Photo: Ford
It’s that time of the year again, and you know what it means! Barrett-Jackson is selling VIN 001 cars like there’s no tomorrow at the Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, and the 2020 Shelby GT500 stands out from the crowd.
Someone paid $1.1 million for the most powerful Ford ever, more powerful than the GT supercar with the twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine. The beating heart of the Shelby is the Predator V8, a supercharged blunderbuss that promises 700-plus horsepower and a bucketload of torque.
Care to guess who is the someone in question? “The chance to become the owner of the first 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is an opportunity of a lifetime,” declared Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of global operations. “More importantly, being involved in helping to raise much-needed funds and awareness for JDRF is a big win for everyone.”
As the man said, all proceeds from the sale go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, an organization which funds research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. The Ford Motor Company is helping JDRF researchers for 35 years now, adding up to $70 million in donations.
A car that Carroll Shelby would’ve loved to drive if were to live, the Shelby GT500 doesn’t feature a manual transmission. Ford Performance could put one together if there’s enough demand for a three-pedal setup. After all, do remember the Tremec TR-6060 used by Dodge in the Challenger SRT Hellcat can handle up to 656 lb-ft (890 Nm) of torque.
The Redeye, on the other hand, comes with the eight-speed automatic because no manual can take 707 pound-feet (959 Nm) as punishment, day in and day out. Thinking about it, the Blue Oval could be forced to offer the Tremec thanks to Shelby’s legacy of rowing your own gears. Further still, let’s not forget the GT350 and GT350R are manual-only affairs.
Turning our attention back to VIN 001, Edsel B. Ford II and Aaron Shelby, the grandson of Carroll, were at the auction when the hammered struck sold. Aaron is currently working at the LegacyTexas Bank. What’s more, he’s also taking care of the family’s timber business in East Texas.
Care to guess who is the someone in question? “The chance to become the owner of the first 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is an opportunity of a lifetime,” declared Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of global operations. “More importantly, being involved in helping to raise much-needed funds and awareness for JDRF is a big win for everyone.”
As the man said, all proceeds from the sale go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, an organization which funds research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. The Ford Motor Company is helping JDRF researchers for 35 years now, adding up to $70 million in donations.
A car that Carroll Shelby would’ve loved to drive if were to live, the Shelby GT500 doesn’t feature a manual transmission. Ford Performance could put one together if there’s enough demand for a three-pedal setup. After all, do remember the Tremec TR-6060 used by Dodge in the Challenger SRT Hellcat can handle up to 656 lb-ft (890 Nm) of torque.
The Redeye, on the other hand, comes with the eight-speed automatic because no manual can take 707 pound-feet (959 Nm) as punishment, day in and day out. Thinking about it, the Blue Oval could be forced to offer the Tremec thanks to Shelby’s legacy of rowing your own gears. Further still, let’s not forget the GT350 and GT350R are manual-only affairs.
Turning our attention back to VIN 001, Edsel B. Ford II and Aaron Shelby, the grandson of Carroll, were at the auction when the hammered struck sold. Aaron is currently working at the LegacyTexas Bank. What’s more, he’s also taking care of the family’s timber business in East Texas.
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