Shelby has finally done what many enthusiasts have been craving for years; making their performance-enhanced Mustangs more affordable. During the 2016 Mustang Club of America meeting held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Shelby unveiled their latest performance-enhanced Mustang christened the 2017 Shelby GTE. The model is a huge relief to many enthusiasts who would previously wait to acquire the Hertz-spec rental cars after they retired from rental lots. Unlike the Shelby GT350 and GT350R which are owned by the Ford Motor Company, the GTE is part of Shelby’s own range of performance-enhanced models.
The idea behind the 2017 Shelby GTE is to offer enthusiasts the exceptional Shelby experience but for fewer bucks. The GTE is based on either the Shelby GT released in 2015 or the GT-H Hertz rental car. The ‘E’ on the nametag stands for enhancement. Rather than rent, enthusiasts can now own their own GTEs. Read along for more information:
2017 Shelby GTE Exterior and interior
The performance enhancement recipe involves Shelby American picking a stock Mustang and then adding off-the-shelf parts from Ford Performance (previously Ford Racing). In addition, Shelby also adds some Shelby exclusive parts and tuning.
The parts used to enhance the model are listed in the Ford Performance catalog. The parts used include a cat-black exhaust outlet, a handling package which includes 19-inch alloy wheels in black matte, and an aero kit. Styling from Shelby America includes the signature Shelby vented hood and an extensive use of carbon fiber such as on the front splitter as well as on the rear deck spoiler. Both the upper and lower grilles have been modified. The rocker panels have also been upgraded.
The cabin on the other hand features numerous badges to show to the world that this is a Shelby GTE. The badges are featured on the dash, door sills, floor mats and on the headrests. The GTE also comes with a dashboard plaque which displays the serial number of the vehicle, as the models are included in the Shelby registry.
The badges are also featured on the grille, engine hood on the A-pillars and on the deck-lid. To finish off the design are the all-popular Shelby racing stripes.
The good news don’t end there, buyers can choose to have their models tailored for regular road driving, track racing or both.
Engine Specs and performance
The Shelby GTE is powered by two engines. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.3 L, EcoBoost mill which produces 335 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque up from 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque thanks to a Shelby-specific engine tuning. For more power, buyers will have an option for a 5.0 L, V8 engine which p[umps out 456 hp and 424 lb-ft of torque up from 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque courtesy of a Ford Performance Power Pack.
Both engines are mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission system available in the regular Mustang GT. The vehicle also comes with a Ford Performance Handling Pack as well as an upgraded exhaust system. For buyers looking for ultimate performance, Shelby will also offer a supercharger option for models with the V-8 power-plant. The supercharger bumps output to a whopping 750 horses.
Price and release date
Buyers will have an option for either a fastback version or convertible version of the 2017 Shelby GTE. The standard Shelby enhancement package will see you spending $17,995 in addition to the base GT which retails at $33,545 for a total of $51,540. This price puts the GTE in the same region (price-wise) as the GT350 which retails AT $56,495. Going for the Supercharged Shelby GTE will push the price from the “affordable” region.
In addition to the supercharger, the model will also add a specially-tuned suspension, body components and other extra options not available for the turbocharged model or the regular V8. The models will be built at the Shelby American design house in Las Vega. Authorized North American mod-shops will also build the GTEs for customers across North America. Shelby also wants to take the GTE global and are already work is underway to release a GTE package for export.
