1965 Shelby Cobra Factory Five on 2040-cars

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Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang is a lean, mean, Z/28-fighting machine [w/video]

If there's one thing you can count on, it's that the renewed rivalry between the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro will never, ever cease. For every version of Ford's pony car, there's an equally potent Chevrolet. And so with the debut of the Camaro Z/28 earlier this year, Ford has responded with a track-focused 'Stang of its own, resurrecting the Shelby GT350 name.
It looks to be a fine piece of work, this Mustang, with power coming from a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8 that will produce "more than 500 horsepower" and "above 400" pound-feet of torque. That grunt runs to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, and a Torsen limited-slip differential keeps everything in line.
But that's hardly the most impressive piece of the GT350 puzzle. Ford has increased the Mustang GT's chassis stiffness for duty here in the Shelby, and the coupe employs MagneRide damping which automatically adjusts based on road conditions and driver inputs. It's a first both for the Blue Oval and for the segment. And speaking of firsts, the GT350 uses a flat-plane crankshaft - something Ford has never included in a production V8 before.

1967 Shelby G.T.500CR hides a Coyote beneath its hood

Classic Recreations, a custom coachbuilder based in Oklahoma, debuted its Coyote-powered 1967 Shelby G.T.500CR at the SEMA show this week. Like the company's previous releases, the bright red, silver striped coupe offers classic Ford Mustang styling with today's reliable mechanicals. "If you like the graceful drivability of a modern G.T.500, but prefer the classic Mustang styling, this is the car for you," said company owner, Jason Engel. "Classic Recreations combines modern technology with classic styling to create a best-of-both worlds experience. Now, customers can get a CR car with the same engine offered by Ford for the current Mustang."
The G.T.500CR is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 Ford Racing Coyote crate engine that is rated at 490 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. A Tremec five-speed manual gearbox sends power to the rear wheels, where it can quickly liquidate the sticky high-performance tires. Other goodies include front and rear coilover suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, 17x9.5-inch chrome alloy wheels and a pair of Carroll Shelby signature rally series 1000 seats.
If the 490 horsepower doesn't hold your attention, Classic Recreations also offers a G.T.500CR 900 model packing a mind-blowing 780 horsepower courtesy of an F1-R intercooled ProCharger supercharged engine. In addition to chassis and suspension upgrades to handle the additional thrust, the 900 models get 17x11-inch rear tires to lay wider stripes on the pavement. All Classic Recreations receive an official Shelby serial number, badges and earn a spot in the official Shelby Worldwide Registry.

Shelby Mustang stars with Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez in Getaway movie

Car movies. We keep watching them, they keep making them. Despite Fast & Furious 6 still blowing up the box office (No. 1 in theaters for the second straight week) and production on Transformers 4 being well underway (check out the Bugatti Veyron and Corvette Stingray as new cast members), there's still room on the marquee for more car movies. Next one up is an Ethan Hawke joint called Getaway, which prominently co-stars a Ford Shelby GT500. The first trailer for Getaway, which opens in theaters on August 30, was released yesterday and can be watched below.
The movie's plot centers around Hawke's character, former race car driver Brent Magna, who must somehow use this car, what appears to be a generation-old Shelby GT500 Super Snake he "commandeered," to save his wife. The movie's third co-star is Selena Gomez, whose character we're told is the owner of said Shelby. A 20-year-old having a car like this seems a bit far-fetched - especially in Europe - and on paper, this plot looks like it cribs liberally from Charlie Sheen's 1994 The Chase. But all we've got to go on is a brief plot description and the trailer below, so we'll withhold judgment until the studio firmly has our ticket money in its grasp.
The Shelby GT500 is, of course, no stranger to acting. Before this jump to celluloid, the most fearsome of all Mustang models starred in the return of Knight Rider to television on NBC back in 2008. That gig didn't pan out for the car, the show lasting only one season and 17 episodes. In fact, with its casting in Getaway, the Shelby GT500 is one of the few actors who escaped that debacle with a future in show biz.