too long ago, the name is not likely to return. The basic idea has been outlined in the Holden Coupe 60, itself starting out as an updated GTO, but turning out much cooler. The neo-ponycar wars will require the fitment of the 400 horsepower LS3 to run with the Shelby GT500KR, Challenger, and cousin Camaro.

The newly unveiled G8 GXP serves as the benchmark for what this coupe will likely come equipped with. That means big 19-inch wheels, uprated suspension, a meaner fascia and, most importantly, an available Tremec six-speed manual transmission. There should be a GT version, too, with "only" 361 horsepower, which should still offer a significant kick in the pants for less cash. The biggest impediment to the G8 Coupe actually seeing the light of day are looming new CAFE regulations, but we don't see how selling a bulk of these cars with the still-excellent 3.6 liter V6 to less performance-addled customers would be a bad thing. It'd hopefully prevent Pontiac from running afoul of the fuel economy rules while getting another car out there that enthusiasts can embrace in a variety of flavors. Thanks for the tip, Matthew!

[Source: Inside Line, Photo illustration by Nick Wilcox, Inside Line]

Click image to enlarge

It has come to this. A special edition of a special edition, named for the made-for-TV cash tsunami at which many of the first editions of the aforementioned special editions are auctioned off at eye-watering prices. It is the (we are not making any of this up, by the way) Barrett-Jackson Shelby GT. There will be 100 of them in total (coupes and convertibles), they will be black with (again, not making it up) "Barrett-Jackson Red" stripes, Barrett-Jackson sill plates, all the expected Shelby badging, and they'll start at a smidge under $39K, $250 of which goes to the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation. Ironically, the first one of these will not be auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson. The B-J/GT is an Arizona-region Ford dealer exclusive, and it officially went on sale today. In addition to the car itself, buyers get an autographed family photo featuring Carroll Shelby and Amy Boylan from the Shelby Autos side, and Greg Jackson and Steve Davis from the B-J side. In a glaring omission, Ford mullet hero and perennial Barrett-Jackson special guest star, Mark Fields, is somehow not included in the photo. What a gyp.

[Source: Ford/Shelby/Barrett-Jackson]

Only for the Mustang could there be a special edition of a special edition. The initial announcement for the 2008 Shelby GT named Vista Blue as the car's only new color, but apparently California dealers are getting a limited allotment of Shelby GTs in Grabber Orange. Only 217 have been built in this color, representing less than 10% of just 2,500 that are scheduled for production this year at the Shelby facility in Las Vegas. Perry Ford in San Luis Obispo already has one in stock and has put it up on eBay with a starting bid of $40,000. If the price gouging on other Shelbys is anything to go by, then expect the reserve price to be quite a bit higher.

[Source: eBay Motors via Mustangblog.com]

Yes, you read that headline correctly. It seems that Ford's offering 0% APR financing over 36 months on all new 2007 Mustang purchases (from dealer stock) through July 9, 2007. The tip came in via a California Ford dealer, and a quick visit to the Ford Direct website confirmed what his email said.

The reason this seemed worth mentioning is that we almost never hear of deals like this on desirable cars like the Mustang, particularly the higher-end GT models and up. From what we see on the website, it applies to the 2007 Mustang V6, Mustang GT, Shelby GT, and Shelby GT500. Lately, the only promos we've been seeing on TV, etc. focus on deals related to the V6es with the Pony Package, etc. The 0% deal that's been available since June 28 was completely off our radar screens until now.

If you're in the market and can swing a 3-year deal, this might be worth looking into, particularly if you're shopping for a V8 Mustang. Don't expect any favors from dealers when it comes to Shelby pricing, though.

[Source: Ford]

Click Image for high-res gallery of the Mustangs that were at DDC

I admit it, I'm an unabashed Mustang fan. I have been ever since I was a kid and a family friend had a blue '69 Mach1. The first brand new car I bought after I graduated from college was a '91 5.0L LX. It may not have had the classic Mustang looks, but it had the heart of a pony.

At Ford's 2008 model preview in Dearborn they had plenty of ponies for us sample, including the shiny blue Shelby GT ragtop in the picture. Chris and I immediately made a beeline for the Shelby and fired it up. No matter what you think about the Mustang's interior or retro styling, on a summer morning as sunny as this, the visceral thrill of hearing a big rumbling V8 with the top down is enough to make any car fan smile.

Continue reading after the jump.

Click image for photo gallery

Last week, the info leaked onto the web. Today, Ford made it official, announcing the 2008 Shelby GT, which will indeed me available as a convertible. Also, as reported previously, the only color available will be Vista Blue with GT Silver stripes. Convertibles get a light bar with supplemental bracing, and on all cars, the 18" polished Bullitt wheels complement things nicely.

A coupe will also be available, and total Shelby GT production for 2008 will be capped at 2,300 cars (over 6,000 '07s were produced). Everything else having to do with the car is a known commodity. The lower bumper is grabbed from the California Special, and the Shelby also gets an aluminum grille, hood pins, a (non-functional) scoop, Shelby badging outside, a number plate inside, and a cue-ball-topped Hurst shifter for cars with the 5-speed manual transmission. A 5-speed auto is also available. Horsepower is raised to 319 ponies and 330 lb-ft of torque thanks to the Ford Racing Performance Upgrade Package plus a revised exhaust, and the Ford Racing Handling Pack delivers a more sporting ride.

The Shelby GT will be formally introduced today at the Mid-America Ford Performance and Shelby Meet in Tulsa. Production at Carroll Shelby's Las Vegas facility begins in August, and pricing won't be announced until they begin showing up at dealers, who will gleefully slap a surcharge on them. Hang on to your wallets, kids.

[Source: Ford]

Click image for slightly larger version

Drip...Drip...The info on the 2008 Shelby GT has been leaked, and Mustang Evolution has the details. Unsurprisingly, a convertible version has been added to the stable, per se. We say it's unsurprising because after the introduction of the Hertz-only Shelby GT-H convertible, we figured that a Shelby GT version was a lock -- we just didn't know when it'd come. The coupe's still available, too, and '08 model year shoppers don't need to make any decisions with regard to color: the car's only available in Vista Blue with Metallic Silver stripes.

If you want one in Performance White or Black Ebony, you'd better set about getting yourself an '07. The powertrain's unchanged, so look for 320 horsepower coming from the lightly-massaged 4.6L V8 underhood. As with the '07, both manual and automatic transmissions will be available. We hear that the word on all this becomes official next week, so we'll follow-up then.

[Source: Mustang Evolution]

click above image to view high-resolution gallery of the Limited Edition Shelby GT guitar

Being a native Clevelander, I hop on the chance to celebrate my city because, honestly, there's usually not much to celebrate (our river caught on fire, for Pete's sake!). But hey, we've got LeBron James, make a mean pierogi and, of course, are home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We're also home to some very important Ford production plants, mainly the Cleveland Engine Plant in Brookpark that builds the Duratec 3.0L V6 and the Lima Engine Plant that builds the new 3.5L V6.

That being the case, Ford used the Cleveland International Auto Show today to announce a special partnership with Fender guitars to produce two special limited edition guitars. The first is the Limited Edition Ford Shelby GT Standard Stratocaster, obviously inspired by the Ford Shelby GT. The first one of 200 that will be made has been signed by Carroll Shelby himself and is being donated to the GuitarMania fundraiser that benefits the Cleveland United Way and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame education fund. Ford will also sponsor two giant 9-foot Stratocasters customized by Blue Oval designers for the event.

No word on price or what the second guitar will be, but you can purchase one of the 200 Shelby GT guitars starting March 1st through the Ford Collection.

[Source: Ford]

Click on the Image for a gallery of high-res images of the Shelby GT

Early last year Ford announced that they would be building 500 Shelby GT-H Mustangs that would be available exclusively for rent through selected Hertz rental outlets. The car was patterned after the original Shelby GT350-H that was also available as a Hertz rental in the 1960s. That car like the original was only available with an automatic transmission. A few months later Ford also announced the 5-speed manual transmission Shelby GT for sale through regular Ford dealers.

The first production example of the Shelby GT was auctioned at Barrett-Jackson on Saturday with all the proceeds going to the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation that helps kids with heart problems. Last year the GT's big brother, the supercharged GT500 was auctioned for $600,000 with the money also going to the Shelby Foundation. The winning bidder for the Shelby GT matched that amount, adding another $600,000 to the charity's coffers. The GT has a 325hp 4.6L V-8, beefed up suspension and the same special Shelby grille that was featured on the GT-H. A high-flow exhaust system and 3.55:1 rear-axle ratio beef up the sound and the acceleration. The Barrett-Jackson press release is after the jump.

[Source: Frank Filipponio via Barrett-Jackson]

One thing that seems to be working at Ford is the advertising group's creativity. There have been some pretty clever ideas coming from those studios, and if you follow this link to the Shelby Autos website, you'll see the fruits of their labor once again. As a follow up to the Mustang GT burnout "how to" featuring the father and son in a parking garage and the GT500 "couldn't find a suitable speed limit' spot, we hope to see this one on TV as well. We're a little curious as to why they used the rental-only Shelby GT-H in the video instead of the available-to-everybody Shelby GT, but it's not like it diminishes the fun in any way. Enjoy.

[Source: Shelby Autos]