I agree that the answer to this question is all about perspective. Some want it to be and some don't. Each have their own reasons for the preference.

In the end, however, it comes down to what the official name of the car is. It has Shelby in the official name, that makes it a Shelby regardless of where it was built or who had how much input on the design/engineering.

 

Thanks to all that posted regarding the initial question : "Is the GT 500 real [Shelby] or memorex"
I gleaned that the consensus is that in the final analysis it's a performance car coming from a long line and heritage of performance cars. Association with Shelby adds value.
I personally don't expect my car to go up in value in my life time....I just hope that it maintains a higher percieved value than say a Saleen or a Rousch car.

Another thought on the topic that really seemed to drive some of you crazy....Adjusted Market Pricing"
I doubt that speculative buyers in the early stages brought this nasty habit back again. It's the dealer's that knowing they were on an allocation made the conscience decision to add profit to each of the few vehicles they were going to get..This practice is as old as prostitution and we all know how old that game is...The reasons that dealers have gone back to MSRP is simple......[1] competition, [2] Reccession, [3] Fuel prices [4] the car is two years old now.

Anyway....I got all that I asked for in this thread. All opinions are valid and I learned a bit in the process.
Thanks to Tom for really fueling the passion here for this great proud pony.......


Chris

 

IMO the above two items are key factors which overrides perceptions and value. Many confuse and worry about its preordained prestige trophy status and Barrett-Jackson projections rather than seizing the moment and enjoying the car.

 

This may be a little selfish but I bought this car for me, The fact that Shelby has recconized this car is just a plus, I have been a Ford fan for years , Ford had a lot to due with Shelbys fame so I don't see any fault for a great reunion, with the team effort of SVT, Shelby and Ford this thread would not be here. However the sucess of this car turn out I for one is glade Shelbys name is on this car it sure brought a lot of memory back and I hope even more forward. I know I 'am having a good time with it and that all that counts!!!About future value what will be will be?? I have already had some good times with my 22 year old Like my dad before me. It's just fun to play it forward just to see what happen!!!At Mr. Shelby age and acomplishments he doesn.t own me anything or anyone else. With all do respect to everyones oppinon. This is just mine. With that being said enjoy it while it's here before the feds. and their rules and the insurance company,s try ro put an end to it. Not to mention the oil companies.

 

Guys, Just do a simple run of your Vin#. If it does not register as a Shelby GT500, you don't own a Shelby and you own a fake. It does not get any easier than that. There is a Shelby Register up and running for the GT500 and the Shelby GT. You can can go to Team Shelby.com for the info. No worries guys, you own the real deal

 

That's an oversimplification. Sure, the body code is right there in the VIN (T88 for GT500 coupe, or T89 for GT500 convertible), but the issue at hand is not whether the car was assembled as a GT500, but whether a 2007+ GT500 should really be considered a "Shelby" product just because his name is on the trunklid. Worth noting, is that the 2006-8 Shelby GT's and GT-H's cannot be distinguished by VIN # alone, as they started life as a standard Mustang GT (T82 for coupes, T85 for convertibles), before being sent to SAI.

As 1Bullitt pointed out, the early consensus was that the 2007+ GT500 was not going to be included in the Shelby registry, but then enough outrage ensued, and Amy Boylen of SAI got involved and things changed. So, this is certainly a hotly contested point right from the beginning and will likely continue for many years when it may become increasingly important to the value of these cars as they start to become "collector cars" someday.

I'm curious how many people consider the 1984 Mustang GT350 a "real Shelby." It was the white (red striped) 20th anniversary Mustang, with a Shelby name (GT350) and Le Mans striping in direct tribute to the original Shelby Mustangs. Much like today's GT500's, they were built completely by Ford with none of the build being done by SAI employees. So, if the 2007+ GT500's are to be considered "true" Shelby products, then the 1984 GT350's should be, as well, IMO. Any thoughts?

 

It might as well...




... and join the rest of the clan.

 

If you have any doubt whether the new GT500 is a true Shelby, just ask Shelby! (TeamShelby.com) His new club was created, in part, to include the new cars in his legacy. Any car he has developed is his. As far as the '84 GT350 goes, I think the lawsuit he filed against Ford for using that name says how he feels. Of course, the only one that has to like your car is you, but if Shelby himself claims it, it's real.

 

In case you missed it, we did. For weeks.

Usually, if not always, a spontaneous first response with respect to a specific position is the one which truly reflects an individual's position. A flip-flop or 180 degree turn are not exactly in the same category.

It doesn't matter what some want the GT500 to be. It is in black and white, a Shelby emblem for a fee.
Your statement would be valid and complete if you would accurately fill in the blanks with "without financial compensation".

 

Sorry, I had thought I had been keeping up. I wasn't aware of Mr. Shelby's flip-flop on the new GT500. You are correct on the '84. If Ford had conferred and offered compensation beforehand, I am sure that the '84 would be in Shelby's good graces as well, despite anything else the car was or wasn't.

 

Here is the bottom line, If you own a 07 or 08 GT500 and you don't think that its a real Shelby, unload it because you will never be satisfied. I have met Amy face to face and I have been to the plant in Vegas and I also watched the first 07 GT500 go for 600k at Barrett Jackson and for some reason, they all think the car is the real thing. If this car is not the real deal than we all were just taken for a ride by Shelby and Ford. Think about it, "Sure, the body code is right there in the VIN (T88 for GT500 coupe, or T89 for GT500 convertible)" 10 years ago I was looking to purchase a 68 GT500. The ones that I inquired of looked just like a 68 Shelby but were they real? How would one know.............. Say 10 years from now you want to buy an 07 GT500, How will you know if it is the real deal? Yes, it's that simple!

 

Really?

That's funny, considering Amy went on record stating exactly the opposite. Besides, the most common reason why the GT500 is not SAI's real thing is it doesn't have their world famous quality issues which could only be accomplished with their 40th Anniversary package and, as you are probably aware, there are not many GT500 owners who opted for that offering. There have been a lot of thanks, but no thanks, and I believe the satisfaction for the car has done quite well without it.

 

The GT500 is a Ford product developed by SVT engineers with Shelbys name on it.

It should never have been called a shelby, but they were smart marketing since people like the original poster are buying the car becasue of it...

 

1 Bullitt, do you own a GT500

 

[QUOTE=1 BULLITT;5558355]Really?

That's funny, considering Amy went on record stating exactly the opposite.


You should really visit teamshelby.com and ask her that question in her thread. I would be really interested to hear her say that the GT500 is not a Shelby. Let me know what you find out

 

No, I don't own a GT500.

 

[quote=snakebite500;5558526]Amy owns a grabber orange GT500 now and works for SAI, so nowadays the company line is that the 2007+ GT500's are "real" Shelbys. I have been a member at the Team Shelby website for a long time (back when it was just StangsUnleashed and before GT500 production started), and remember, as does 1Bullitt, that the company line was very different then and they were not originally going to recognize 2007+ GT500's in the Shelby registry. As has been said a couple times now in this thread, their position changed, as they succumbed to the outrage that ensued, and they've "adopted" the 2007+ GT500 as their own.

So, instead of asking Amy what she thinks now, you should dive back into threads about 2 years old at the Team Shelby website and research what was really happening in this regard.

This topic and question will likely never be resolved, as there are opinions in both camps. So, instead of agonizing over the car's pedigree, how about just enjoying it for its INTENDED purpose: to be driven, raced, and enjoyed for the 500hp goodness it offers in a Mustang, regardless of its name.

 

There is no need, this is not a newly discovered topic. It has been discussed previously and extensively.

FYI, Amy and I go way back, to the point where one might say I assisted with her eye opening informal education and on field training.

 

Exactamundo!!!

The original poster can't even spell ROUSH properly.

I believe I mentioned in another post somewhere that there is a site for those suffering from some sort of inferiority complex. www.teamshelby.com.

 

Umm, I sure this is going to illicit a negative reponse, but if the birth date in your profile is correct I find it difficult to believe you 'go way back' with anyone. Sorry if I've made an erroneous assumption based on faulty information.