MotorTrend Pits the Corvette Z06, Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R Against Each Other

What weights ten tonnes and costs more than US$240,000? If you said, “a gold plated bulldozer”, you’d be close but no cigar. The answer is three sub-100k supercars: the Chevy Corvette Z06, Ford Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R. These three industry titans, with nameplates stretching as far back as the 1960s, were the recent subjects of an epic comparison test by MotorTrend. Here are three would-be-supercars – over 500hp and 3 second 0 to 60 mph times – that don’t command the supercar price tag.

The US$55,330 GT500, US$90,950 GT-R and US$98,010 Z06 are all within the budgets of most mid-life crisis suffers (providing you sell the house, the kids and the dog) and offer the sort of performance that was once the sole reserve of great Italians like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.

And they’re not stripped out racers either. The Z06, for instance, comes with such luxuries as heated leather seats, Bose audio, Bluetooth and sat nav. You can’t buy a second-hand Lamborghini with that sort of equipment for US$98,010.

If you want to find out who wins this legendary battle, you’ll just have to check out the video. Even if you don’t care who wins you should check out the video anyways for a sweet-as drag race between the Z06, GT500 and GT-R. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday...

READ MORE - MotorTrend Pits the Corvette Z06, Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R Against Each Other

Shelby Introduces Limited Edition 2012 Shelby GT350, Adds Convertible Option for the First Time Since 1970

At the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, Shelby unveiled the limited edition 2012 Shelby GT350, which enters the new model year with two fresh color options and, for the first time since 1970, a convertible body style. Based on the Ford Mustang GT, the Shelby GT350 comes with three engine choices, including a base version with a naturally aspirated 430HP V8 mated to either a manual gearbox or an automatic transmission, and two supercharged variants delivering 525HP and 624HP.

The new color options are Race Red and Kona Blue, both with white Le Mans stripes, while the Performance White with blue Le Mans stripes combo continues for the 2012MY. Last but not least, the new GT350 convertible can be ordered with a light bar, while other options include a once piece drive shaft and color coordinated billet aluminum engine cap set.

“Last year, we brought back the GT350 45 years after it was launched,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby American. “They look and sound just like the ones we built in 1965. We’re repeating history by offering two additional colors and building a few convertibles for the second year of production.”

Prices, not including the donor Mustang GT, start from US$26,995 for the naturally aspirated version and US$33,995. The company said it plans to keep production limited to 350 units.

READ MORE - Shelby Introduces Limited Edition 2012 Shelby GT350, Adds Convertible Option for the First Time Since 1970

2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake: Available with 630HP and 725HP

For that small percentage of buyers that aren't satisfied with the 2010 Ford Mustang-based Shelby GT500 that packs a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 with 540 ponies under the hood, Caroll Shelby and his team have prepped an even more hardcore package called Super Snake. Due to go on sale in August, Shelby offers the Super Snake package on the GT500 in two guises, with outputs of 630 and 725 horsepower, the latter offered only on the coupe model.

Shelby achieves the power upgrades with a different supercharger kit and a new exhaust system while other mods include a cold air intake system and a custom drive shaft on the 725HP variant

To improve handling, the Super Snake package adds a race-spec suspension system with adjustable dampers, a short throw shifter and a Baer brake system with 6 piston calipers and cross drilled and ventilated discs. Customers can also opt for a more hardcore Eibach handling pack.

On the aesthetics side, Shelby adorns the basic GT500 with a unique fiberglass hood with a larger air scoop, specific stripes, numerous carbon fiber body components, sequential tail lights, quarter window scoops and of course, new 20-inch alloy wheels shod in Pirelli P-Zero rubber.

For the interior, the basic Super Snake package adds center gauge cluster, satin door lock knobs and headrests embroidered with the Shelby logo which also appears on the center console.

Once you bring in your GT500, Shelby will charge you $29,495 for 630HP package and $33,495 for the 725HP kit. In both cases, prices including installation but not the donor car - just to make it clear.

READ MORE - 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake: Available with 630HP and 725HP

VIDEO: 800 hp Shelby GT500 Blows Up During Dyno Test

We don’t know if this is a factory 800-horsepower Super Snake or a privately tuned GT500, but something went very wrong during this dyno test... It might have happened due to insufficient cooling or a faulty component - we just don't know. Whatever the cause, the owner is one unhappy guy. Follow the break and watch the engine going up in flames and a cloud of smoke.

READ MORE - VIDEO: 800 hp Shelby GT500 Blows Up During Dyno Test

R.I.P.: Knight Rider TV Series Officially Terminated

Not that anybody will miss it, but NBC officially announced that its new Knight Rider TV series featuring Justin Bruening in the role of Michael Knight and a specially modified Ford Shelby GT500KR as KITT, is out of gas after only one season and some 17 episodes. To be completely frank, the series was so bad that we only managed to watch / tolerate a couple of episodes of the new Knight Rider before calling it quits.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

READ MORE - R.I.P.: Knight Rider TV Series Officially Terminated

Ford to Auction Mustang GT Concepts and First 2010 Shelby GT500 at Barret-Jackson

No, Ford is not auctioning its past and present as a last resort to obtain some cash. In fact, FoMoCo will actually donate the proceeds from the auction of the first retail 2010 Shelby GT500 and the two Mustang GT concept cars during the 7th Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Auction on April 9-11, 2009, to charity. Specifically, proceeds above MSRP from the sale of the Shelby GT500 will be donated to The Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation while the two Mustang concepts will be auctioned to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The first retail 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 features a color scheme and equipment personally chosen by Carroll Shelby. The wild-Stang that features a Kona Blue finish with white stripes is powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 that delivers 540-horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque.

As for the two Mustang GT concepts, the one-off coupe and convertible studies made their world debut at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit foreshadowing the all-new, retro-styled 2005 model year Mustang.

READ MORE - Ford to Auction Mustang GT Concepts and First 2010 Shelby GT500 at Barret-Jackson