Shelby American has joined in Ford's celebration this week for the Mustang's 60th anniversary by unveiling the latest generation of its Super Snake Mustang.
The car represents Shelby's first take on the redesigned seventh-generation Ford Mustang, and packs an available supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 that in its final specification will deliver more than 830 hp, Shelby said. That eclipses the previous Super Snake whose output topped out at 825 hp.
The new car, unveiled on Thursday during the opening day of Barrett-Jackson's auction in Palm Beach, Florida, starts production this summer and will be built in a limited run of just 250 units for 2024. Pricing information hasn't been announced.
Buyers will be able to choose between coupe or convertible body styles, and either a naturally aspirated V-8 or a supercharged version. The engine is the 5.0-liter V-8 from the Mustang GT, and without the blower it delivers a stock 480 hp. The supercharged version uses a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger and a host of other mods to liberate more than 830 hp. For both powertrains, buyers can select either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 10-speed automatic. Drive goes to the rear wheels only.
According to Joe Conway, Shelby's CEO, the car was developed in collaboration with Ford and Whipple and features upgrades that focus primarily on function. Highlights include the weight-saving aluminum hood with carbon-fiber vents and pushbutton hood pins, a wider front end with carbon-fiber fenders, and new aerodynamic elements aimed at improving downforce, including the front splitter, side skirts, and rear diffuser. Coupe versions also receive a custom rear wing.
For the chassis, Shelby has added its own suspension designed to deliver sharper turn-in. The car is also fitted with 20-inch forged magnesium wheels, and housed within the wheels is a set of Shelby's own brakes.
Each car is included in the official Shelby Registry and comes with a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. The original Ford warranty for the powertrain also remains intact. The cars are being built exclusively for the U.S. market, but Shelby said some additional examples may be built by partner performance shops in other locations.
Shelby American's original Super Snake Mustang was built in 1967 as a high-speed demonstrator for tire testing. It packed a lightweight 427-cubic-inch race engine lifted from a Le Mans-winning Ford GT40, and just the one example was built. A small production run was planned but the project was ultimately canceled due to costs. Shelby, however, finally put the original 1967 model into production late last decade in a limited run of 10 cars using original Mustang chassis.
