Motor Trend Tips Shelby GT
Shelby and Ford proved to be a winning combination when Motor Trend announced the champion of its "Pony Expressed" comparison test in its April 2008 issue.
"The Shelby GT is a well-balanced, fun to drive machine that draws upon our experience of making Mustangs go faster," said Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Autos.
Motor Trend assembled a normally aspirated Mustang from Shelby, Roush and Saleen for their test. All of the cars were base models with optional upgraded wheel/tire packages and brakes. The cars were put through their paces on the street, strip and road course.
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"Our idea was to round up Mustangs from the three companies with strong factory ties to Ford," stated Matt Stone, Executive Editor of Motor Trend. "Saleen has been producing modified Mustangs for nearly 25 years. Jack Roush's connection to Ford began with drag racing several decades ago. And Carroll Shelby's involvement with the Blue Oval needs no introduction."
"While all three outfits have high buck, supercharged offerings atop their lineups, we focused on the more affordable, naturally aspirated models in order to get a feel for what can be done with the Mustang GT without spending a fortune."
Motor Trend lauded the Shelby GT for its crisp turn-in, fade-free brakes, responsive throttle and tenacious grip. The editors also declared the Shelby GT’s looks as the most striking. Its dyno test showed that the Shelby actually made more horsepower and substantially more torque than the company advertises.
"These three players were similar in some ways, different in others, which is interesting since they all are based on the same car," noted Stone.
"Besides our usual round of track tests, we put them on a dyno, to verify horsepower and performance claims. While the Roush and Saleen each had a few standout features, we felt the Shelby GT was the most cohesive package, delivering the best combination of components, style and bang for buck."
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