Shelby American will celebrate its 60th birthday at 2022, but it’s a Ford Mustang that is going to receive gifts. The company announced a limited edition model called GT500KR boasts a heritage nameplate and a supercharged V8 with over 900 hp.
KR stands for “King of the Road”, and the first letters were first used in 1968 during the development of Mustang GT500 is equipped with a 428cc V8 engine called Cobra Jet. Back to the present: GT500KR 2022 is again based on Mustang GT500 but it has a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger that boosts the 5.2-liter V8’s output to over 900 hp when burning 93 octane fuel. For context, the regular model puts 760 horses under the driver’s right foot, which is already a large number.
Many modifications help control the power supply. Shelby notably added a more powerful intercooler and a mass heat exchanger to the supercharger, a cold air intake, a Borla exhaust and a half-heavy load shaft. The suspension now features height-adjustable springs on both axles, Ford Performance of front and rear swing bars and recalibrated MagneRide shock absorbers. Extended wheel studs keep the 20-inch wheel in place.
In the 1960s, Shelby relied on fiberglass to reduce the weight of the GT500KR. During the 2020s, the company leveraged its expertise in carbon fiber. It uses composite materials for the hood (which saves 30 pounds), the front splitter and rear diffuser, among other components. The KR stands out even more from the GT500 with stripes above the dashboard and new logos on both ends. Shelby notes that all vehicles they produce in 2022 will have commemorative exterior badges, regardless of whether they’re Mustang-based or not. on the F-Series.
Buyers will have a number of additional options to choose from including a polished supercharger, wide body kit and racing stripe paint. They can also ask Shelby to remove the rear seats and replace them with a harness. Pricing for these options has yet to be announced, but we do know that the 2022 GT500KR will cost $127,895 if it’s based on a new 2022 GT500, or $54,995 if the package is added to the customer-supplied vehicle. Either way, every model built will get a numbering plate on the dashboard and in the engine compartment.
Act fast if you want: production for the US market is limited to 60 pieces per model year. Ford has already released the GT500 for 2020, so the GT500KR package will be retrofitted to 120 existing cars and 60 new deliveries will be made with it. Shelby is setting aside 45 more for the overseas market, a number that surpasses the total number of KRs produced for 2022 to 225. It’s even rarer than the original 1968 model.
Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022, and the first example will cross the block at Barrett-Jackson Auction takes place January 29 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Carroll Shelby Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. And stay tuned: Shelby has pledged to announce three additional vehicle shows to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022. Nothing official yet, but Bronco seems like another good horse for Shelby to play with.
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