Classic Recreations puts the 810-hp GT500CR on a carbon fiber diet

Shelby-licensed manufacturer Classic Recreations has lifted the veil off the carbon fiber-bodied GT500CR it announced in 2020. Developed jointly with SpeedKore, the resto-modded Mustang takes longer than a year to build.

Many of the continuation models that wear Shelby's name are hand-built by Classic Recreations, so the Oklahoma-based firm has a tremendous amount of experience in building custom cars, yet it calls the GT500 the biggest undertaking it has ever tackled. SpeedKore — which recently built a carbon fiber-bodied 1970 Dodge Charger with 1,000 horsepower — helped out by blue light-scanning a steel-bodied GT500CR to create the molds that were used to make the carbon fiber body. Using composites shaves 600 pounds from the Mustang's weight.

Classic Recreations points out the diet gives the GT500CR the power-to-weight ratio of an exotic car. Backing up this claim is Ford's 5.2-liter Aluminator V8 that generates 810 horsepower thanks in part to a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. It roasts the rear tires via a 10-speed automatic transmission connected to a pair of steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. Detroit Speed provides the adjustable suspension, and the brakes come from Wilwood.

While the cabin looks vintage at first glance, there's a lot of modern technology integrated in it. If you get lost, you can count on a navigation system displayed on a Kenwood touchscreen to find your way. Classic Recreations also added a Kicker sound system, and an OBDII port below the headlight switch on the left side of the dash.

Pricing for the carbon fiber-bodied GT500CR starts at $265,000 before options enter the equation, and the composite body is compatible with the high-power 900S, 900C, and 545 models. Classic Recreations priced the Carbon Edition Shelby GT500CR package at $298,000. Enthusiasts who take this more expensive route will benefit from a special delivery experience at Shelby America's headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada. Neither figure is cheap, the carbon fiber-bodied GT500CR commands supercar money, but the company points out each example takes between 12 and 18 months to build, largely by hand, depending on how it's configured.