Guys, how important is the “Shelby” name to the enjoyment of your car?

[NoCo302]

I liked Ford vs Ferrari but never cared about the Shelby name. I think the man was a first rate marketer not unlike Michael Jordan and other celebrities that put their name on products. I owned a 14 GT500 and honestly didn't think twice about letting it go. The new GT500 is impressive but I plan to supercharge my Mach 1 and will enjoy it just as much especially with the manual.

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[kz]

For many seems like a lot. But it's a marketing tool for Ford and nothing else - not like he designed it or Shelby American (which is at this point a tuning shop with sometimes questionable esthetics) did.

If someone is close to what Carroll Shelby was doing in the 60s, it seems like it's Multimatic.

(it doesn't take away that Ford labels their best cars with that label)

 

[Revan9]

For me, the GT350 is just so enjoyable to own, drive, wash, dry and admire that I don't think the name is that important. I do think the name is key to the project being greenlit in the first place so it's hard to see the product without the marketing. I do love the snake badges though, as a kid I dreamed of owning a 2000 Cobra R. The Cobra staring at me as I dodge New Orleans potholes is quite gratifying.

The name does stir up memories in the older crowd though, I think it's pretty cool when people at gas stations tell me about the cars that were built back in the day. I guess it helps in that regard that mine is white with blue stripes.

 

[MAGS1]

Hell, I’m only here because of Shelby…I have had three other Shelby’s in my life, and they aint the ones you think of!

1) a 1985 Dodge Charger Shelby Turbo
2) a 1987 Dodge Omni GLHS Turbo
3) a 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z Turbo

I had all three somewhere between 1986 and 1994, could never afford the Shelby Mustangs so when the GT350 came out I was all in

and, I am currently considering one of the Shelby F150s when the time comes…

Oh man, the Daytona Shelby. I have an uncle that had one back in the day. Stirring up the memories now!

The Shelby F-150’s are badass trucks, there’s a few that roll around here.

 

[Bdubbs]

The Shelby name on my 350 doesn't mean the most to me honestly. I call it a 350.

What's more important to me is the SVT on my 03 cobra. A lot of history in making those 03-04 cobras. Sometimes I wished that I left it stock, but it is very fun to drive.

 

[MAGS1]

I think there’s a certain association with name and prestige, like Jordan brand as someone else mentioned. But unlike Jordan shoes, the Shelby cars (even though they are technically Ford Performance cars) do offer a higher level of performance over the standard Mustang. It’s not just a logo to justify more $$ (sorry Jordan, still the GOAT, shoes just don’t perform any better than any other shoe really).

Nostalgia is also involved. The Shelby name carries sentimental value, especially for folks that were around back in his heyday. Same applies for Jordan. I have a couple pairs solely because I grew up watching him and had a pair or two back in the day.

Would I buy a Shelby just because of the name? Hard to say because it does come with better performance. I would absolutely buy the Shelby name over other names like Roush and Saleen. To me, the Shelby name means more than those two and it helps that the total performance is also better. Just my $0.02

edit to add: I want a GT500 mostly because the performance is ridiculously good for the price but I also value the Shelby name. If it was another name but had the same performance and price, I’d still likely want and pursue one.

 

[Crew4991]

Shelby is similar to AMG for Mercedes, M series for BMW, S series for Audi or V series to Cadillac. These badges represent performance variants over the regular models.

If the Shelby wasn't a Shelby... and was just a Ford, the badge would probably represent a bunch of recalls. I'm JOKING. Calm down. It doesn't really make a difference to me as long as the performance is still there. If the Shelby badge was gone I wouldn't care much.

But I do wonder what those modders would up badge their car to?

 

[Crew4991]

I think there’s a certain association with name and prestige, like Jordan brand as someone else mentioned. But unlike Jordan shoes, the Shelby cars (even though they are technically Ford Performance cars) do offer a higher level of performance over the standard Mustang. It’s not just a logo to justify more $$ (sorry Jordan, still the GOAT, shoes just don’t perform any better than any other shoe really).

Nostalgia is also involved. The Shelby name carries sentimental value, especially for folks that were around back in his heyday. Same applies for Jordan. I have a couple pairs solely because I grew up watching him and had a pair or two back in the day.

Would I buy a Shelby just because of the name? Hard to say because it does come with better performance. I would absolutely buy the Shelby name over other names like Roush and Saleen. To me, the Shelby name means more than those two and it helps that the total performance is also better. Just my $0.02

edit to add: I want a GT500 mostly because the performance is ridiculously good for the price but I also value the Shelby name. If it was another name but had the same performance and price, I’d still likely want and pursue one.

What if the name was Big Kahuna instead of GT500?
I don't really understand the Roush and Saleen versions either... They are cool but most of the time from the ones I've seen driving around they are just up-badged base ecoboost models with a fart can attached trying to flex.

 

[Hack]

I like the Shelby name a lot. I think it's a huge advantage Ford has over Chevy and Dodge that Ford was associated with Shelby for many years. I also really like the Shelby badging. The Cobra emblem was beautifully designed. And Ford did a good job with the styling and badging on the interior and exterior of the 2016-2020 GT350 making it somewhat subtle.

All of that definitely contributed to my enjoyment when I owned a GT350.

But the reason I hung onto the car so long was how well it functioned. It takes quite a few modifications to make a GT perform similarly. I'm too cheap to convert to the GT350 brakes on my car and that's one part of the GT350 I really miss.

I think the Mach 1 name is a good name. I like that it has history with Ford. I wish the car had come with some different/better additional parts, but it's definitely a factory upgrade over a GT.

 

[matthewr87]

Every morning when I wake up I remove my Shelby-branded sleeping cap, throw off my Shelby-branded sheets, and step into my slippers that have the Iconic Cobra logo on them. I then perform my morning ablutions while reading the special Shelby book that came with my Shelby GT350 Mustang Shelby Owner's Package. I apply my Shelby-exhaust scented cologne and then change out of my Shelby pajamas into my Shelby T-shirt, Cobra logo (both at the front and at the back) blue striped thong (they don't make Shelby-branded men's underwear for some reason, so I have to make do with what is available; real men know how to commit to an ethos) and Shelby-branded jeans (heritage white color denim with blue racing stripes). Then I get my daughter, named Shelby, out of bed and drive her to daycare in my Shelby Mustang GT350 while wearing my Shelby leather jacket and my Shelby Mustang GT350 baseball cap. My wife, named Carroll, obviously sits in the passenger seat next to me in my Shelby GT350 Mustang Cobra Shelby. I thumb my nose at all other drivers who are not driving the best made and most amazing Shelby Mustang in the history of the world. I get to work and spend my entire day on the Shelby Mustang Forums for Shelby Enthusiasts. I get paid $200,000 American Shelby Dollars a year so that I can maintain my Shelby-lifestyle. Then I go home and park my Shelby GT350 Cobra Mustang in my garage (which obviously has many different Shelby signs, both neon and non-neon) and wash and polish my Shelby Mustang GT350 Cobra Mustang Shelby until Carroll calls me in to eat my 35 oz Tomahawk steak dinner. Other non-Shelby owners eat chicken, which is just a vegetable with a head. I laugh in their faces. My evenings are pre-occupied by rewatching Ford vs Ferrari and extolling the virtues of the revolutionary 5.2 L flat plane crank (it is like a Ferrari but better) Voodoo engine to my daughter and wife so they are both aware of how amazing and revolutionary the Mustang Shelby GT350 Cobra is. I then go to sleep while rewatching the slideshow from my Ford Racing Mustang GT350 Shelby experience in Utah.

 

[MAGS1]

Every morning when I wake up I remove my Shelby-branded sleeping cap, throw off my Shelby-branded sheets, and step into my slippers that have the Iconic Cobra logo on them. I then perform my morning ablutions while reading the special Shelby book that came with my Shelby GT350 Mustang Shelby Owner's Package. I apply my Shelby-exhaust scented cologne and then change out of my Shelby pajamas into my Shelby T-shirt, Cobra logo (both at the front and at the back) blue striped thong (they don't make Shelby-branded men's underwear for some reason, so I have to make do with what is available; real men know how to commit to an ethos) and Shelby-branded jeans (heritage white color denim with blue racing stripes). Then I get my daughter, named Shelby, out of bed and drive her to daycare in my Shelby Mustang GT350 while wearing my Shelby leather jacket and my Shelby Mustang GT350 baseball cap. My wife, named Carroll, obviously sits in the passenger seat next to me in my Shelby GT350 Mustang Cobra Shelby. I thumb my nose at all other drivers who are not driving the best made and most amazing Shelby Mustang in the history of the world. I get to work and spend my entire day on the Shelby Mustang Forums for Shelby Enthusiasts. I get paid $200,000 American Shelby Dollars a year so that I can maintain my Shelby-lifestyle. Then I go home and park my Shelby GT350 Cobra Mustang in my garage (which obviously has many different Shelby signs, both neon and non-neon) and wash and polish my Shelby Mustang GT350 Cobra Mustang Shelby until Carroll calls me in to eat my 35 oz Tomahawk steak dinner. Other non-Shelby owners eat chicken, which is just a vegetable with a head. I laugh in their faces. My evenings are pre-occupied by rewatching Ford vs Ferrari and extolling the virtues of the revolutionary 5.2 L flat plane crank (it is like a Ferrari but better) Voodoo engine to my daughter and wife so they are both aware of how amazing and revolutionary the Mustang Shelby GT350 Cobra is. I then go to sleep while rewatching the slideshow from my Ford Racing Mustang GT350 Shelby experience in Utah.

Well done

 

[Tomster]

Its a name that FoMoCo pays a lot of money for. Thats about it. Nobody at Shelby has a hand in designing or building these cars. Unless you have a CSM, it isn't a Shelby.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

I’m going to be the one to really upset many. I don‘t consider Shelby America anything more then a bolt on tuner. The exception being the widebody kit. And even that isn’t what I’d be ok with for the money. Glueing a glass quarter on isnt real high on the skill scale. I don’t begrudge anybody for what they spend their money on. Whatever makes thrm happy, I’m good with. Regardless of the name on the 350/500 there was a very dedicated group of car guys that engineered and designed these cars.

Its a name that FoMoCo pays a lot of money for. Thats about it. Nobody at Shelby has a hand in designing or building these cars. Unless you have a CSM, it isn't a Shelby.

 

[DarthMalice]

It honestly seems a bit disingenuous at this point as Shelby didn't make the S550 "Shelby" cars. It was Ford Performance and the hand built engine done at the FP Romeo plant which is even shut down now. It was just a licensed name. Even dropping your car off at Shelby to get a real Shelby upgrade is kind of name only at this point. That is why I will be surprised if there is even a S650 Shelby...they seem to be wanting to push Ford Performance and the Dark Horse name instead to start a new legacy in racing/performance. A DH350 or DH500 might be what's around the corner. Not hating on Shelby...I would love to have had a 22 Code Orange GT500 but they were hard to get and I wasn't ready to spend that amount of coin for the car.

 

[Champale]

I love the fact that my GT350R doesn't say Shelby anywhere on it . . . the name or brand means pretty much zero to me. Heck, Boss 302 is a way cooler name in my book (says me, a 2 time Boss 302 owner).

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