What Happened to the Ford Shelby Brand?

Shelby is synonymous with fast American sports cars produced under this brand name for decades. Shelby speedsters have challenged some of the best-known names on the racetrack, including Chevy’s Corvette and Ferrari. But what is Shelby’s history, and is it owned by Ford? These are just some of the questions we’ve been looking into during our investigation of the history of the Shelby American.

 

Does Ford Own Shelby?

Ford has worked closely with Shelby since Carroll Shelby established the company in 1962. However, Ford doesn’t own a high-performance manufacturer. Shelby American has remained an independent company throughout its existence. Although Shelby is perhaps best known for its modified Mustang sports cars, the relationship with Ford never went beyond a strong partnership between the two companies. Carroll Shelby also enjoyed a close friendship with the head of Dodge, Lee Iacocca, during the 1970s and 80s, which led to a working relationship with the automaker.

Today, Shelby American operates a facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Located close to the famous Las Vegas Strip and the airport, the site contains a museum to provide visitors with a historic overview of the American racing brand. In addition, this is where Shelby technicians work on modifying V-8 supercharged engines to create Shelby’s Super Snake engines. The name pays tribute to one of the first racing cars built by Shelby — the Ford Shelby Cobra.

Who Was Carroll Shelby?

Born in Texas in the early 1920s, Carroll Shelby was a standout pilot in the Air Force during World War II. Due to his impressive talents, he was prevented from going into combat. Although he requested to join in the fighting, it was common practice to retain the best pilots to train new aircrews for the US Air Force. Reports about Shelby’s time in the military note that his favorite plane to fly was the B26 bomber because of its remarkable straight-line speed.

After leaving the military, Shelby retained his passion for traveling at a fast pace. He participated in and won a series of sports car races during the early 1950s, and his talents were quickly noticed. After he won 12 races between 1952 and 1954, the Aston Martin race team signed Shelby to a contract. During the years that followed, Shelby took part in leading races worldwide. The pinnacle of his career came in 1959 when he won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Shelby was subsequently diagnosed with a heart problem, forcing him to retire from racing in 1960. But he used a lot of what he’d learned as a race car driver and his entrepreneurial spirit to establish his own car brand two years later. Shelby American was the platform he needed to construct the Ford Shelby Cobra. This American race car icon triumphed at the World Manufacturers’ GT Championship in 1965, becoming the first American-made race car to do so.

The Shelby Cobra was also popular on less prominent racetracks across America. It went head-to-head with and often beat the Chevy Corvette and Dodge Challenger.

Carroll Shelby continued to be involved in the company he founded into the new century. He died in 2012, having lived to see Ford’s decision to bring the Shelby Mustang back into its lineup in 2005.

Does Shelby Have an Electric Vehicle?

The simple answer is not yet, but concept vehicles suggest one could be in the works. In 2021, Ford took a concept for a Shelby Mustang Mach-E GT to the Las Vegas Auto Show. Although the concept didn’t indicate the output of the proposed high-performance electric SUV, the design was shown with Shelby dampers and carbon springs.

We’ll have to wait and see whether Shelby will make this concept a reality in the coming years. However, Ford is likely to support this transition considerably. The automaker has already introduced an electric version of its iconic truck, the F-150 Lightning, and is rolling out hybrid and electric versions of some of its most popular SUVs.

What’s Next for Ford-Shelby Cooperation?

Shelby continues to produce the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a high-performance version of Ford’s premier sports car. The GT500 has a 5.2-liter V-8 engine under the hood that produces an incredible 760 horsepower to move this coupe off the line at a tremendous pace. Car and Driver’s zero to 60 mph test recorded the GT500’s time at 3.4 seconds, beating out the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro.

Ford revived the Shelby Mustang in 2005, and the GT badge was added soon afterward. The Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 is a two-door coupe with seating for four people. It features rear-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Inside the cabin, the GT500 shares many of its design and infotainment features with the standard Mustang. There are several Shelby-specific design features, including the front seats.

If that’s not enough power for you, auto Ford Shelby also produces a limited line of so-called “Code Red” Mustang GT500s that are not designed for the road. Shelby is currently producing 30 units of this vehicle, powered by an astonishing Super Snake V-8 engine that generates 1,300 horsepower.

In addition to the Mustang GT 500, Shelby also produces modified Ford trucks assembled in Indiana. The Shelby F-150 can generate up to 775 horsepower, thanks to the powertrain modifications carried out by race car specialists. You can adjust the truck’s handling to accommodate off-roading, racetrack, and luxury settings.

If you’d like to learn more about Shelby vehicles or get behind a Shelby Mustang GT500, don’t hesitate to contact our dealership. At Brewster Ford, our vehicle experts are always on hand to guide you through the purchase process. For New York drivers who prefer to get a feel for a coupe before they buy, we can arrange for you to test drive a Mustang in Brewster, NY. If you’re happy with what you see, you can call us at (845)205-7019 or contact our finance department to arrange a competitive loan to fund your new purchase.

Image by domaxi198 from Pixabay

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