Written by Nicole Ellan James
During the horsepower wars in the late 1960s, legendary race car driver turned automotive designer and entrepreneur, Carroll Shelby, had a few tricks up his sleeve when it came to giving Ford’s pony car an advantage over the competition. The result was the 1967 Shelby GT500. The GT500 was a force on the street and, just when enthusiasts didn’t think things could get better, Shelby introduced the GT500KR in 1968, with “KR” standing for “King of the Road.” The GT500KR came with even more horsepower than the standard GT500, cementing its reputation as a muscle car legend. The GT500 and GT500KR set a gold standard for performance, influencing generations of car enthusiasts and laying the groundwork for the modern revival of these legendary models.
Fast forward to 2007, when Ford and Shelby revived the iconic GT500 nameplate, blending cutting-edge engineering of the S197 platform with the heritage that made the original a legend. This modern GT500 was equipped with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine, backed by a 6-speed manual transmission, churning out 500 horsepower. The revival captured the essence of the late ’60s while offering modern reliability and performance, attracting a new generation of enthusiasts. Then, in 2008, history repeated itself when Shelby reintroduced the GT500KR and took things even further, boosting power to 540 horses, once again echoing the dominating spirit of the original GT500KR.
At the 2024 Scottsdale Fall Auction, three low-milage examples of the 2007 GT500 will be offered with No Reserve, along with a low-mileage 2008 GT500KR. Each from the same consignor, all four cars have been carefully stored in a climate-controlled warehouse and each comes with its respective Window Sticker.
With just 583 actual miles, the first 2007 GT500 is finished in Vista Blue with white racing stripes and is equipped with a Shaker 500 sound system. In terms of miles, a Tungsten Gray GT500 with a black interior is next in line. It features the top-of-the-line Shaker 1000 stereo system and has 726 actual miles. Rounding out the 2007 model year offerings is a GT500 finished in black with Silver racing stripes. It comes with the owner’s manual and has 780 actual miles.
Last, but certainly not least, is a 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR with 1,661 actual miles. Like the other GT500s, it features a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 backed by a 6-speed manual transmission, but this one received the extra Shelby treatment fit for its King of the Road status. It was modified at Shelby American in Las Vegas and comes with extra horsepower over the standard GT500, bringing its total to 540. The black KR has been upgraded with a Shaker 1000 stereo system and the sale includes the upgrade sticker from Shelby American, in addition to other documents.
This set of four incredibly low-mileage GT500s, offered with No Reserve at the 2024 Scottsdale Fall Auction, Oct. 10-13 at WestWorld, is nothing short of spectacular. Register to bid today to take one ‒ or all ‒ of them home with you!
This set of four incredibly low-mileage GT500s, offered with No Reserve at the 2024 Scottsdale Fall Auction, Oct. 10-13 at WestWorld, is nothing short of spectacular. Register to bid today to take one ‒ or all ‒ of them home with you!