From Jonathan Lamas,
Your Guide to Mustangs.
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In February of 1968 Carroll Shelby and his crew unveiled the very first GT500-KR Shelby Mustang. The KR stood for "King of the Road", and what a car it was. It featured a 428 cubic-inch Cobra-Jet V8 engine which produced 360 hp. Needless to say, the car was extremely popular, and is still widely sought after by collectors around the world.

Key Features

• $79,995 Suggested MSRP
  
• 540-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with 510 lb.-ft. of torque
  
• 40th anniversary GT500KR badging
  
• Short-throw shifter 25-percent shorter than the Shelby GT500
  
• Extremely limited run of 1,000 units in 2008 and 746 in 2009
  

In 2008 the Mustang Shelby GT500KR returns. This time it's more powerful, completely modernized, and ready to tear up the road wherever it travels.

Revealed at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, the new GT500KR sports 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack. Total output is 540 hp with 510 lb.-ft. of torque, making it more powerful than the 500 hp Shelby GT500. It's being touted as the most powerful production Mustang ever. "The KR is much more than just a great straight-line performer. It’s the complete package − handling, power and performance,” said Jamal Hameedi, chief program engineer at Ford SVT. “The team put the GT500KR through rigorous testing and have witnessed slalom runs with sustained lateral acceleration of 1.0g on the skidpad. Those are world-class numbers.”

As for the Mustang's ride height, it's been lowered to the optimum setting for on-the-limit handling, lowering the front by 20 mm and the rear by 15 mm. Gary Davis, vice president of production for Shelby Automobiles said, "The KR is more responsive and has more body control. It delivers even more racing feel than a stock GT500. Yet it’s still extremely comfortable and doesn’t beat you up like some performance cars. We’ve been able to increase handling substantially without giving up a lot in ride comfort."

The car also features a 6-speed Tremec TR6060 manual transmission and 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, which is an improvement over the standard GT500's 3.31:1.

Exterior Speaks Aggressive

On the outside, the Shelby GT500KR features racing stripes, 40th anniversary badging, and a prominent lower-front air dam with a carbon composite hood featuring scoops and hood pins. It also features a specially designed front splitter and rear spoiler. These two items improve the overall aerodynamic nature of the Mustang. It rides on Goodyear high-performance tires, P255/45Z18 front and P285/40ZR18 rear, developed specifically for the KR.

In an April 2008 press release issued by Ford, the company says customers who pick up the new 2008 Shelby GT500KR will also find a little white box inside the truck – a little present from Ford SVT, Ford Racing and Shelby Automobiles just for the performance driver. What's in the box? Well, Ford says it's giving KR customers a Ford Racing front brake ducting kit. “The first front brake ducts on a Mustang appeared on the legendary GT350 and they were fully functional,” said Gary Patterson, Shelby Automobiles chief test driver. “Enthusiasts today understand their value, which is why we include a set with every Ford Shelby Mustang. This car is born to run, so we made it easy for drivers to get the most out of their cars on the road course.”

Interior is all Performance

The interior of the 2008 KR includes Carroll Shelby signature embroidered seats as well as a Ford Racing short-throw shifter that is said to be 25 percent shorter than the Hurst shifter on the GT500. The car also comes with a Shaker 1000 audio system, DVD navigation system and SIRIUS satellite radio.

Television Acting Career

In December of 2007, it was revealed that the 2008 Shelby GT500KR would star as KITT in NBC's Knight Rider. Modified GT Mustangs, made to look like KRs, were used in the television movie, as KR Mustang production had not yet begun prior to filming. The made-for-television movie premiered on February 17, 2008. The Shelby Mustangs featured in show were later scheduled to be auctioned at the 2008 Barrett-Jackson West Palm Beach Show. On March 30, 2008 the two cars were sold as a pair for $300,000. As an added extra, the winner was given the opportunity to purchase the last production 2009 GT500KR Mustang at list price, and not a dollar more. In April of 2008, NBC announced it plans to bring the show back as a weekly series on NBC in the Fall of 2008. As such, the GT500KR Mustang is expected to receive even more exposure in the coming year.

Availability and Pricing

As for availability, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR will be offered in an extremely limited run of an estimated 1,000 units in 2008. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the Mustang GT500KR is $79,995, including destination and delivery charges.

On March 20, 2008, Ford and Shelby announced that 746 additional units will be produced for the 2009 model year due to an overwhelming demand for the vehicle. Of those, 571 will go to U.S. customers. The remainder will go to countries that were not offered the car in 2008, such as customers in Canada.

"The response to this car has been overwhelming, so I'm glad we can share it with more Mustang enthusiasts," said Carroll Shelby. "This car is really special to me and demonstrates that when Shelby Automobiles gets together with Ford SVT and Ford Racing, we can deliver a Mustang that will compete with the best in the world."

Complete 2008 Ford Mustang Lineup

• What's New for 2008

• 2008 Bullitt Mustang

• 2008 Warriors in Pink Mustang

• 2008 Mustang Shelby GT

• 2008 Mustang Shelby GT500

• 2008 Mustang Shelby GT500KR

Source: Ford Motor Company

Guide to the Shelby Mustang

• Shelby Mustang - An Overview
  
• 1965 Shelby GT350
  
• 2008 Shelby GT
  
• 2008 Shelby GT500
  
• 2008 Shelby GT500 Super Snake