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FORD SA CELEBRATES GLOBAL MUSTANG DAY, HONOURS CARROLL SHELBY FOR 55 YEARS OF SUPERCHARGED SHELBY MUSTANGS
Date: 19 Apr 2021 |
Author Type: Press Release |
Author: Ford South Africa |
Source: Ford South Africa |
- Ford South Africa celebrates 55th
anniversary of first supercharged Shelby Mustang
- The extremely rare Mustang was capable of
0-100km/h in under six seconds and a top speed over 240km/h
- Ford Mustang is the world’s best-selling
sports car and holds 90 percent segment share in South Africa
PRETORIA, South Africa, 15 April 2021 –Supercharged Mustangs
weren’t always a regular sight on our roads or racetracks, like they are today.
Early power upgrades to the iconic Mustang usually consisted of smaller,
internal modifications to Ford’s legendary V8, and often suited to motorsport.
The Mustang’s competitiveness at racing events around the globe caught
the eye of renowned engineers like the Texan-born Carroll Shelby who, under his
company Shelby American, spent time developing a supercharger conversion to
enhance the Mustang’s existing characteristics and sporty persuasion. His
dedicated work soon yielded a powerful combination that cemented Carroll’s
reputation beyond that of a racing driver and endeared him to all muscle car
enthusiasts.
It is on this annual Global Mustang Day, 17 April, that Ford South Africa
chooses to honour 55 years since Carroll Shelby, in 1966, produced the first
commercially-available supercharged Mustang: the iconic and sought-after Shelby
GT350 Fastback.
Fitted with a Paxton supercharger that forced increased airflow through
the factory 460-cfm carburettor,
Shelby claimed that power was 46 percent higher compared to models without the
supercharger. What made the claimed 0-100km/h time of under six seconds and a
top speed over 240km/h even more impressive is that the Mustang retained the
standard 4-speed gearbox and very few other modifications were needed to cope
with the extra power. However, to demonstrate the significant gains beyond all
doubt, Carroll Shelby arranged a drag race between this and a Shelby Cobra
Roadster. When the GT350 won in convincing style, Carroll Shelby placed an
order of 500 Paxton superchargers and defined the Mustang and Shelby
partnership.
This enticing and
straightforward power upgrade could be done at the customer’s request, but the
car’s rarity was ensured by the fact that only eleven of these were sold. The
remaining supercharger kits were sold separately and over the counter.
These unique GT350s didn’t
only feature an upgraded engine; motorsport-inspired gauges for manifold
pressure and vacuum pressures were fitted below the centre instrument panel.
Another highlight was the glovebox which included Carroll Shelby’s autograph,
starting a tradition that still exists on the latest Shelby models like the Super Snake, GT-H and 2021 Speedster
convertible.
“We literally owe our existence and long-standing relationship with Ford to
the GT350,” says Peter Lindenberg, motorsport legend and founder of Shelby
South Africa.
“The Mustang has always been an iconic and sought-after sports car in
South Africa and abroad. Shelby upgrades further enhance this allure, and this
is something we are very proud to deliver to Mustang fans locally,” said Lindenberg.
Shelby SA have trained technicians operating from their approved
Mod-Shop facility in Malmesbury in the Western Cape, and their showroom and
workshop in Bryanston.
“Many serious car collectors
and muscle-car anoraks still consider this GT350 among the most significant
chapters in Carroll Shelby’s lifetime, however, the limited numbers mean that it
wasn’t always given due recognition for its significant influence,” says Atloli Lesela, Brand Manager at Ford South Africa. “We hope to highlight this special
vehicle that paved the way for so many supercharged Mustangs and what better
time to do it than on Global Mustang Day.”
Global Mustang Day also
presents an opportunity to celebrate the famed pony car’s incredible sales
success.
For the second straight year, Ford Mustang is the
world’s best-selling sports car. Led by a surge in sales in high-performance
Bullitt, Shelby GT350, Shelby GT350R and Shelby GT500 models, Mustang led all
competitors with 80,577 global sales in 2020, according to the most recent
vehicle registration data from IHS Markit. That sales total represents 15.1
percent of the sports coupe market, up from 14.8 percent a year earlier.
In South
Africa Mustang enjoys a cult-like following dominating its segment. Based on
current year-to-date sales the Mustang holds a whopping 90 percent share in its
segment.
“The Mustang
brand is truly iconic and though it’s a very niche market, South African
consumers continue to enjoy the unique appeal of owning a car with such an
illustrious heritage and recognisable silhouette that never fails to turn
heads,” concludes Lesela.