Photos / Supplied
When Shelby first revealed its GT500 package for the Ford Mustang a couple of years back, it was one of the craziest pony cars to ever hit the road.
It seems that the American tuning brand is doubling down on this monster muscle car by bringing back the GT500KR badge, with those last two letters standing for ‘King of the Road’.
Under the bonnet sits the same 5.2-litre V8 as the standard GT500, but the supercharger has been upgraded to a 3.8-litre Whipple unit, flanked by a new intercooler.
In stock form, the GT500 pumps out an impressive 567kW, but the KR boasts over 670kW, which is around 900hp if we’re talking in American numbers.
To accommodate this extra grunt, Shelby has fitted the GT500KR with height adjustable springs, Ford Performance sway bars, and recalibrated MagneRide suspension.
To keep weight down, a plethora of carbon fibre parts have been added including a bonnet, front splitter, rear diffuser, and Gurney flap. If buyers want to add this extra weight back again, a wide body kit can also be optioned.
On the inside, there are reupholstered leather seats, embroidered floor mats, and each car gets a numbered plaque on the dash. The rear seats can also be swapped out for a harness bar.
Though only 225 of these will be made each year, and they’re only being released as an upgrade package to an existing GT500, New Zealand availability has been confirmed by Shelby New Zealand.
“Production of the new Shelby GT500KR will begin in the first quarter of 2022. Owners of 2020 and 2021 model year Shelby GT500s can contact Shelby New Zealand about transforming their cars into a KR as of February 1, 2022,” says Shelby New Zealand.
“Shelby New Zealand can also place orders for 2022 model year cars which will proudly wear 60th anniversary badges.”
Keyword: GT500KR: Shelby's most powerful car confirmed for Kiwi buyers