What Ford paid for the SHELBY nameplate

[IceGamer]

https://fordauthority.com/2026/04/mustang-shelby-heres-how-much-ford-paid-to-use-the-shelby-name/

Fordauthority.com posted this very interesting article where it is stated that Ford payed around $800 per unit sold...

If true it's an absolute bargain. Who wouldn't pay $800 to have a Shelby GT500 over a DarkHorse SC?!

The car itself is easily $100k and paying less than 1% to make the car more special and way more known globally is a no brainer for Ford and customers.

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[BuckeyeBOSS]

https://fordauthority.com/2026/04/mustang-shelby-heres-how-much-ford-paid-to-use-the-shelby-name/
The car itself is easily $100k and paying less than 1% to make the car more special and way more known globally is a no brainer for Ford and customers.

Just MHO, but I think the DHSC should have a base price in the $90ks. $108k - 176k is madness. Plus, you know the Boomers who need their egos stroked at car shows will pay crazy ADM just to have the newest thing at the shows for a few months.

 

[IceGamer]

Just MHO, but I think the DHSC should have a base price in the $90ks. $108k - 176k is madness. Plus, you know the Boomers who need their egos stroked at car shows will pay crazy ADM just to have the newest thing at the shows for a few months.

If base would be around $90k then Ford would have priced the car reasonable... They're greedy b... You can't just put 21% inflation on the GT500 you HAVE to make more profit ...

Again, a GT500 for $101K would sell better than a $100K DHSC...

 

[goodlettjr]

The Shelby name plate on a vehicle does nothing for me. Carrol Shelby did some great things, but at this point, it is just licensing a brand. Like a t-shirt or hat.... that's it. I dont think ford needs the branding of Shelby to make a good car.

 

[smurfslayer]

The Shelby name plate on a vehicle does nothing for me. Carrol Shelby did some great things, but at this point, it is just licensing a brand. Like a t-shirt or hat.... that's it. I dont think ford needs the branding of Shelby to make a good car.

Exactly. The Raptor R is not a 'Shelby' badged truck and it does just fine.

 

[Dragster]

Exactly. The Raptor R is not a 'Shelby' badged truck and it does just fine.

Yeah, but “Raptor” is a cool name. Dark Horse SC sucks.

 

[Flash]

Yeah, but “Raptor” is a cool name. Dark Horse SC sucks.

Agree the name is not the best. I think Ford is in a hard spot with the different version out right now and trying to build a name for the DH. As a DH owner I'm on board for keeping it around longer to get more attention and aftermarket support. However, I also live close to Lebanon Ford so a stage 1 Whipple is most likely in the future plans. This will bump it up higher in the HP than the DH SC, but it won't have the 5.2. I'm also fine with that. My main question separate from this conversation though is if I get the DH SC hood can I keep the strut tower brace, because I thought on Rati's rides he said the SC came with one and I don't know how.

 

[Joshinator99]

The $800 each doesn’t cover the dealer “franchise fee” that the dealer had to pay to sell the Shelby cars either. I know my local dealer did it but I remember him skipping the Shelby line for a couple of years because he thought the franchise fee was BS.

 

[Rayman]

Agree the name is not the best. I think Ford is in a hard spot with the different version out right now and trying to build a name for the DH. As a DH owner I'm on board for keeping it around longer to get more attention and aftermarket support. However, I also live close to Lebanon Ford so a stage 1 Whipple is most likely in the future plans. This will bump it up higher in the HP than the DH SC, but it won't have the 5.2. I'm also fine with that. My main question separate from this conversation though is if I get the DH SC hood can I keep the strut tower brace, because I thought on Rati's rides he said the SC came with one and I don't know how.

Hi, I had Lebanon ford supercharge my 2024 GT last year and they had to remove the strut tower brace. They give it back to you in case you want to hang it in your garage. I did a Whipple stage 1 with 810 ponies with a 6 speed
Talk to Cameron at Lebanon ford.

 

[Flash]

Hi, I had Lebanon ford supercharge my 2024 GT last year and they had to remove the strut tower brace. They give it back to you in case you want to hang it in your garage. I did a Whipple stage 1 with 810 ponies with a 6 speed
Talk to Cameron at Lebanon ford.

I know that it doesn't fit with the whipple in stock form. I want to know how they accomplish it for the DH SC. Is it just a different brace or does the different hood allow extra clearance as well for the brace to fit. Looks good by the way.

 

[Upacurb]

Yeah, but “Raptor” is a cool name. Dark Horse SC sucks.

Yep I also think they made it confusing - before it was

GT
Mach 1 - GT with performance parts
GT350 - 5.2 flat crank
GT500 - 5.2 supercharged

Now its

GT
Dark Horse - GT with performance parts
Dark Horse SC - 5.2 Supercharged

But here is the problem - I hear SC and I think supercharged.....but you can also have Dark Horse (non SC) and supercharge it and make similar numbers - but then you can also have the Tremec manual transmission.....

So if you have a Supercharged Dark Horse - your always going to have to explain if you have an SC or a Dark Horse with a whipple and vice-versa

Maybe they should have named it Cobra ....I mean who doesnt love Cobra?

The GT500 took nothing away from the Mach 1 being an awesome car and having a Cobra would do nothing to take away from the Dark Horse being an awesome car as well......

 

[Rayman]

Cameron would know, stop by the shop or call him. They do plenty of Whipple superchargers.

 

[RDH43]

Sadly Shelby is dead...doesn't mean as much as it once did....The actual car is the star as there is no prominence in the Shelby name on new cars now..imo Let it be on the real Shelby cars...and another name is better...though not sure about Darkhorse for the halo super mustang name...shrug.. Actually thinking about it a little I like the GT 350/ 500 monikers and the Cobra as well...

 

[IceGamer]

Yep I also think they made it confusing - before it was

GT
Mach 1 - GT with performance parts
GT350 - 5.2 flat crank
GT500 - 5.2 supercharged

Now its

GT
Dark Horse - GT with performance parts
Dark Horse SC - 5.2 Supercharged

Not quite, for the S550 it was:

GT
GT PP2 (later replaced by the Bullit and then by the Mach 1)
GT350
GT500 (later)

Unfortunately there was never a true replacement for the GT350. All Ford did was removing the bargain PP2 and replace it with a more expensive version that had some left over GT350 parts glued to it. Don't get me wrong, I like the Mach1 but in terms of price/performance it was a let down compared to the GT350. It was also not as special (interior and engine wise).

 

[Neggytive]

Shelby is a brand that has lost its luster

Anyone remember Saleen?

Try to buy something from them, Steve Saleen has not been involved in the business for years, they went bankrupt at least once, now owned by some Chinese company

But back to Shelby American.... a 2026 Super Snake at 830HP, which is just a C hair more then the GT 401A can make with a $13000 to $14000 investment
The starting price is like $177,000

Why am I paying $100,000 ++ more for some plastic add on parts and funny fenders and a hood?

And Shelby is selling all the take off parts so they are making even more money

As I have said before, I paid just under 57K for my 2024 GT 401A ragtop, I had budgeted another 13K for a blower and decided against it, but my all in would have been 70K with a Ford warranty.

Even if I went big brakes and handling stuff I would not have been in for over 80 right?

So again I am going to give them an extra $100K plus for what?

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