It was 40 years ago that the original Shelby GT350 went out of production.  A mint version of one of these cars is pretty much priceless today.  Well let’s say they are out of our range for sure.  The GT350 began its life back in 1964 when Ford Motor Company approached Carroll Shelby with a proposition.  Mr. Shelby was to create a Mustang that could win races and sell like hot cakes to the car buying public.  And he did just that as the GT350 won a ton of races and sold a lot of cars.  Ford now had a true muscle car that would strike fear into the hearts of Dodge and Chevrolet owners everywhere.

In the year 1970, production of the GT350 ceased and since then Mustang enthusiasts have wondered just when this car would return.  There have been many off-shoots of the Shelby in the last few years with such renditions as the Mustang Shelby GT500, but alas no GT350!

Unlike the GT350 of former years, the 2011 version will be available as a post title car.  Meaning you have to first buy a regular model 2011 Ford Mustang GT then drop the car off or have it sent to Shelby Autos in Las Vegas to have the transformation completed.  The cost of the upgrade is a hefty $34,000 and when added to the GT model’s price ($28k) the total tally will be about $62,000.  But as an enthusiast, this is the car you want to have.

Really, what was causing the delay of the reemergence of the GT350 was the engine size.  The original car had a 5.0 liter engine but the Mustang’s of late were limited to 4.6 liters.  It was only for the 2011 model year did Ford decided to bring back the “Coyote” 5-liter engine.  This was the foundation that Shelby was looking for and now we have the GT350 in all its 5 liter glory.  This new engine will feature a supercharger sitting atop the V-8 engine.  Horsepower and torque numbers are still a closely kept secret but you can bet they will be well above the 500 mark.  Of course a 6-speed manual transmission will be on hand to put that power to the ground.

The styling of the car holds true to the original with a traditional white paint job with accompanying blue sports stripes.  Other features include huge 14-inch Baer brakes with 6-piston calipers, a Ford racing suspension complete with upgraded springs, shocks, and sway bars.  The car will also get a myriad of body parts including a sweet hood, rocker panels, a front splitter, and rear wing just to name a few.   And of course 19” Cragar rims wrapped in Goodyear rubber will be standard.

Be on the lookout for these Blasts from the Past!  The 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is one car that people have been waiting on for over 40 years.

source:http://www.shelbyautos.com/vehicles/2011GT350.asp

PACKAGE PRICE: $33,995

Standard Features
#Shelby/Ford Racing/Whipple Supercharger
# Shelby/Ford Racing Suspension
# Caster Camber Plate Kit
# Shelby/Baer 6 Piston Front Brake Kit
# Shelby Rear ERADISPEED Rear Rotor Upgrade
# Front and Rear Brake Duct and Cooling Kit
# Shelby/Borla Unique Center Exit Exhaust
# Shelby/Cragar 19” Alloy Wheels
# Goodyear Performance Tires
# Front Fascia including Grille & Shelby GT350 Signature Badging
# Rear Fascia including exclusive GT350 45th Anniversary Badging
# Unique Taillight Trim
# Rear Deck Lid Filler Panel
# Side Rockers with functional integrated brake cooling ducts
# Exclusive GT350 Guardsman Blue vinyl over-the-top and side stripes
# Unique Shelby GT350 fender mounted badging
# Serialized Engine Plate
# Shelby Engine Cap Set
# Serialized Dash Plate with Shelby GT350 sequential serial number
# A-Pillar Mounted Gauge Package including Fuel Pressure, Oil Pressure and Boost
# Embroidered Carroll Shelby Signature headrests
# Exclusive GT350 45th Anniversary embroidered front floormats
# Shelby GT350 45th Anniversary windbreaker jacket
# Jerry Titus race sticker package
# Carroll Shelby signed passenger airbag cover**

Options

FUNCTIONAL
# Shelby/Baer 6 piston rear brake upgrade
# Watts link rear suspension
# Goodyear street race tire package
# Shelby high performance cooling system (late availability)

APPEARANCE AND INTERIOR
# Painted over the top and side stripe kit
# Custom interior upgrade
# Shelby/Kicker premium sound system
# Premium exclusive interior:
-Leather seating surfaces with
contrasting stitching and red/white/blue
insert on front seats
-Tone on tone embroidered GT350 on
seat backs
-Console cover and shift boot
# MUSEUM DELIVERY

By using new technology, the Fusion Hybrid can help drivers know which driving style receives the best fuel economy.  They have created an ingenious system which is built into the instrument cluster called the SmartGauge. The driver is innundated with info from the dual data monitors next to the gauge cluster. The 1st display in the Fusion gauge cluster tells the power left in the battery packs and the remaining amount of fuel.  The 2nd information monitor shows the tachometer and the electric mode function.  The third screen displays engine and battery output power.  Additional power consumption and power to the wheels are shown in the last data screen.  Knowledge centers in the Fusion have data that consists of Miles Per Gallon, fuel efficiency report, travel chart, and changes in radiator temperatures.  Real time Mile Per Gallon information lets the driver know which driving style gains best fuel economy.

Check the Fusion nav display to see the cool hybrid Energy Flow stuff.  These smart gauges will display the different features of the hybrid powerplant including the 2 drives (electric and hybrid), the boost, charging while idle, and of course regenerative braking.

What is really cool about the Fusion Hybrid is that ford used reclaimed yarns to make the seats, no other hybrid can claim this.  Toyota and Honda have been selling thousands of hybrids per year unchallanged, better late than never with Ford.

The top five auto manufacturers have been around for a very long time.  All have made it through tough economic times, many through the Great Depression. Ford, founded in 1903 is the old-timer, while newcomer Honda started making cars in 1963. It seems obvious that a company that survives for decades, even a century, must be pretty strong and flexible. They’ve adapted to changes in demand, technology and politics and continued to grow overall.

Will there be a 2013 Mazda Miata?

But things have changed. GM and Chrysler have accepted help from the federal government and will need more.  So far Ford hasn’t asked for assistance, but who knows?  Everything depends on how long this recession lasts. Eventually consumers will start buying cars in greater numbers again, but can the automakers survive until then?

Part of the answer depends on which companies are well-run and efficient. Like many companies in other industries, auto manufacturers who once weathered the great depression have become fat during the long periods of plenty. If they can adapt quickly, everyone will benefit in the long run.

Another related piece of the puzzle is about who can innovate quickly. While sales have fallen drastically, there are segments of the market that are doing relatively well. Hybrids, which should have been an economically viable option long before now, are popular. So are well-built cars that last longer and require fewer repairs. Automakers that excel in these areas will have more sales now, which will help them hang on. When the economy picks up again, their sales will be much better than those who lag behind.

So who is doing well right now? Toyota tops the list with 92,775 vehicle sales in the first two months of 2009. Ford comes in second at 84,072.  Rounding out the top 5 are Chevrolet at 75,025, Honda at 63,916 and Nissan at 47,890.  While these figures are around 40-50% lower than the same period last year, if they can reduce their costs enough, these automakers may live to see the end of the recession.

I’m a MOPAR guy, have been ever since my dad pulled up in HEMI Orange Dodge Challenger back when I was all of 9.  The sound of that 426 still haunts me…

Fast Forward to 2008 and the SRT guy’s are at it again.  This time they unleash their Street and Racing Technology mantra to the Jeep Grand Cherokee?  Yes, they did.  Just that.  This is my second SRT8 vehicle.  I had an 07 Charger SRT8 and I’ve also had the pleasure of driving a Maggie and a 300 SRT and I must say the Jeep trumps them all.

Not the fastest of the SRT Line up, but definitely the quickest.  We’re talking a blazing 0-60 in a mind boggling 4.8 seconds stock.  That AWD drive and different gearing ratios compared to the other SRT’s make this 4,819 lbs truck do more than just turn eyes.  Yeah, she burns through gas at a horrendous 10 MPG but she also gets me there in style.  Blistering loud style.

I could rave about the racing seats, fiber carbon accents, the MyGig Hard Disc, DVD player, BOSE system, back up camera yadda yadda yadda, but these things are not what makes this truck special.  It’s the fact that it’s the most fun you will ever have driving anything that can be considered an SUV loaded with a stroller, car seats or a beach cruiser.

Who cares that I have two speeding tickets.  Something to be said when your foot commands 420 horses and 425 lbs. of torque.  That M3 won’t know what hit him.  Guy in the Southern California Corvette? Yeah, he won’t know that what just launched past him was in fact, just a Jeep.  Orange County Saleen Mustang?  I won’t even waste my gas…

At the end of the day I thank God for all you Coachella Valley Toyota Prius owners out there.  It’s because of you that I can drive this demon child from hell at downright illicit, immoral speeds.  Yeah, she’s that bad.

Jeep, no longer just Drag Rated, we’re now officially Track Rated as well.

By Dave Herrera

Well take heed you naughty teenagers because technology is hot on your tail. For the 2010 model year, this Riverside County Ford dealer will have a feature available to all their cars called the MyKey. This ingenious key has a computer chip integrated into it. When put into the ignition the car will recognize this key and set certain limits on the car.

• First on the list is a speed limiter which keeps kids from feeling the need for speed! And parents can choose the speed they wish to limit.
  
• Next is an audio volume control, yeah we all thought Vanilla Ice was so cool back then that all the neighbors had to hear it; but now that we are old it’s just tasteless.
• Finally the car will play a ridiculously annoying chime if the seat belts are not fastened.  Thank-goodness because for some reason kids don’t understand the importance of wearing a belt; High School Physics has let us parents down!

All this sounds like a great start at keeping our most precious gifts safe. And with other car manufacturers jumping on the band-wagon the sky is the limit with what precautions we can take. Grandma is going to be so happy she doesn’t have to chaperone anymore!

Source:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27053080/