Well Steve Saleen bailed on his Saleen Corporation to find other ways to remain relevant in the auto industry and it appears he’s off to a good start with the 25th anniversary edition SMS Saleen Mustang. 

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SPECS:

SMS 720 HP Supercharged 5.0L Aluminum Block V8
SMS CNC Ported Saleen Supercharger
SMS CNC Aluminum Heads
SMS Red Butterfly™ Induction System
SMS Light Blade™ LED Tail Light System
SMS Billet Aluminum Watts Link System
SMS Cross Drilled 15″ 6-Piston Front Brakes
SMS Cross Drilled 12″ Rear Brakes
SMS Two Piece Billet Aluminum Hood Vents
SMS Carbon Fiber Side Splitters
SMS Carbon Fiber Diffuser Fences
SMS Red Butterfly™ Quarter Intakes
SMS Chromosome™ Silver Paint
SMS Leather Grip Billet Aluminum Shifter and Shifter Bezel
SMS Leather Dash
SMS Leather Two Tone Door Inserts
SMS Leather Two Tone Seats
6-Speed Transmission

Performance:
720 HP/612 WHP
667 TQ/565 WTQ

FORD doesn’t need any bailout money, they are making relevant cars that people want for 2009.  The F-150 won truck of the year and the 2009 Fusion Hybrid smoked the japanese competition in looks, mileage, and value for once. And now the Mustang, love it Way to go ford!!!

New features of note on the 2010 Shelby:

1. New 250mm vs 215mm clutch system to fix power distribution issues
2. KR Cold Air intake and tune from the KR
3. Suspension components from the KR
4. Better 3.55 final gear ratio for lowend grunt and taller 5&6th gears for better mileage
5. Cool shelby striped q ball shifter

Cool 1920px 2010 GT500 Wallpapers

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 The unique “flush” hood on the 2010 Shelby GT500 defines the front redesign. The gaping front grilles appear ready to swallow up the road.

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 1, 2009 – The new 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 delivers the most power and refinement ever for a Ford SVT-tuned performance Mustang – and a few surprises, too.

“The 2010 Shelby GT500 demonstrates Ford’s continuing commitment to high-performance vehicles,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development.  “In addition to the numerous performance and refinement improvements inside and out, the 2010 Shelby GT500 is an estimated 2 miles per gallon more fuel efficient on the highway.”

“We’re proud of the many enhancements that were developed jointly by the Ford and Shelby Automobiles team last year that we’ve now incorporated into the new 2010 Shelby GT500,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles.  “Building on what we learned to create the Shelby GT500KR, this new car offers a great combination of power, handling and braking.  It is truly a special car that is a great deal of fun to drive.”

Ford’s Special Vehicle Team used the gains made on the 40th anniversary edition Shelby GT500KR “King of the Road” Mustangs as the performance starting point and built from there. The design team, with a nod to the original Shelby Cobras from the 1960s, takes those design cues even further with nuanced improvements in both the coupe and convertible, each of which boasts a more-refined interior.

“Working together on the KR, the Ford and Shelby teams developed new systems to continually improve the iconic Mustang,” stated Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles.  “Those lessons learned are incorporated into the 2010 Shelby GT500.  This approach will help maintain Mustang’s leadership position at the front of the pack and make the ownership experience even more enjoyable.” 

“The muscle car segment is becoming even more competitive,” said Jamal Hameedi, chief nameplate engineer for SVT.  “We need to uphold the Mustang badge with honor, the Shelby badge with honor and most importantly the Ford badge with honor.  The 2010 GT500 is the car that will do all of that.”

 The 2010 Shelby GT500 builds off the performance gains pioneered on the special edition Shelby GT500KR. Horsepower and torque have been increased, while the ride is more responsive.

More horsepower, more refinement, more functionality
The combination of added horsepower, refinement and functionality makes the 2010 Shelby GT500 a unique high-performance car.  The 2010 Shelby GT500 delivers more horsepower and more torque than the outgoing model, thanks in part to advancements pioneered on the GT500KR.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 is powered by a supercharged and intercooled 5.4-liter dual overhead cam V-8 engine expected to produce 540 horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque.  The redline is 6,250 rpm.  The car’s aluminum power dome hood not only adds to the Shelby’s appearance, it helps cool the engine through a hood extractor.

The Shelby’s open-element air induction system features a conical air filter instead of a flat-panel closed system to reduce air restriction.  This approach allows more air to be pumped through the engine, producing more power and increasing the engine’s efficiency.

A cold-air intake feeds the coolest air possible directly into the air box, helping further increase horsepower.  The intake necessitated moving the Cobra snake badge to the other side of the grille to enable maximum airflow.

The twin-disc clutch on the six-speed manual transmission has been significantly upgraded, improving drivability and NVH.  The discs on the 2010 Shelby GT500 are larger – 250 mm in diameter compared with 215 mm in diameter on the outgoing model – and made of copper and fiberglass to make them more robust.

A unique component of the twin-disc system is the control of the intermediate disc.  Rather than floating, it instead has six straps that control the engagement of the clutch, improving drivability.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 offers customers improved straight-line acceleration, plus fuel savings when cruising on the highway in the top gears.  Gears 1-4 remain the same, but fifth gear changes from .80 to .74 while sixth gear goes from .63 to .50, meaning that the 2010 Shelby GT500 will turn lower engine RPMs in those gears and deliver improved fuel efficiency.  The new final drive ratio, from 3.31 to 3.55, enables the improved acceleration in lower gears while complementing the revised fifth and sixth gear ratios.

The Shelby’s distinct sounds will be apparent as always, though with new refinements, thanks to the work of the Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) team.  A patented resonator placed between the air filter and engine throttle body helps keep unwanted noise in check.

“You still hear the supercharger but not so that it’s intrusive,” said Kerry Baldori, chief functional engineer for SVT.  “It’s the same with the exhaust. You want people to know you’re driving something special, but you don’t want an exhaust note that overpowers the whole interior.

“We spent a lot of time getting the right sound quality out of the exhaust so you get that nice, crisp Shelby sound outside and a pleasant sound inside the cabin.  It’s a nice balance; one isn’t overpowering the other.”

Driving dynamics also are improved, thanks to SVT’s signature chassis tuning as well as new 19-inch Goodyear F1 Supercar tires and forged aluminum wheels on the 2010 Shelby GT500 coupe and 18s on the convertible.

Spring and dampers have been optimized for better roll control, giving customers more confidence when braking, accelerating or turning.  The new chassis tuning takes its philosophy from the KR program, with a greater emphasis placed on primary body control. 

The team also stiffened the steering shaft. 

“All our changes were about making the car to respond as fast and as predictable as possible,” Hameedi said.  “The 2010 Shelby GT500 conveys an athletic, confident feel.  The shifter, clutch pedal, brake-pedal efforts and overall steering efforts are easier now.  We wanted to make sure we had a nice, crisp short-throw shifter that was easy to go from gear to gear.”

The Goodyear F1 Supercar 19-inch tires have been upgraded, too.  SVT members developed a “recipe” for the attributes and characteristics they wanted in the tire, which Goodyear’s team of engineers, designers and manufacturers brought to life.  The result is better grip, better handling and better NVH properties, leading to a better customer experience.

The wheels themselves complement the high-performance nature of the 2010 Shelby GT500.  The 19-inch wheels are forged aluminum wheels milled on both sides.  The extra machining process creates “blade” spokes with very thin, yet strong, cross-sections.  The spokes have a specific curve from the rim to the hub, not only for strength, but also to accentuate the offset and width of the tires. 

The 2010 Shelby GT500 features AdvanceTrac, Ford’s stability control system with several options for performance.  The default “on” mode accommodates every-day driving, and a Sport mode delivers for those wanting to put the Shelby GT500 through its paces on the track.  The system also can be turned completely off, although the anti-lock brake system and other active safety systems remain in place.  Standard safety equipment includes: dual stage front air bags, side-impact air bags and Ford’s Personal Safety System.

Numerous aerodynamic upgrades, including a redesigned splitter, were made to the front end of the 2010 Shelby GT500. 

“We worked hard to get as much downforce with as little drag as possible,” Baldori said.  “We worked to seal off the air that comes in the front so it can’t go underneath the car.  We spent a lot time sealing components such as the radiator and intercoolor to get rid of all the leak paths.

“The result of this evolution of aerodynamics is we’ve increased downforce, reduced drag and improved the overall efficiency of the 2010 Shelby GT500.”

Directing the air so it’s used most efficiently was a painstaking process that ultimately will be rewarding to customers.  The design of the front fascia and the car’s “flush” hood helps focus air flow.  The top grille focuses air into the radiator, with a rubber flap inside the engine compartment helping to seal the system.  The lower grille helps cool the intercooler.  SVT engineers also went as far to block off specific diamonds in the front of the 2010 Shelby GT500’s distinctive grille to help maintain the correct cooling and aerodynamic balance.

A meaner, reskinned snake ready to take to the streets
The 2010 Shelby GT500 is the most-robust design and most-distinctive model of the new 2010 Mustang lineup.  “The design we chose was a ‘flush’ hood where the fascia defines the entire front of the vehicle,” Hameedi said.  “That’s very hard to execute from an engineering standpoint, but it really sets the Shelby off as very, very different from the base Mustang.”

“This epitomizes the ultimate Mustang,” added George Saridakis, Exterior Design manager of the Mustang and Shelby GT500.  “It’s all about power and expressing power.” 

Saridakis said his team took a cue from the Shelby AC Cobra 427 with respect to the front grilles, which are gaping and appear ready to swallow the road. 

Another obvious difference for the Shelby is the addition of racing stripes, which also will now be available on the convertible.  “Racing stripes made their mark on 1960s-era Ford performance vehicles,” Hameedi notes. “That’s something we feel is a key part of the Shelby performance DNA – maybe more so than some of our competition.”

Rounding out the Shelby’s exterior modifications are the unique signature coiled Cobra badges on the front grille and front fenders, a more aggressive front splitter and lower-drag rear spoiler, which added to improved aerodynamic features, round out the exterior modifications.  “We wanted the spoiler raked back aggressively to minimize drag, but we also have an integrated Gurney Flap that provides the downforce,” Saridakis said.

What’s inside counts with the 2010 Shelby GT500
The base 2010 Mustang received a powerful new interior design.  For the GT500, the interior design team members challenged themselves to raise the bar even higher to create the ultimate Shelby Mustang interior.

Using genuine materials such as real leather in all seats, real aluminum on the instrument panel and Alcantara inserts on the seats and steering wheel gave the appearance a precisely crafted, jewel-like yet functional feel.  “You’ll definitely know you’re in a Shelby,” said Douglas Gaffka, Chief Designer, Shelby GT500.

The genuine aluminum finish panels have a unique-to-GT500 three-dimensional dimpled texture pattern inspired by racing clutch plates, braided hoses and cross-drilled racing brake rotors.  The pattern has been painstakingly tuned to compensate for the compound curvature of the instrument panels.  In addition, the “GT500” logo has been discretely engraved into the aluminum in front of the passenger as a nod to classic Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s.

This unique aluminum finish panel is fully encapsulated by an exquisite soft seamless TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) instrument panel with a shape that resonates with Mustang’s powerful heritage.  The center stack flows into the console and features a sub-flush shifter trim ring, flush cup holder door and lockable console stowage featuring the word “SHELBY” engraved in its Satin Liquid Chrome release button.

All 2010 Mustangs and Shelbys feature bright 360-degree rings surrounding the gauge cluster, uninterrupted by the steering column.  These rings will come in chrome for the Mustang and a Satin Liquid Chrome finish for the GT500.  This finish is featured throughout the interior.  An intricate cobra is etched into the center of the aluminum steering wheel badge.  The Shelby Cobra appears at startup on the navigation screen, and the familiar red “SVT” logo utilizes new ambient lighting to illuminate the door scuffplate.

“When customers drive this car, they’re not only going to be impressed by the performance and the Shelby heritage, but they’re going to see all these carefully designed details and know they’ve bought a well-crafted car,” Saridakis said.

Even the classic white shift knob – an icon of Shelby Mustang DNA from years past – received special attention. First, it had to be the traditional white.  It also had to be specific to the Shelby.  The answer was to combine the racing-stripes theme with the traditional “H” pattern found on shifters to create a one-of-a-kind knob.  Like the exterior, the racing stripes wrap from end to end, encircling the knob.

Wide suite of standard features on the 2010 Shelby GT500
The 2010 Shelby GT500 includes several Ford innovations and industry-exclusive standard features, including:

Available options:

This combination of outstanding performance coupled with a fresh, exciting, well-crafted interior intensely focused on improving the entire experience will make the 2010 Shelby GT500 even more sought after, and a fitting addition to a long and proud history.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 will be in dealer showrooms in spring.  The cars will be built at the Auto Alliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

THE 2010 MUSTANG w/ 4.6L V-8 315HP BULLITT MOTOR

The 500-horsepower, supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 in the Ford Shelby GT500 pegged for a two-year or so life-that being 2007 and 2008, perhaps rolling into ‘09 depending on how well it sold, and what Shelby’s own product plans were. Demand has proven strong, and we can confirm there’ll be a Ford built, developed, and produced Shelby GT500 version of the 2010 Mustang.

Don’t expect any changes in today’s, base 4.0-liter V-6 offering, as its prime purpose is motivating low-end and rental-fleet Mustangs. But the Mustang GT model’s V-8-currently a 4.6 liter, SOHC, three-valver-will be replaced by a new 5.0-liter engine that’s essentially an evolution of the old architecture. In fact, the new 5.0 may even appear in a limited edition run-out series of current model Mustang GTs – is it finally time for the reborn Boss 302?

One Ford engineer confirmed that the work done to create the Bullitt-edition Mustang’s uprated 4.6 “has a future.” That engine, remains internally stock, but breathes better due to a Ford Racing open element, cold air intake system, revised mufflers, a new crank damper (which ups the redline by 250 revs), and revised fuel mapping. This engine management programming allows the use of regular fuel, but switches to a more aggressive timing curve when it detects premium in the tank. The result is 315 horsepower, up from the current GT’s 300. The Bullitt’s V-8 is freer and quicker revving than before, and sounds great due to the new intake. There’s no reason to think the next gen GT’s powerplant won’t take its cue from this technology, and thus get the same tricks. Something like 325 to 350 horses out of the new 5.0-liter V-8 sounds feasible.

This little number is a one of a kind Shelby GT500KR Glass Roof  #1of1 made for auction at Barrett Jackson. Even Shelby wants that one

My wife doing a little drive by in the stang so I can enjoy the Ford Racing Exhaust I just put on.

Once again the Mustang Club of America decided that Park City would be an ideal destination for the grand nationals. For a mustang lover this was heaven. Every model from all over the country was there. Here are some shots I took on August 8th 2008 on mainstreet in Park City, UT.

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More fun at rock mountain raceway in the cobra.

2003 Cobra Mustang – CAI, EXHAUST, NO CATS, 410 Gears , BFG Drags Radials
2004 Cobra Mustang – STEEDA CAI, FLOW MASTERS, 3.0″ Pulley

Looks like I got killed but I won in the end, not by much

If you are ever in Vegas and in the mood to see some cool mustang heritage you might consider stopping by the Carroll Shelby factory right next to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Once a week on Friday only they offer a special tour of the facility where you will see the AC Cobra production room, the Shelby assembly area, and Shelby museum. Then top it off with signing Carroll’s wall with your personal signature, All free of charge. For a mustang freak like me it was heaven.

The day we were there, feb 2008,  they were working on the vista blue Shelby GT conversions, and a couple black and red Barrett Jackson editions. They had the speedway grounds full of them, 100s of them as far as you could see. Unfortunately they wouldn’t allow any photography inside the plant but I snagged a few of the first production GT500 KR parked out front and some super snakes in the museum.  Sorry they were taken with an iPhone and there wasn’t much light. Enjoy!

Shelby Plant Photos:

Here are some great resources to become more active in the mustang community in Utah.

Mustang Clubs in Utah:

• S197 Mustangs Of Utah
• Northern Utah Mustang Owners (NUMOA)
• Utahstangs.org

Just Plain Cool Mustang Forums to find answers to anything not Utah specific:

• http://www.allfordmustangs.com
• http://www.mustangforums.com 
• http://forums.stangnet.com
• http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums

Anyone have anything to add feel free to comment, thanks.

I had a major wheelhop issue on my pullied 04 Cobra and I suckered for a gimmick by the name of “Kenny brown rear IRS brace and bushings ” to remedy it. It actually made it worse, not the desired outcome. I researched on the forums and found that 315W Nitto 555Rs on the stock 2004 Cobra wheels was a viable solution, and wouldn’t ya know, 100% fixed.