Lucas Bell 
The original Shelby GT500 is undeniably one of the most beloved muscle cars of all time. Designed to meet customers expectations as to what a race car for the road would be like in the 1960s, the hopped-up Ford Mustang represents some of Carroll Shelby’s best work. These cars are also fairly rare compared to other muscle cars of the era, which has resulted in values skyrocketing in recent years. This is a bit of a shame for the enthusiasts out there who dream of owning one of these iconically beautiful cars. It might be more accurate to say that this was a shame however, thanks to the team over at Classic Recreations. That is because the Classic Recreations Shelby GT500CR has officially made its production debut.
For those who aren’t familiar with Classic Recreations, the shop has been cranking out some seriously cool restomod Ford Mustangs for over 15 years now. What separates this car from their previous projects is the fact that it features a carbon fiber body. More specifically, the body is a bluelight-scanned reproduction based on an actual GT500, which was developed with a little help from SpeedKore. Before anyone cries foul here, Carroll Shelby himself is on record saying that he believed carbon fiber was the future of the American performance car. Furthermore, the carbon bodywork is over 600 pounds lighter than its steel counterpart.
This is more than just an old Ford Mustang with some fancy bodywork however. Under the hood sits a Coyote V8 engine, which now measures 5.2L in displacement. Atop the motor sits a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger, which helps the V8 pump out 810 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. Mated to the engine sits a 10-speed automatic transmission, which can be operated via some wheel mounted paddles. Not exactly something you’d see in your grandfather’s Mustang.
Of course with that much power, the team also addressed the chassis. The Classic Recreations Shelby GT500CR rides on a Detroit Speed suspension complete with JRI coilovers, as well as a quadralink rear setup. The steering has been swapped over to a rack and pinion setup, which is a welcome change. Wilwood brakes also sit at all four corners, which help to keep that massively powerful engine in check.
Unfortunately for the majority of us, the production version of the Classic Recreations Shelby GT500CR is even more expensive than a genuine Shelby. With a starting price of $265,000, it’s priced right on par with the very best performance cars on the market. That is a bit of a shame, but projects like this never come cheap. That begs the question however, which take on the Shelby GT500 would you rather own, a Classic Recreations model or the real deal? Let us know down below.
