Vehicle Description
In the world of Mustangs, few are as legendary as the Shelby
GT500KR. Everyone knows that KR stands for "King of the Road" which
was Shelby's way of stealing GM's thunder, as they were planning a
Camaro with just such a name. So when the new Shelby GT500 debuted,
it was only a matter of time before the KR showed up once again.
With just 571 of them built in 2009 and only 236 in this color
combo, they're guaranteed collectables now and in the future,
especially this one with just 3457 original miles!
The KR package added a few styling cues that are instantly
recognizable, including the twin-snorkel hood that reaches almost
to the nose of the car. It's rumored that this hood alone costs
$20,000 to replace, but that's understandable since it's 100%
carbon-fiber and includes trick twist-lock hood pins. It also helps
explain the KR's staggering $82,000 original sticker price, making
this one some kind of insane bargain with an asking price under
$45K. With just 3457 original miles, it's definitely in
collector-grade condition, used just enough to keep it healthy but
obviously never a daily driver or even in inclement weather. The
paint is nasty, sinister black and neatly invisible satin black
stripes on this particular KR suggest that it's a particularly
brutal example. A few badges remind everyone that this is something
special, but for many, the big horsepower means that it's OK to be
brash, bold, and in-your-face.
The interior is pretty much like any GT500, which is a retro-themed
cockpit that's built for performance. Black leather buckets do a
good impression of the 1967 Shelby's chairs, albeit with a lot more
bolstering. A fat leather steering wheel, comprehensive
instrumentation, and carbon-fiber accents mean that it neatly
straddles yesterday and today without looking like it's trying too
hard. Shelby adds their own badging, with the most important being
the serial number plate between the center A/C vents. All of the
Mustang's options were standard on the KR, including power windows,
locks, seats, A/C, a trip computer, and a powerful AM/FM/CD stereo
with in-dash CD changer. A big, fat white cue-ball knob for the
6-speed manual is another retro feature that's been neatly updated
for the 21st century and it works even better than the old
Toploaders of yore. There's a neatly finished trunk that's never
been used, and I expect it'll stay that way because baggage only
adds ballast, no speed.
The heart of the KR is an upgraded 5.4 liter supercharged V8. With
an extra 40 horsepower, it sat neatly at the top of the Shelby food
chain. It's still built by the guys at SVT who put their personal
signature on each engine they build, but thanks to a little more
boost, a cold air intake, and a few ECM tweaks it's an entirely
different animal than the standard GT500 motor. The suspension is
augmented with unique spring rates, dampers, stabilizer bars, and
strut tower brace, and the result was so good, it became the
foundation of the next-generation GT500. 3.73 gears mean it runs
like a scalded cat, yet the overdrive gears in the transmission
ensure that it doesn't get nuts on the highway. Polished forged
alloy wheels are fitted with custom-made 255/45/18 front and
285/40/18 rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar radials created just for
these cars.
Future collectors take note: limited-edition Shelby Mustangs with
big horsepower will always be in demand. This one's available at
quite a bit under the original price, but surely that's only a
temporary situation. Call today!
