Very First 2020 Shelby GT500 Headed to Auction
Proceeds from Jan. 18 sale will benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
VIN #001 of the highly-anticipated 2020 Shelby GT500 projected to make 700-plus horsepower will be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jan. 18, 2019, with all proceeds going to help Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation research a cure for the disease.
“JDRF always needs more muscle to help kids fight diabetes, so we are donating one of our heavyweights – the very first 2020 Shelby GT500,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, Global Operations, in a recent press statement. “We have supported JDRF for many of its nearly 50 years, so we know there’s no easy cure. That is why we are using our most iconic vehicles to help researchers find cures and help millions of children live better lives until that day arrives.”
Edsel Ford II and Aaron Shelby will rekindle the performance magic their two families have created for decades by helping build excitement for the car as it rolls across the block. The winning bidder of lot No. 3,008 – selling at no reserve, or whatever top price is tendered at the auction – will become the owner of the coveted first production Mustang Shelby GT500 and can choose from all available colors and options.
The proceeds will add to the more than $2 million Ford contributes to JDRF annually, a total of $60 million during 35 years of partnership.
2020 Shelby GT500: World-class pedigree
The 2020 Shelby GT500 draws on Carroll Shelby and Ford Motor Company’s many performance collaborations beginning with the Cobra roadster in 1962 that went on to win a world championship. Together, they broke a European stranglehold on Le Mans, winning the most important sports car race in the world with the Ford GT40.
When Ford asked Shelby to turn its new Mustang into a race winner for the 1965 model year, the small-block Ford Shelby GT350 was born. In 1967, the big-block-powered Ford Shelby GT500 was unveiled. It went on to become a worldwide star.
In 2006, Ford and Shelby announced a new-generation Ford Shelby GT500. The first 2007 model year car available to the public was sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale with Ford and Shelby watching from the block.
“Over the past decade, Ford, Shelby and Barrett-Jackson have given enthusiasts the opportunity to collect some very rare cars,” said Craig Jackson, CEO and chairman, Barrett-Jackson, in a recent press statement. “In 2015, we sold VIN 001 Ford Shelby GT350 at Barrett-Jackson, giving JDRF a cool million dollars. We look forward to hosting members of the Ford and Shelby families again when they auction VIN 001 of the newest Mustang Shelby GT500 for charity.”
The 2020 Shelby GT500 will be introduced to the public ahead of the auction of VIN 001, revealed with more specifications at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 14. The limited-production car will be available in the United States and Canada in the fall.