How long do you think the S650 will stay in production?

[Bikeman315]

I've thought this as well in the sense that they're more substantial ground up engineering efforts than what Shelby American is putting out right now.

With all the small startups emerging, I feel like it's a missed opportunity for Shelby to not at least try to create some ground up products like they used to in their peak. Like a new cobra with its own bespoke chassis and body work, a new Ford powered Shelby supercar with the best modern suspension and areo you can find.

It would be expensive, but seeing as people are paying well over 100 grand for the stuff Shelby makes now, I believe there would be an audience for a ground up Shelby performance model.

The cost to develop and produce a new car from the ground up would be in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. That vehicles retail cost would make the GTD look like a K-Mart red light special. How many million dollar cars do you think Shelby could sell. Besides Shelby has already done this and it wasn’t a great success. I’m sure they’re happy doing what they do.

Edit: Ford power wouldn’t happen as no longer has any agreements with Shelby. That would mean a Chevy or Dodge engine.

Sponsored

 

[MaddNomad]

The cost to develop and produce a new car from the ground up would be in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. That vehicles retail cost would make the GTD look like a K-Mart red light special. How many million dollar cars do you think Shelby could sell. Besides Shelby has already done this and it wasn’t a great success. I’m sure they’re happy doing what they do.

Edit: Ford power wouldn’t happen as no longer has any agreements with Shelby. That would mean a Chevy or Dodge engine.

Closest they got was that Cobra concept Ford was thinking about producing, but that ship sailed long ago.

and like you were saying, even back then if it were produced it was supposed to cost around 83k. That’s in 2004. Lol

 

[Zig]

Closest they got was that Cobra concept Ford was thinking about producing, but that ship sailed long ago.

and like you were saying, even back then if it were produced it was supposed to cost around 83k. That’s in 2004. Lol

Resting frown face

 

[Bikeman315]

Closest they got was that Cobra concept Ford was thinking about producing, but that ship sailed long ago.

and like you were saying, even back then if it were produced it was supposed to cost around 83k. That’s in 2004. Lol

You don’t remember this?
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1998-shelby-series-1/

 

[MustangMitch69]

I've thought this as well in the sense that they're more substantial ground up engineering efforts than what Shelby American is putting out right now.

With all the small startups emerging, I feel like it's a missed opportunity for Shelby to not at least try to create some ground up products like they used to in their peak. Like a new cobra with its own bespoke chassis and body work, a new Ford powered Shelby supercar with the best modern suspension and areo you can find.

It would be expensive, but seeing as people are paying well over 100 grand for the stuff Shelby makes now, I believe there would be an audience for a ground up Shelby performance model.

I would definitely pay $100K for a Shelby style 2-seat convertible with a coyote and modern tech that weighs less than 3,000 lbs. If they did that though, it would have to compete with the C8, the 911, and the M4 which can all be had brand new for around the same price, and they're able to keep the pricing down by selling to more than just a niche market, which might be why the AC GT Roadster is selling for the same price as a new Ferrari.

 

[MaddNomad]

You don’t remember this?
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1998-shelby-series-1/

Can’t believe I forgot about the series 1! Shelby had a whole bunch of issues with that car getting it to production.

 

[DeluxeStang]

You don’t remember this?
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1998-shelby-series-1/

I do, but wasn't this some 90s/early 2000s creation that used like an uninspired Olds engine or something? I remember liking how these things looked, but if I remember correctly, they didn't have the muscle and character of the original cobra.

 

[MaddNomad]

I do, but wasn't this some 90s/early 2000s creation that used like an uninspired Olds engine or something? I remember liking how these things looked, but if I remember correctly, they didn't have the muscle and character of the original cobra.

Shelby ran into a lot of issues with that car is all I remember. GM didn’t make it easy either with him making a Vette competitor.

 

[Germansheperd]

The Mach E was not a debacle, it was a smash success as far as corporate is concerned… I see far more Mach Es than normal mustangs on the road.

Nowhere else except a few urban environments. I can go months without seeing a Mach e except for the few that are sitting on the dealers lot that they have never been able to sell.
If you call loosing 30k and needing 7,500 tax payer dollars a “success” I’d hate to see what a failure is.
I would revisit Mach e at the end of 2026 to judge it when the taxpayer money is no longer subsidizing the car to see how it does on its own.

 

[robvas]

I do, but wasn't this some 90s/early 2000s creation that used like an uninspired Olds engine or something? I remember liking how these things looked, but if I remember correctly, they didn't have the muscle and character of the original cobra.

Souped up versions of the Aurora engine (based on the Northstar). But it looked like a Viper interior with GM partsbin stuff instead of Dodge

seemed like a really cool car at the time

 

[young at heart]

Yeah well you’re not getting that with the NA Ford V8. It’s a top end motor not a bottom end one. That’s not going to change. As far as HP, I agree that 550 is doable but no one is going to pay GT500 money for 50HP. Also I’m not sure the 5.2 could handle 600 safely so tuners would probably stay away. Like it or not we are dealing with a small V8 and there is only two ways to get major HP. Turbo’s or Superchargers.

Not trying to be argumentative but how are we armchair manufacturers mentally building reliable 550-600 HP N/A engines when Ford itself couldn’t even accomplish it at 526? And if, IF it could be done I’d guess the price point would put it smack into the 750+ HP FI range.

Face it folks: 500 HP is about the N/A limit for this platform or at least close by. They may add 10-15 marketing HP in order to pimp out a new model but it’ll be of no significance. Beyond that, think hybrid.

 

[Bikeman315]

Not trying to be argumentative but how are we armchair manufacturers mentally building reliable 550-600 HP N/A engines when Ford itself couldn’t even accomplish it at 526? And if, IF it could be done I’d guess the price point would put it smack into the 750+ HP FI range.

Face it folks: 500 HP is about the N/A limit for this platform or at least close by. They may add 10-15 marketing HP in order to pimp out a new model but it’ll be of no significance. Beyond that, think hybrid.

I agree with you. The conversation with @RebelMan was that he wanted the new SE Mustang to have NA. My point was I didn't think that was possible for the reasons you mentioned. If we want to go reliably beyond the Dark Horse it's going to be this FI.

 

[young at heart]

I agree with you. The conversation with @RebelMan was that he wanted the new SE Mustang to have NA. My point was I didn't think that was possible for the reasons you mentioned. If we want to go reliably beyond the Dark Horse it's going to be this FI.

You‘re smack dab on the money.

It helps my OCD-ish mind to arrange things logically to think of the HP DH as a very capable street car that is track-focused while I think of the GT350 as a race car that can be street driven. Given that one is generally more reliable than the other, they both have around 500 HP. In both cases it’s enough to be thrilling, especially if you love a NA engine like I do.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Nowhere else except a few urban environments. I can go months without seeing a Mach e except for the few that are sitting on the dealers lot that they have never been able to sell.
If you call loosing 30k and needing 7,500 tax payer dollars a “success” I’d hate to see what a failure is.
I would revisit Mach e at the end of 2026 to judge it when the taxpayer money is no longer subsidizing the car to see how it does on its own.

They're all over the place here in Phoenix.

 

[Germansheperd]

They're all over the place here in Phoenix.

Everywhere huh?
Ford sold 163,709 Mach e’s through 2024
Ford sold 460,915 F150s just in 2024
We won’t count 2020 because Ford sold 3 for the entire model year. So if you average 2021-2024 all the Mach e’s produced are 35% of 1 year of F150 sales.
They are definitely NOT everywhere.

Sponsored