The Ford Mustang is an icon, but so is Shelby America that helped Ford solidify the car’s reputation as a performance vehicle. You’ll be able to get your hands on the latest concoction between the two this Friday. The first Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR will roll across the union bloom on January 28, and 100 percent of the hammer price proceeds will go to charities.
The GT500KR only debuted last month, though Shelby scheduled production to begin this month. The beastly machine returns for 2022 to help celebrate Shelby America’s 60th anniversary, and it’s doing it with a big bang.
Gallery: New Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR
Under the hood sits a 5.2-liter V8 that has a massive 3.8-liter, twin-screw Whipple supercharger on top. The pair produce more than 900 horsepower (671 kilowatts), which is a lot for the pony car. Shelby added a cold air intake, an upgraded exhaust system, a larger throttle body, and other performance upgrades.
The king is back. The first production #FordMustang Shelby GT500KR™ will be auctioned off at @Barrett_Jackson on 1/28. 100% of the hammer price will benefit the Carroll Shelby Foundation and the @JDRF.#BarrettJackson pic.twitter.com/6GtlcGKlms
— Ford Mustang (@FordMustang) January 25, 2022
Shelby also gave the Mustang a visual overhaul with lots of new body parts, many done in carbon fiber. There’s a carbon-fiber hood, front splitter, Gurney flaps, and a rear diffuser.
Shelby is only making a limited number of GT500KR models for 2022 – 225 to be exact, with only 180 heading to the US market. So this might be the only chance to get your hands on one. Those who own a 2020 or 2021 GT500 can upgrade the Mustang to a KR, though Shelby will only offer 60 of these upgrades. It’s not clear how many Shelby will offer going forward.
Proceeds from the auction will go to help JDRF and the Carroll Shelby Foundation. The JDRF helps fight against type 1 diabetes, while the CSF raises money to assist kids in fighting life-threatening illnesses. It also supports automotive educational efforts. The 2022 GT500KR starts at $127,895, and it could far exceed that at the auction, raising quite a bit of money for the two charities.
