Shelby American unveils the newest King of the Road
Shelby American has pulled the wraps off its newest car. After releasing a teaser image of its latest creation last month, we were sure it was a Mustang, although we have no idea which type. As it turns out, Shelby is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2022 with the newest GT500 KR or King of the Road.
We initially thought Shelby was working on a new Super Snake, but we were also hedging for a GT500 KR. However, we initially said Shelby's extreme Mustang would have 850 horsepower, and we fell 50 horses short of the mark. If you want to be King of the Road, you need more than 850 horses to scare away sports cars and supercars, and the Shelby GT500 KR delivers.
Starting with a stock 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, the new car gets an all-new, 3.8-liter twin-screw Whipple supercharger to complement its 5.2-liter V8 mill. Next, Shelby threw in a high-volume supercharger intercooler, a massive heat exchanger, a larger throttle body, an open cold air intake system, and an updated pulley.
The result is 900 horsepower (and Lord knows how many torques), all fed to the rear wheels via an updated Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and it runs optimally on 93 or 91 octane gas. It also has a Shelby by Borla cat-back exhaust system that presumably sounds like nothing on Earth.
The lowered stance is courtesy of recalibrated MagneRide suspension with ride-height adjustable front and rear springs, while Shelby guarantees better handling with Ford Performance front and rear sway bars. Of course, no Shelby GT500 KR is complete without a set of bespoke wheels. Shelby took a single block of 6061-T6 forged aluminum in creating the vehicle's gorgeous 21-inch wheels (available in either black or a polished finish) wrapped in performance-spec rubber.
Meanwhile, the body is brimming with dry carbon fiber materials like the hood, rain trays, front splitter, and rear diffuser. It has updated leather seats, embroidered floor mats, and 60th-anniversary badges inside. Optional features include Le Mans body stripes, a widebody kit, a polished supercharger, and deleted rear seats with a harness bar.
Shelby made no mention of the performance numbers, but we have no doubt its newest King of the Road will go (and sound) like stink. However, the Shelby GT500 KR is a limited-edition model. Only 180 examples – 60 per year in a three-year production run – are destined for production, and only 45 units will make it overseas.
The Shelby GT500 KR starts at around $127,895 (inclusive of a 2021 Shelby Mustang GT500). If you already have a Mustang GT500 (2020 to present), Shelby will happily turn it into a GT500 KR in exchange for $54,995. In addition, Shelby will begin taking orders on February 1, 2022 at 9AM PST, so mark your calendars if you want one.