The passing of automotive legend Carroll Shelby has led to an , including a replay of a toe-tapping melody from country music great Mac Davis. Davis has enjoyed a long and successful career as both a performer and songwriter, with several number one songs including three written for Elvis Presley.
If you watch Mac’s tribute to the one and only Carroll Shelby, you’ll see his talent on display. Davis took the time to sing his Shelby song that he’d written years before, and you can view it yourself by . The lyrics are pretty amazing, and they can be a bit of an elaborated history lesson for enthusiasts who thought Shelby’s fame is relegated to a few models.
The good old boys at Motor Trend got their hands on not only a , but a Ford Police Interceptor and a Dodge Charger Police Pursuit, as well. Like any good, upstanding group of hooligans, the crew set to playing cops and robbers in the shadow of Detroit’s vacant factories. With the big 662-horsepower, supercharged V8 Mustang left with no long spans of asphalt to stretch its legs, the two pursuit vehicles have a clear advantage. Watching the three go at each other is a decent way to blow five minutes of your work day.
Of course, this reminds me of a pearl of wisdom served up by my grandfather on the subject of evading the long arm of the law. He always said, “You can out run one, you might even out run two, but you’ll never outrun that radio.” Amen.
It looks like we weren’t the only ones to get our hands on the . Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief nameplate engineer, recently stopped by the Big Dog Garage to show off both the and the GT500. It’s no secret that Leno has always been a fan, and with the ridiculously powerful supercharged 5.8-liter pumping out more grunt than the comedian’s own Ford GT, the 2013 Shelby has earned itself another proponent. Leno takes the big horse out for a ride around town, including over some of the more punishing stretches of Los Angeles freeway before heading home.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage without a proper burnout, and the clip doesn’t disappoint. to us. Now the only question is whether Leno will add one of these machines to his own personal collection. to watch the video, which concludes with a little tribute to the recently deceased .
The Biggest Hammer Of Them All Is Sharper Than Ever
We would love to be able to look you square in the eye and say, “All you need to know about the can be summed up in one figure: 662.” After all, that’s the obscene amount of horsepower ripping at the rear tires courtesy of the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 under the hood. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. For the first time in its life, the GT500 has found itself lined up against a legitimate competitor in the . The muscle car/supercar crossbreed from General Motors is stitched to conquer not only the quarter mile, but nation’s road courses as well.
In order to answer that threat, the engineers at have laid a hand on nearly every mechanical and electrical system on board the GT500. While that means the blown V8 churns out a diabolical 112 more horsepower than the previous model, it also means the top-tier now comes with tricks like user-selectable Bilstein dampers, adjustable electronic power steering, larger brakes and an array of optional cooling systems. In fact, if this car came wrapped in a slightly different shade of sheetmetal, we’d be talking about an all-new model instead of a refresh.
Farmer, car dealer, Le Mans winner, sports-car maker, businessman and tuner on May 11. To honor his contribution to the numerous segments of the auto industry he impacted, cable network Velocity will be airing a three-hour, three-part miniseries on Sunday, May 20.
Called “King of the Road: Carroll Shelby,” each hour-long episode will chronicle an era in Shelby’s life: his journey from a Texas farm to the top step at Le Mans and building the ; his partnership with and the ; and the road that car followed into becoming the .
Have a read of the press release , and tune into Velocity at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday for a lesson in the hardest-charging gentleman racer ever.
When you’ve got the in the world, even the best driver can struggle with getting that power to the pavement. The 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque the 2013 is packing can easily turn its rear tires into expensive clouds of smoke. That’s why the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is the first Shelby Mustang to be factory-equipped with launch control. “With so much more power and torque on tap from the new 5.8-liter V8,” says SVT senior engineer John Pfeiffer, “launch control makes it easier for drivers to take advantage of the performance.” What’s different about the Shelby GT500s launch control is that drivers can engage it by just pressing a single button, and it’s also capable of being fine-tuned for the best reesults.
Launch control is by now a familiar technology, with systems operating by holding engine RPM at a set point to help facilitate clean, repeatable launches. “Launch control is essentially a special mode of the traction control system that integrates the brake and engine management systems to keep the tires balanced on the peak of the mu-slip curve,” explains SVT’s Pfeiffer. In plain English, it’s designed to send as much torque to the tires as they can handle. What’s different about the system in the 2013 GT500 is its flexibility. “Most of our competitors’ launch control systems have a fixed engine launch speed,” says SVT Engineering supervisor Eddie Khan, but since “not every driver has the same style, and surface, tire, and climate conditions vary,” he points out, “we’ve given Shelby GT500 drivers the ability to adjust the engine speed to achieve the best and most consistent performance.”
Drivers can use through the instrument cluster or tap a switch to the left of the instrument panel to enable the system. Through TrackApps, the engine launch rpm can be adjusted between 3,000 to 4,500 rpm with steps of 100 rpm. There are other tricks up the GT500s sleeve, too. Extinguish the traction control while using launch control and you’ll get an rpm-only mode that keeps the brakes out of the picture to avoid sacrificing any possible speed. Launch control also works with the different stability control modes to allow some wheelspin when that’s the fastest way out of the hole. “It’s not as intrusive as some TC systems have been in the past,” said SVTs Khan. “We’e given our drivers the ability to exert control over all the power and torque this Mustang can produce.”
Shelby GT500 features clever variable-RPM launch control
By and large, the machines created for the SEMA show in Las Vegas are built for lounging around under convention center lights and not much else. All those go-fast parts we see bolted on do little more than collect lustful stares from from the crowd. But Creations n’ Chrome set out to discover just what their bolt on additions to its were good for. Under the outrageous 3dCarbon bodykit sits a Vortech supercharged 5.0-liter V8 good for around 580 horsepower at 8 psi of boost on stock internals. KW served up a set of Variant 3 coilovers, and Hotchkis took care of front and rear sway bars.
The crew rolled the blown Mustang out the to the Mojave Mile for a top speed run. The machine racked up a final velocity of 182.4 mph, though the final seconds of the run looked anything but stable (we hear there was a 20 mph crosswind). Still, we’re impressed at the machine’s performance. For perspective, the Boss 302 is only good for 155 mph. Check out the video for yourself .
To say that we’re eager to drive the is one of the understatements of the year. After seeing lots of and , we can’t wait to get Ford’s new hot hatch out on the road, and now, we have a pretty good idea of what sort of aural stimulation the turbocharged will provide while we’re tossing it about.
understands that a good engine and exhaust note is an important part of any performance car’s overall experience, and to that end, the automaker has implemented some interesting technology with its Focus ST. Engineers have added a special sound tube – called a sound symposer – to the ST, which specifically enhances the throaty, low-end frequencies of the exhaust. This sort of sound tube has been used before (on the and ), but here in the Focus ST, there’s an electronically controlled valve that opens and closes based on specific driver inputs. What’s more, this valve is mapped more aggressively in lower gears for great sounds during acceleration, but stays shut more often in higher gears to allow for quieter highway cruising.
But enough of the technical mumbo-jumbo. Click the play button below to hear what the end result sounds like during an acceleration run in the Focus ST.
We like what we hear, though we’ll wait to see just how it sounds when things like road and wind noise are factored in during the overall driving experience. for Ford’s official press blast.
It’s darn near impossible to overemphasize the impact that has had on the automotive world as we know it today. Born in 1923, Shelby took part in his very first race, a quarter-mile drag, in 1952. Later that year, he’d go on to win his first road race in an MG-TC. By 1956, Shelby had garnered enough race wins to earn the title “Driver of the Year” from Sports Illustrated. He would win that award again in 1957.
Carroll Shelby was nothing if not a keen businessman. In early 1957, Shelby opened his first car dealership in Dallas, Texas. Bolstered by his success behind the wheel – Carroll won the 24 Hours of in 1969, driving an – Shelby went on to build the iconic using a chassis built by in England and powered by a V8 engine. Officially homologated in 1962, the Cobra Roadster won its first race in January of 1963.
Driven by legendary drivers like Phil Hill, A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney, the Shelby Cobra and its aerodynamic Daytona Coupe sibling won the Sports Car Club of America’s A-production title and the United States Road Racing Championship in ‘63. The following year brought with it the big-block 427 Cobra, and the machine went on to deal serious blows to , the dominant sports car manufacturer of the time.
Shelby began his long-running relationship with the Ford factory in 1965, as the Shelby GT350 hit both the street and the race track. That year, Shelby secured the FIA World Championship of GT cars. In 1966, a Shelby-backed Ford team finished in first, second and third place at Le Mans; this was the first time an American team claimed victory in the historic race, but it would not be the last – Shelby’s team would go on to win Le Mans again in 1967. The Ford GT40 ended up in first place four straight years from 1966-1969.
The Shelby GT350 claimed the Trans Am racing title in 1967, and in that year, the very last 427 Shelby Cobra was built. In 1970, Ford ended its partnership with Shelby, and the man would remain mostly quiet in the automotive industry until the 1980s, when approached Carroll about building high-performance versions of products. The Omni and would Go Like Hell for several years, embarrassing V8-powered Mustangs and Camaros along the way.
Carroll Shelby received a heart transplant in 1990 and would go on to reintroduce Cobra 427 S/C continuation cars and 4000-series cars throughout the 1990s. Shelby was also involved heavily with both the and programs. No wonder why Carroll Shelby was inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
Today, the name Shelby may be most often tied to the latest and greatest models from Ford, but it’s clear that the man has impacted the performance world for decades. While he may no longer be alive, there can be little doubt that Carroll Shelby’s influence will be felt by enthusiasts for as long as cars move us from one place to another.
We’ve collected a couple of videos that we thought were a fitting tribute to Shelby’s unending legacy. Join us in watching them by .
has passed away at the age of 89. The legendary tuner and proprietor of the famous marque that bears his name had been in the hospital for several weeks, suffering from pneumonia. Shelby fourteen days before his death, saying that he was resting comfortably and being taken care of by his children.
Anyone familiar in the least with automotive history is well aware of Shelby’s vast vehicular exploits, so we’ll just touch on them here. Carroll was a successful race car driver in the 1950s before creating his own racing team to take on the likes of , using -powered sportscar called the . Suffice it to say, Shelby and his Cobra were extremely successful. Later, Shelby’s name would become synonymous with the fastest and most powerful models ever created.
Shelby is survived by his three children Patrick, Michael and Sharon, his sister Anne Shelby Ellison of Fort Worth and his wife Cleo. An official press release can be found .
has passed away at the age of 89. The legendary tuner and proprietor of the famous marque that bears his name had been in the hospital for several weeks, suffering from pneumonia. Shelby fourteen days before his death, saying that he was resting comfortably and being taken care of by his children.
Anyone familiar in the least with automotive history is well aware of Shelby’s vast vehicular exploits, so we’ll just touch on them here. Carroll was a successful race car driver in the 1950s before creating his own racing team to take on the likes of , using -powered sportscar called the . Suffice it to say, Shelby and his Cobra were extremely successful. Later, Shelby’s name would become synonymous with the fastest and most powerful models ever created.
Shelby is survived by his three children Patrick, Michael and Sharon, his sister Anne Shelby Ellison of Fort Worth and his wife Cleo. An official press release can be found .
It is nearly impossible to avoid reminiscing about the 1983 Volkswagen GTI while driving the . As you may recall, “the original hot hatch” arrived on our shores seemingly eons ago with a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four spitting out just 90 horsepower. While hardly brawny, even in an era of wheezy outputs (the 1983 Mustang GT 5.0 generated just 175 horsepower), its low curb weight of 2,100 pounds and a base price of $7,995 made the range-topping Rabbit not only light, tossable and reasonably quick, but very affordable.
Fast forward nearly three decades to the 2012 Golf R, a direct descendant of that first-generation . Thoroughly modernized, and riding on a sixth-generation chassis, the new two- or four-door range-topping boasts a bit more displacement and gobs more horsepower. But that is not all today’s hot hatch has gained. With innovation and refinement come mass and cost – both of which have risen dramatically over the past three decades.
After falling head-over-heels for the 2012 Golf R after our last spring, it was time to put one in our garage for a longer run on domestic soil. With an eager and open mind, we welcomed the Golf R into our lives for a week. While we didn’t have a chance to toss it around a closed racing circuit, we did put in several hundred miles on the highway, wrung it out on Mulholland and frolicked in wet Southern California mountain snow. In the process, we not only learned plenty about Volkswagen’s hot hatch, but we met several other Golf R drivers who were more than willing to talk to us about their own experiences.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall of several recent models due to a defective transmission sensor. Some 10,000 vehicles are affected, including some 2011 and 2012 pickups, 2012 and models, and 2012-2013 Ford vehicles.
Problem vehicles will experience one of several issues with their automatic transmissions, including the transmission not shifting into reverse when the gearshift lever is moved to the “R” position, the “R” lamp on the dashboard not illuminating, and the backup lamps not working. A faulty transmission range sensor is the culprit.
Ford says the recall campaign will start on June 25, with owners being notified by the automaker. Ford can also be reached at 1-866-436-7332.
to read the full recall report.
, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator models over faulty transmission sensor
It’s a long ride into 2015, and you can expect it to be filled with seemingly endless speculations and renderings, all surrounding the next-generation . Inside Line hass pieced together the information it has managed to gathered so far and produced a rendering that, if not for the , would be considered not just next-generation, but next millennium.
What it does, though, is tweak the Evos with the recognizable Mustang forms that IL s been told will remain, like the three-bar taillamps and the three-quarter light, though, again, the whole thing looks decidedly futuristic. Still, don’t get too attached to this rendering – there’ll no doubt be plenty more before we’re through.
With an epic chassis and the lowest center of gravity in the business, there’s plenty for enthusiast to love about the . Except, that is, for those who prefer to take their nimble, affordable sports cars with the roof down. Their choices are rather limited in this price category to the and , but if the latest reports prove accurate, the FR-S – which is, of course, virtually identical to the and sold overseas as the GT 86 – is preparing to throw its hat in the ring, as well.
Long rumored, a convertible version of the jointly-developed “Toyobaru” coupe could stand to boost sales figures and help the bean-counters justify the expenditure on the new platform. However while the recently showcased at Long Beach lost its rear seats (along with most of its windshield), Car and Driver predicts that the FR-S convertible will keep the auxiliary pair in the back – though the addition of a folding roof mechanism would likely mean that would come at the expense of most of the trunk room.
We’re told to expect the FR-S convertible to arrive sometime late in 2013 or early in 2014, with a price tag that would tack a few grand onto the coupe’s $25,000 MSRP. Look for the same 2.0-liter, 200-horsepower boxer four to carry over with a choice of six-speed transmissions in either manual or automatic configurations. Beyond that, Toyota may be considering basing a larger four-door sedan and coupe off the new platform, which could stand to make the money men back at headquarters – to say nothing of the enthusiasts – even more happy.
We’ve been guilty of putting a vehicle or three on two wheels occasionally, but never on purpose. James “Ski” Smith, on the other hand, has made a habit of standing a car on edge for extended periods of time. That’s impressive enough by our standards, but Smith recently attempted to take his skills to the next level by piloting a fox body all the way around Laguna Seca. Why an old Mustang? Probably because no one would shed a tear if the car wound up on its roof.
Unfortunately, Smith ran into another piece of trouble before he could tackle the track’s more daring corners. The extreme angle caused oiling issues with the V8 engine, flooding one bank with oil while depriving the other. As a result, Smith came to a stop just past Turn Six. Still, he hopes to try again soon. May we suggest he take something a little better suited to the task? A , mayhaps? to check out the clip for yourself.
The folks at Motor Authority snagged some spy video of the new hitting the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, rain hit the ‘Ring first, so while there are still some potent exhaust noises emanating from the 662-horsepower ‘Stang, there isn’t a lot of tearing it up on the slick surface.
Let’s talk nemesis, namely the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1. The battleground established, the folks turned their verbal turrets on the Shelby and fired high-impact rounds – see Exhibits and – on their way to setting an time and a “Holy smokes!” . Since there’s no reason to dawdle round the ‘Ring, we have to expect that Ford’s fly-by has some sort of recon purpose.
As many will bring up once the time is set, the Shelby has a mess of advantages on paper: more horsepower, more torque, less weight. No matter, for as Cormac McCarthy wrote, there will be blood. We still don’t know whose blood it will be, but oh yes, one of these cars is going to bleed. Embedding of this video has been disabled, so follow the link to watch the Shelby in action.
Of the three “Top Gear” hosts, Richard Hammond may be the most sympathetic towards American tastes. He’s made no secret of his love for American machinery, including our big-boned muscle cars and pickup trucks. Hammond even spent some time filming in our neck of the woods while working on his new show, “Crash Course.” The series puts Hammond behind the wheel of the largest machinery on the planet, and not surprisingly, the first episode focuses solely on the monstrosities of America.
Hammond sat down with GQ to discuss the project as well as some of his favorite vehicles from the States. While cars like the and are obvious picks, Hammond also seems to favor creations like the modern and the . Head over to to take a look at the full list for yourself. “Crash Course” airs Mondays at 10 on BBC America.
Ford’s twin-turbocharged 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 has proved popular with customers, with more than 180,000 finding homes in driveways and garages since launching in 2009. has but a single facility in the United States turning out this engine, Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1. Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 is also home to the 3.7 liter V6 that kicks out over 300 horsepower in the and continues to sell at full tilt in the .
With two belles of the automotive ball under a single roof, Ford is adding 250 workers and a third shift of production at the Cleveland engine plant to keep up. “We are tripling production to meet customers’ growing need for fuel-efficient engines” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas. The manpower will largely come from Cleveland Engine Plant No. 2, which is being closed later this week.
How can you not be excited to see getting back into with a modern-day interpretation of the classic E-Type? Well, there is that one little issue with the that Jag announced during the . In this day and age, a 380-horsepower V6 just doesn’t cut it, supercharged or not. At least not when .
Yes, we know the horsepower wars , but if Jaguar wants the F-Type to be taken seriously, it just plain needs a V8. And according to Car and Driver, it’s going to be getting one. At least, eventually.
C/D says the F-Type will eventually get a version of Jag’s 5.0-liter V8, although it doesn’t know which one. Speculation says the supercharged variants in 470- and 550-horsepower states of tune are the most likely, as the base V8 only makes five more horsepower than the planned V6. The report also surmises that the initial roadsters will be six-cylinders when they debut in 2013, with the V8 models appearing further on in the production cycle.
