Why was the GT350 designation not used?

[Wayne Grey]

Can't find this answer - why, when SHELBY brought out the 2nd generation Shelby Mustang in 2006 - 2008 did they not call it the GT350 like in 1966. If they brought out the GT500 would it only have made sense to call the GTs GT350s. I realize that the SHELBY GT is pre title and was produced in Las Vegas and the GT500 wasn't. Anyone know why?

[shelbymotorsports]

Well there was a reason, but first it would be interesting to see what Shelby owners/enthusiasts think the reason was.

 

Steve

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Can't find this answer - why, when SHELBY brought out the 2nd generation Shelby Mustang in 2006 - 2008 did they not call it.....<snip>

 

 

SHELBY didn't bring out the 2nd Gen Mustang in 2006-2008. Ford Motor Company did.

 

 

Phill

[Wayne Grey]

Well there was a reason, but first it would be interesting to see what Shelby owners/enthusiasts think the reason was.

 

Steve

 

Steve, My 1st thought was some legality until the GT500 name was used.

[NMAv]

Is it a rights issue to who owns what designation then?

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Well there was a reason, but first it would be interesting to see what Shelby owners/enthusiasts think the reason was.

 

Steve

 

 

My thinking is that for the most part, the general public thinks the 350 and 500 designation denoted the Horsepower ratings on the classic Shelby Mustangs.

 

And since public perception is that a GT350 would (only) have 350HP, when in this day/age 350HP isn't sh*t Ford Motor Company brought out the GT500 and gave it...Yep, 500 horsepower!

 

Pure speculation on my part but I'll bet I'm close!

 

 

Phill

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Steve, My 1st thought was some legality until the GT500 name was used.

 

 

Shelby own/s/ed both the GT350 AND the GT500 label.

 

 

Phill

[Wayne Grey]

I think I can answer my own question - I bet that Ford owned the GT350 and GT500 names. That way Ford could produce the GT500 again, but SA couldn't produce a GT350 so it had to be called the SHELBY GT - am I right?

[John Canfield]

Since the GT is basically a retail version of the GT-H, the GT designator makes sense.

[2010KonaBlueGT]

I think I can answer my own question - I bet that Ford owned the GT350 and GT500 names. That way Ford could produce the GT500 again, but SA couldn't produce a GT350 so it had to be called the SHELBY GT - am I right?

 

 

No. Ford owns the Cobra name and Tiffany Snake but Shelby owns the GT500 & 350 names.

 

There is a strong rumor that Ford Motor Company will be making the GT350 in 2015 so that means that Shelby American either sold the GT350 name to FoMoCo, or they will license it to Ford so they can use it, much like they did with the GT500 badge.

 

 

Phill

[shelbymotorsports]

I think I can answer my own question - I bet that Ford owned the GT350 and GT500 names. That way Ford could produce the GT500 again, but SA couldn't produce a GT350 so it had to be called the SHELBY GT - am I right?

 

 

Nope Shelby has and still does own the GT350 & GT500 names. In the late 1980's Ford was forced to Pony up for using the GT350 name on their 1984 Mustang without Shelby's approval.

 

Steve

[ilmor]

I'm glad it was called a Shelby GT. It's a special car.

 

 

[2010KonaBlueGT]

In the late 1980's Ford was forced to Pony up....

 

 

"Pony up"....LOL

 

 

Phill

[Denstang65]

_{I will guess a couple reasons. Maybe it was because the retro design looked closer to the 67-68 models when the original GT500 was introduced and the public can relate more to the GT500 name from the newer GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS movie. Plus I think that the GT500 sounded more top dog when comparing to the new rivals of the Charger, Challenger and the Comaro. I also agree that 500hp worked out great with the GT500 name.}

[Rev Dennis]

"I'm glad it was called a Shelby GT. It's a special car."

 

Yes.

[MyBlueHeaven]

Personally I think they (CS) already had a plan or an idea that he was going to do the GT350 later on down the road if everything worked out with the Shelby GT's. Start small, and if successful move to the higher end.

[Helix]

Nope Shelby has and still does own the GT350 & GT500 names. In the late 1980's Ford was forced to Pony up for using the GT350 name on their 1984 Mustang without Shelby's approval.

 

Steve

 

 

I saw that car in a book I read (and now own). What ever happened to those things?

 

Here's my thought. The GT500 was always a higher horsepower model, so needless to say a supercharged upgraded mustang earned itself GT500. One of two things probably caused the GT instead of GT350. One) Shelby already had plans to bring back the GT350 if the Shelby's made a good come back, because Carroll wanted the new GT350 to be a throwback to the last one in style, suspension performance, and even the exhaust note had to sound as close to the classic exhaust as possible. So, the new one needed a new name - Shelby GT.

 

Two) similar to one, but not entirely. If Carroll Shelby did not have intentions to bring back to GT350 yet, then the Shelby GT was named such because it has no throwback at all, it was its own new Shelby.

 

Maybe?

[tpow96]

Personally I think they (CS) already had a plan or an idea that he was going to do the GT350 later on down the road if everything worked out with the Shelby GT's. Start small, and if successful move to the higher end.

 

 

I think this is the closest answer. My understanding is that the original GT350 was such a standout performance

wise, so CS really wanted the same for any car he designated as the new GT350. The SGT as a pre-title car was

never going to have that happen direct from Shelby, even though the SGT formula was almost a carbon copy of

the original GT350. The irony in all of this is that what made the original so special was its racing history, something

post-title supercharged product offerings from SA can never achieve since racing is mostly a NA affair. It was the

SGT that has had any real racing success (national titles) in SCCA (Autocross), not including the current efforts

on these forums to strip, modify and race SGTs in sanctioned race classes, which is awesome.

 

-Tom

[HARALD KELLEY]

I think SA was waiting for the 5.0 V-8 to come out instead of using the 4.6. But I do think the SGT really is closes to the 1966 Shelby GT-350. Look at the connection between the GT-350-H and the 40th anniversary GT-H. OK I am bias.

[15modracer]

From watching all that has happened with these cars since 06,either from fomoco or SA, it is all a marketing thing! More models, different horsepowers, = a more broad band of buyers = more sales = more $$$ and profits!!! Just my 2 cents......

[Torch40]

 

 

I think SA was waiting for the 5.0 V-8 to come out instead of using the 4.6. But I do think the SGT really is closes to the 1966 Shelby GT-350. Look at the connection between the GT-350-H and the 40th anniversary GT-H. OK I am bias.

I think I remember CS saying in an interview they were waiting for the 5.0 motor to be developed. As Harald stated above.

[ITHERTZ66]

The original GT350 was very special. It was built to win on the track. The 2007 GT500 was a street car - a boulevard bruiser. It wasn't built to road race like the original GT350. Even back in the 60's the small blocks were better suited for the track than the big blocks as they were lighter and better balanced.

 

Point of info: Did you know that the big block 390 Mustang for '67 cost LESS than the mighty Hi-Po 289!?

 

I agree that the 500 HP target also had a lot to do with the name, but the GT350 name was being saved for something more special - more like the original '65 car with the same/similar colors. There was a reason the S-GTs did not get white/blue color treatments.....they were being saved for the GT350.

 

The average consumer for the 2007 GT500 had little knowledge of the difference between a 350 and a 500 and would assume that 500 is better than 350. I think the GT500 name was best used to attract more buyers and make buyers feel they were getting the best and did not need to "wait" for the GT500s to come along. Look at the Camaro. As soon as it was released...."when is the Z28 going to be available...I'll wait until then to buy one..."

 

Basically, there are several valid reasons for this thinking and all are likely plausible without excluding the other. B)

 

What makes me angry is when dealers continue to advertise Shelby GTs as a GT 350. Pure ignorance. Now that the GT350 is here again, this confusion should be placed to rest, but I just recently noticed an S-GT available from a dealer calling it a GT 350.

[EL SHELBY]

 

I think I remember CS saying in an interview they were waiting for the 5.0 motor to be developed. As Harold stated above.

 

 

Yes, Carroll did say that, and I would expect that Shelby America knew about the Coyote back in 2006-2007.

[ilmor]

The original GT350 was very special. It was built to win on the track.

 

 

Yet, ironically, I've seen no new GT350's actually racing yet, but there are a few guys out there with Shelby GT's!!

[Doug_GT350]

What makes me angry is when dealers continue to advertise Shelby GTs as a GT 350.

 

where do ya think I got my screen name.... the dealer called my a car a GT350.... B)

[Wayne Grey]

I wanted a SHELBY made car but, to me, the name plate from the original GT350 would have made more sense. I don't believe the HP - 306 on the originals or the liter - 4.7 on the originals has anything to do with it. Steve - fill us in - please

[ilmor]

The 5.0 story and SAI forward-planning is probably the reason...makes sense to me.

 

 

[2010KonaBlueGT]

I wanted a SHELBY made car but, to me, the name plate from the original GT350 would have made more sense. I don't believe the HP - 306 on the originals or the liter - 4.7 on the originals has anything to do with it. Steve - fill us in - please

 

 

No, it didn't.

 

The story is well documented. The distance between shops was about 350 feet and that's where Carroll Shelby derived the number from.

 

 

Phill

[2+2]

I think Mr. Shelby may have been wanting to wait for the 50 anniversary GT350 to break that name and car out again. He almost made it. 2015 may even be when Ford debuts it. The Shelby GT is the consumer version of the Shelby GT-H, so the name makes sense. Carroll Shelby had such an influence on the Shelby GT and the way it was produced that I think he may have even wanted it to be called a GT 350.

[Helix]

The 5.0 story and SAI forward-planning is probably the reason...makes sense to me.

 

 

Not so much I think; on a documentary of Carroll Shelby with race results of the GT350, it was called King of the Road, they mentioned that Shelby was going to build it on the 4.6L but when they announced the 5.0L Shelby decided to wait. I believe that contradicts the idea of the 5.0L having been in mind since the building of the Shelby GT.