cobrabitn
04-29-2007, 12:43 AM
GT500 Goes Red
By: Mike Thomas | Ford Communications Network
The Shelby GT500 Red Appearance Package is being offered in a limited quantity to auto enthusiasts. For more information, go to Fordvehicles.com.
DEARBORN, April 23, 2007 - Can a unique vehicle be made more unique? Ford thinks so and has proved the point with the release of the Shelby GT500 Red Stripe Appearance Package.
Enthusiasts can choose the new package on a limited number of 2007 Shelby GT500 models to be produced for approximately five weeks between early May and the end of the 2007 model year production in late June.
"The Red package is all about exclusivity," said Dan Geist, Mustang marketing manager. "The Shelby GT500 is an enthusiasts' car. We're limiting our production of this package and that fact along with the Shelby heritage makes the Red appearance package a dream for collectors."
Drivers opting for the Red Stripe Appearance Package get bright red top and side stripes. The interior features red and black leather and unique new premium carpeted floor mats - ebony carpet with red and silver embroidered version of Shelby's famous 'Cobra Snake' logo.
Additional exterior details are unique red exterior badges featuring the Shelby cobra on the fenders, grille, faux gas cap and the Shelby deck lid.
Part of the package is a unique Shelby GT500 Car Cover. The car cover is an option on the standard GT500 model.
The Red Appearance Package is available only on the Shelby GT500 coupe with either white or black exterior colors. This option price is $1,650 MSRP.
"For enthusiasts, owning a car like the Red Appearance Package is a badge of honor," said Kim Irwin, Vehicle Personalization and Accessories manager from Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD). "These customers have the means to buy a unique vehicle like the GT500 and are even more excited about buying something more exclusive, made in an even more limited number. This is what auto enthusiasm is all about. These are great customers and very passionate. I am glad we can give them what they want."
Enthusiasm doesn't begin to describe the demand for the GT500. In the hyper-competitive auto market where car buyers typically negotiate for a lower price on a car, Shelby GT 500 buyers are typically willing to pay more than the MSRP.
The Shelby GT500 is a collaboration between racing legend Carroll Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and is a modern interpretation of the classic Shelby Mustang of the 1960s. It is the most powerful Mustang on the road today and arguable the most successful SVT project to date, in terms of performance, excitement, volume and, importantly, quality.
In addition to being a performance standout, the Shelby GT500 is also a quality standout. In the most recent Global Market Research System (GQRS) study from RDA Group, an independent research company, the Shelby GT500 stood out as the highest-quality Mustang model, with the fewest "things gone wrong" in the first three months of service of any Mustang. According to the RDA Group report, the entire Mustang line is above the segment average in quality, and the Shelby GT500 specifically scored the industry's best result in the "sports car" segment.
"The unmatched quality and power of the latest Mustang masterpiece explains why 9 out of 10 owners are completely satisfied with their overall ownership experience," the April 2007 report concluded.
Beneath the hood of every GT500 - including the new Red model - is a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine officially rated at 500 hp. A 6-speed manual gearbox features evenly spaced gears that provides a rewarding driving experience on both road and track.
In addition to the engine upgrades, SVT engineers retuned and upgraded key Mustang chassis components. Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the Ford Shelby GT500 stop and turn with authority.
The GT500's unique design features includes wide upper and lower fascia openings with a functional air splitter. On either side, slanting headlamp openings add to the dramatic front appearance. The bulging hood has heat extractors protruding near the leading edge, combining to provide improved airflow and aerodynamics.
Inside, the locations of the speedometer and the tachometer are swapped to provide performance-oriented drivers with a better view of shift points while changing gears. Front seats have received additional lateral support to help keep the driver optimally positioned during cornering.
"The GT500 combines the great heritage of both Carroll Shelby and Mustang," Geist said. "A model like the Red Appearance Package only adds to the luster for drivers who love classic cars."
By: Mike Thomas | Ford Communications Network
The Shelby GT500 Red Appearance Package is being offered in a limited quantity to auto enthusiasts. For more information, go to Fordvehicles.com.
DEARBORN, April 23, 2007 - Can a unique vehicle be made more unique? Ford thinks so and has proved the point with the release of the Shelby GT500 Red Stripe Appearance Package.
Enthusiasts can choose the new package on a limited number of 2007 Shelby GT500 models to be produced for approximately five weeks between early May and the end of the 2007 model year production in late June.
"The Red package is all about exclusivity," said Dan Geist, Mustang marketing manager. "The Shelby GT500 is an enthusiasts' car. We're limiting our production of this package and that fact along with the Shelby heritage makes the Red appearance package a dream for collectors."
Drivers opting for the Red Stripe Appearance Package get bright red top and side stripes. The interior features red and black leather and unique new premium carpeted floor mats - ebony carpet with red and silver embroidered version of Shelby's famous 'Cobra Snake' logo.
Additional exterior details are unique red exterior badges featuring the Shelby cobra on the fenders, grille, faux gas cap and the Shelby deck lid.
Part of the package is a unique Shelby GT500 Car Cover. The car cover is an option on the standard GT500 model.
The Red Appearance Package is available only on the Shelby GT500 coupe with either white or black exterior colors. This option price is $1,650 MSRP.
"For enthusiasts, owning a car like the Red Appearance Package is a badge of honor," said Kim Irwin, Vehicle Personalization and Accessories manager from Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD). "These customers have the means to buy a unique vehicle like the GT500 and are even more excited about buying something more exclusive, made in an even more limited number. This is what auto enthusiasm is all about. These are great customers and very passionate. I am glad we can give them what they want."
Enthusiasm doesn't begin to describe the demand for the GT500. In the hyper-competitive auto market where car buyers typically negotiate for a lower price on a car, Shelby GT 500 buyers are typically willing to pay more than the MSRP.
The Shelby GT500 is a collaboration between racing legend Carroll Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and is a modern interpretation of the classic Shelby Mustang of the 1960s. It is the most powerful Mustang on the road today and arguable the most successful SVT project to date, in terms of performance, excitement, volume and, importantly, quality.
In addition to being a performance standout, the Shelby GT500 is also a quality standout. In the most recent Global Market Research System (GQRS) study from RDA Group, an independent research company, the Shelby GT500 stood out as the highest-quality Mustang model, with the fewest "things gone wrong" in the first three months of service of any Mustang. According to the RDA Group report, the entire Mustang line is above the segment average in quality, and the Shelby GT500 specifically scored the industry's best result in the "sports car" segment.
"The unmatched quality and power of the latest Mustang masterpiece explains why 9 out of 10 owners are completely satisfied with their overall ownership experience," the April 2007 report concluded.
Beneath the hood of every GT500 - including the new Red model - is a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine officially rated at 500 hp. A 6-speed manual gearbox features evenly spaced gears that provides a rewarding driving experience on both road and track.
In addition to the engine upgrades, SVT engineers retuned and upgraded key Mustang chassis components. Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the Ford Shelby GT500 stop and turn with authority.
The GT500's unique design features includes wide upper and lower fascia openings with a functional air splitter. On either side, slanting headlamp openings add to the dramatic front appearance. The bulging hood has heat extractors protruding near the leading edge, combining to provide improved airflow and aerodynamics.
Inside, the locations of the speedometer and the tachometer are swapped to provide performance-oriented drivers with a better view of shift points while changing gears. Front seats have received additional lateral support to help keep the driver optimally positioned during cornering.
"The GT500 combines the great heritage of both Carroll Shelby and Mustang," Geist said. "A model like the Red Appearance Package only adds to the luster for drivers who love classic cars."