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2006 Mustang GT Crowned Best Muscle Car by Car and Driver - Ford Mustang News

In this year’s edition of Car and Drivers ’10 Best Cars’, the 2006 Mustang GT went up against 71 formidable opponents. Throughout the event, the competition received an up close and personal display of the Mustangs raw performance, superb handling capabilities and outstanding styling cues.

In the end, the Mustang landed itself in the 10 best for 2006, while taking home the crown of ‘Best Muscle Car’.

Now, we just have to wait for the Camaro and Challanger to be revived. Wouldn’t that be an awesome battle?

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Mustang Ringtones Rumble Your Cell Phone to Life - Ford Mustang News

Mustang enthusiasts and muscle car junkies get revved up using their cellphones?

That’s right, Ford has just released two new Mustang ringtones that will make your cell phone roar to life with the distinctive rumble of the Ford Mustang exhaust.

Now you can enjoy having your cell phone growl sound tones of the Mustang exhaust, as it plays the "The Star Spangled Banner" or as it runs through the gears in a tire scorching burn out. Both new ringtones can be previewed and downloaded for free at fordvehicles.com.

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Right to Buy First 2007 Shelby GT500 Sells for $600,000 - Ford Mustang News

Right to Buy First 2007 Shelby GT500 Sells for $600,000 - Ford Mustang News

At this year's Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, AZ, one lucky bidder shelled out $600,000 plus an 8 percent auction fee to secure the right to purchase the first Shelby GT500 offered for public sale.

The successful bidder will receive the first production Shelby GT500 built to his/her specification, including the color and factory available options.

Proceeds from the auction of the GT500, will be donated to the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation, which provides financial assistance to children with acute cardiac disorders or those in need of organ and tissue transplants.

While, it was truly amazing that the auction price for purchasing rights to this dream car rang in at $600,000. The fact that the money will be used to help children in need, puts the Shelby GT500 in a class of its own.

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Ford Mustang Reignites Muscle Car Era

Muscle cars make thundering return, as American Automakers were revved up at the 2006 Detroit auto show.

Brought on by the overwhelming success of the retro-styled Ford Mustang, this year’s event featured three American Muscle car legends battling it out on the stage instead of the streets. Unveiled were the reincarnations of Ford's Shelby Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro and the Dodge Challenger.


Ford Shelby GT500

The Ford Shelby GT500 which is slated to hit showroom floors in the summer of 2006, features a 475-hp supercharged 5.4-liter, V-8 engine which breathes through a roots-type supercharger that provides 8.5 pounds of boost. The engine block is made of cast iron, while the four-valve cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings are made of aluminum. The extraordinary power is harnessed through a heavy-duty six-speed-manual transmission.


Improvements in the handling department allow the GT500 to stop and turn on a dime. The independent front suspension uses a MacPherson strut design with Reverse L lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle.

Keeping this wild stallion firmly planted to the ground are 18 by 9.5 inch wheels wrapped in high-performance tires. Braking is accomplished via four-piston Brembo calipers fitted to 14-inch Brembo vented rotors at the front, and 11.8-inch vented discs in the rear.

The exterior captures that flawless Shelby look with striking modifications to the front grille, bonnet and badging where the famous off-centre Cobra makes a re-appearance. Classic Le Mans-style white stripes also make a re-appearance on the coupe while they are absent on convertible as they were in the 1960’s.

The interior provides improved function by swapping the locations of the speedometer and the tachometer to provide performance-oriented drivers with a better view of shift points while changing gears. Additional lateral support has been added to the front seats to help keep the driver firmly planted during cornering. Leather interior is standard, accompanied by serpent logos on the seatbacks and steering wheel.


Dodge Challenger Concept

The Dodge Challenger Concept draws its inspiration directly from the highly-collectible 1970 model. It is powered by a 425-hp 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 linked to a manual transmission with a pistol-grip shifter.

The Challenger concept sits on a 116-inch wheelbase, giving the car a squat, tougher, more aggressive appearance. The front end features the signature Dodge crossbar grille accompanied by four deeply recessed headlamps. At the rear, there is a clean looking bumper which is flush with the body, a full-width neon-lit tail lamp and slim rectangular side marker lamps.

The hood replays the original Challenger’s "performance hood" theme with its twin diagonal scoops, now with functional butterfly-valve intakes. Designed to boast the modern techniques used in fabricating the car, what look like painted racing stripes are actually the exposed carbon fibre material of the hood. Five-spoke chrome wheels, 20-inch in the front; 21-inch in the rear, are set flush with the bodyside, giving the car a powerful muscular stance.

In contrast to the Orange Pearl exterior, the interior is modern with nods towards the past. Seats are wrapped in black leather with satin-silver highlights and thin orange bands on the seatbacks. Hefty bolsters much like those found on Dodge's famed SRT series cars provide added support. The instrumental panel pad sits high, intersected on the driver's side by a sculpted trapezoidal cluster containing three circular in-line analog gauge openings.



Chevrolet Camaro Concept

The Chevy Camaro Concept received its styling cues from the iconic first-generation 1969 Camaro. It comes equipped with a 400-hp 6.0-liter LS2 engine which features an aluminum block and heads for light weight, and Active Fuel Management, which shuts off four cylinders to save fuel when the engine is lightly loaded. Power is tapped using a six-speed manual transmission.

The Camaro Concept has a sophisticated rear-wheel drive chassis. It’s independent front and rear suspension features progressive-rate springs and gas-pressurized dampers. Commanding stopping power is achieved using four-wheel vented disc brakes with 14-inch rotors.

The exterior flaunts a serious performance car look with prominent fender shapes, front grille and hood bulge. Enhancing both the performance and appearance of the Camaro Concept are unique five-spoke cast alloy wheels, 21 inches in the front and 22 inches in the rear.

With dark leather seats highlighted by orange contrast stitching, recessed gauges, a lengthy console and a three-spoke steering wheel, the interior is reminiscent of the classic first generation Camaro’s.

Final Thoughts

Although, the Camaro and Challenger are officially only concepts, with the ever increasing popularity and strong sales of the retro-styled Mustang, there’s little doubt they will hit the streets.

With these two opponents in the offing, it looks as though the Ford Mustang has once again stirred up the competition and started another muscle car war?

If so, the Mustang is well equipped to annihilate either one and prove itself ‘King of the Road’ once again.

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Mustang Madness at the 2006 Barrett Jackson Auction

The 2006 Barrett Jackson Auto Auction which is scheduled to run from January 14th-22nd in Scottsdale, Arizona promises to be an exciting event for Mustang Enthusiasts. With 33 hours of live coverage on the Speed Channel and over 50 Mustangs up for auction, this year's event is sure to be a hit.

While there are many Mustangs up for grabs, some of more notable in this year’s auction include:

• Former Van Halen band member Sammy Hagar’s 1967 Shelby GT500
• Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor’s 1972 Boss 302 Fastback
• 2006 Foose Stallion
• 2005 Bonspeed ‘Black Rose’ Concept car
• Plus a handful of 1967 Shelby GT500’s

In addition to the stable full of ponies available, there's something else that makes this years auction a little more exciting than usual. On Saturday, January 21, 2006, Ford Motor Company and Barrett-Jackson auction house will auction the right to purchase the first 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 coupe, with the lucky bidder being greeted by Carroll Shelby.

With all the suspense and excitement surronding this year's event, there's no question what I'll be watching this January.

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2007 Ford Shelby GT500

Awesome!!! Thats one of the many words you could use to describe the 2007 Shelby GT500. With an astounding total output of 475 hp from its 5.4-liter supercharged V-8, its the most powerful and capable Mustang ever to be produced.

The 2007 edition of the Shelby GT500 is a result of collaboration between racing legend Carroll Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT). The new GT500 sports a supercharged 5.4-liter 32-valve V-8, 6 speed manual gearbox and a classic Shelby performance look. It will be available in coupe and convertible models when it goes on sale in the summer of 2006.













With 400 HP versions of the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger hitting the streets in the near future, the Shelby GT500 may be just what the doctor ordered for the competition? Let me know what your thoughts are.

Ford Offical Press Release:

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2006 - What happens when a legend from Texas reunites with a legend from Dearborn? The most powerful Mustang ever.

After 40 years, racing legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Mustang are back together with the introduction of the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500.

The collaboration between Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) is yielding an instant collector's Mustang that builds 475 horsepower in its 5.4-liter supercharged V-8.

A modern interpretation of the Shelby Mustang of the 1960s, the Ford Shelby GT500 uses advanced engineering to attain the performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road.

True to the original GT500, it will be available both as a coupe and as a convertible when it goes on sale in the summer of 2006. "When Carroll was developing the original GT350 and GT500, he wanted to build the most powerful, most capable Mustangs of his day," says Hau Thai-Tang, director, Advanced Product Creation and Special Vehicle Team. "Our goal was to build the most powerful, most capable Mustang ever."

Serving as touchstone and inspirational leader for both the concept and the production versions, Shelby was impressed by what the team has accomplished.

"It's one thing to put 450 horsepower in an exotic supercar," says Shelby. "It's another to put that much power in something as affordable as a Mustang. The fact that they not only met their goal but pushed on to 475 horsepower is a remarkable achievement." Shelby knows something about creating modern supercars. He served as a senior adviser on the team that developed and built the 550-horsepower Ford GT.

Power Play
As expected of anything with Shelby's name on it, the heart of the car is what's under the hood. The Ford Shelby GT500's supercharged 5.4-liter, 32-valve V-8 evolves from Ford's experience with tuning its modular, or MOD, engines. Output is a brawny 475 horsepower.

The engine is force-fed an air-and-fuel mixture via a "Roots-type" supercharger providing 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. The GT500 uses a cast-iron engine block. It borrows from the Ford GT program aluminum, four-valve cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings, adding a high level of performance durability to the drivetrain. "Powered by SVT" camshaft covers add the finishing touch to the engine.

Helping put the power to the pavement is a 6-speed manual gearbox. For the performance driver, its evenly spaced gears mean less "stirring" is needed to find the "sweet spot." This gives a rewarding experience throughout the engine's broad torque curve. The heavy-duty transmission has proven itself a willing companion to Mustangs in both road and track environments, including recent road-going Mustang Cobras and the new race-winning Mustang FR500C.

Power Requires Control
The Ford Shelby GT500 continues a legacy of all-around performance that made the original a world-class racer on tracks and road courses around the world.

The Ford Shelby GT500 starts with the solid Mustang underpinnings. The all-new Mustang was designed from the beginning with performance derivatives in mind, providing an exceptionally rigid, well-engineered starting point for GT500 chassis engineers. SVT engineers retuned and upgraded key chassis components. Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the Ford Shelby GT500 stop and turn with the same authority as it goes.

The Ford Shelby GT500 features a MacPherson strut independent front suspension with Reverse L lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle.

This rear suspension design has been validated on the track by Ford Racing. The Ford Racing Mustang FR500C was purpose-built from the base 2005 Mustang body structure and suspension geometry to run in the Grand-Am Cup series, a class of road racing for production-based cars.

Competing against the best from Germany and Japan, a Mustang FR500C won its first race in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February 2005. It went on to dominate the season and clinch the championship.

"SVT and Ford Racing will be working closer than ever as we go forward on future projects, especially Mustangs," says Thai-Tang, a Ford Racing alumnus who served as the race engineer for the Newman-Haas Racing team in 1993.

To match this power and handling ability, engineers fitted some of the biggest brakes in the business to the Ford Shelby GT500. Four-piston Brembo calipers are fitted to 14-inch Brembo vented rotors up front, and 11.8-inch vented discs in the rear continue SVT's legacy of great-braking Mustangs. Secure footing is provided by 255/45ZR high-performance tires in front and 285/40ZR high-performance tires in back. Wheels are 18 inches by 9.5 inches.

The Snake is Back
One glance shows this is not the typical Mustang Cobra. A sinister-looking front-end design includes wide upper and lower fascia openings with a functional air splitter. The upper intake sports the famous Cobra logo floating off-center in place of a centered galloping pony found on other Mustangs. 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. As air passes over the hood, hot air from the engine compartment is drawn out through ducts attached to the hood extractors.

"The restrained, performance-oriented SVT design theme has become instantly recognizable to enthusiasts without brash styling cues," says Doug Gaffka, design director, Ford SVT vehicles. "The GT500 takes a huge leap forward by combining the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance look."

The 2005 Mustang design team drew inspiration from classic 1968 Mustangs, the models that transformed the mild-mannered pony car into a muscle car with attitude. Envisioning a high-performance model, the team tested GT500 design cues on the Mustang GT coupe concept that was unveiled at the 2003 North American International Auto Show.

In 2004, designers further developed the GT500 look on the Mustang GT-R, a race-bred concept with the dual purpose of foreshadowing SVT's Mustang design direction and Ford Racing's plans to return Mustang to road racing. The Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra concept coupe capped the design conceptualization effort.

The production Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe now comes into full light, punctuated by the classic Le Mans-style white stripes that race along the top from nose to tail. The stripes recall the Shelby Mustangs that marked another important 1960s Mustang transition when Ford put it on the track to becoming a racing legend. The GT500 nomenclature is prominent in the lower bodyside racing stripe, another cue from the classic Shelby Mustangs.

In a touch also borrowed from the GT500's past, no Le Mans stripes will be seen on the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible. However, the convertible will sport a cloth top similar to those fond on pricier convertibles.

"There were no Le Mans stripes on Shelby's original GT500 Convertible, so we decided to pay homage by not offering them on the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500," says Gaffka. "We also went with a cloth top material as another measure of substance and authenticity. The fabric used is the same used on the 2002-03 SVT Mustang Cobra, the Thunderbird, Jaguar and Ford's other high-end convertibles."

The unique rear fascia features lower strakes inspired by the Ford GT's integrated rear airflow diffuser, and a rear spoiler reminiscent of a classic GT500. To mark the collaboration of two Mustang performance icons, the GT500 features Shelby and SVT badging.

The fenders each feature an updated design of the Cobra. The front grille features an off-center snake in place of the standard running horse. "GT500" is emblazoned inside the side rocker stripes, and the name SHELBY is prominently written across the rear deck. The SVT logo can be seen on the wheel center caps, a signature SVT location, as well as on the doorsill plates. To top it off, the medallion between the taillights reads "Shelby GT500" centered on the Cobra image.

Cockpit Upgrades
Inside, too, upgraded levels of flair and function abound. 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 interior is offered in a choice of two colors, Charcoal Black or Charcoal Black and Crimson Red. The charcoal/red offering features Crimson Red seating surfaces and door panel inserts. Seating surfaces are leather with both interior treatments. Snake logos embossed in the seat backs finish the package.

The Shelby GT500 script and Cobra image are repeated on the steering wheel cap. Behind the wheel, the gauges wear light faces in keeping with SVT tradition. The chromed accessories inside the cabin have been replaced with a satin aluminum finish, including the aluminum shift lever knob that is nicely positioned for quick, positive shifts.

SVT and Shelby: The Legends Grow
With the look and legend one would expect from Shelby and the kind of power and performance enthusiasts have come to expect from SVT, the GT500 points to a brand-new era in Ford's performance future.

Shelby first put his name on a Mustang back in 1964 when he was asked to inject some high performance into the brand-new pony car. The result was the GT-350R, a lightweight, handling-focused race car that earned Mustang its first performance credentials. Subsequent Shelby Mustangs included a street version of the race car, the GT-350, and what was known as the "rent-a-racer" Mustang, the GT-350H, a joint project with the Hertz rental car corporation.

The ultimate Shelby Mustang of the era was the GT-500KR, or "King of the Road." Powered by a big block 428-cubic-inch "Cobra Jet" V-8, the GT-500 was one of the most powerful, and memorable, muscle cars of that period. Shelby Mustang production ceased in 1970 with a total volume of 14,559 units.

The Ford Special Vehicle Team brought high performance back to Mustang in 1993. After 12 years, with nearly 80,000 high-performance Mustangs on the streets and total SVT vehicle production nearing 145,000, SVT is primed for growth with the GT500 serving as the foundation for other performance Mustang projects.

By bringing together Shelby and Ford SVT, the company's commitment to performance becomes as powerful as at any time in its history - including the famed "Total Performance" days of the 1960s. From the Ford GT supercar, the GT500, to a rejuvenated Ford Racing Performance Parts program, performance and racing can drive innovation and add luster to Ford's proud brand heritage.

"SVT will remain the leader in performance vehicle engineering," says Thai-Tang. "It will continue to build new, innovative products using advanced processes that will not only provide great enjoyment to the dedicated driving enthusiast, but that also will provide great benefit to other Ford products and Ford Motor Company itself."

The Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at the Ford-Mazda joint venture, AutoAlliance International, in Flat Rock, Mich.

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New Boss Mustang to tackle the Competition!

According to the recent Autoblog article "Boss Mustang may be on the way to combat Challenger and Camaro" which stated:

"With 400 HP versions of the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger hitting the streets in the next few years, the Mustang GT and its 300 HP will quickly be regulated to backmarker status. Sure, there's the terrifying Shelby GT500 on its way next year, but its price will put it out of the reach of many Mustang buyers. As a result, Ford is said to be working on a Boss version of the S197, possibly using a naturally-aspirated 5.4L version of its Mod motor architecture in an attempt to keep up in the horsepower wars. The FPV version of this engine used down under produces 390 HP, which should provide 'stang buyers with sufficient power to wage battle on the crosstown competition."

Could there really be a new Boss Mustang on the way to combat the upcoming Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro?

Wow, would'nt that be something! The American "Big Three" battling it out once again in the muscle car arena. One can only hope the Challenger and Camaro prove up to the challenge especially considering Ford has barely begun to tap into the full potential of the new S197 platform and powerplant.

Being a long time Mustang enthusiast and diehard Mustang fanatic, I can only hope there will be once again a real American muscle car rivalry where a new Boss Mustang once again gets the opportunity to reign supreme!

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