Autoblog listens to every rumor that comes our way, and there sure are a lot of them. But when we hear something twice and it then pops up online, we begin to take it more seriously. Reports that Shelby Automobiles, the company the Carroll built, was going out business began landing on our desk today, and when we were pointed to a forum post with some more specifics, we decided to give the company a call ourselves. While the most wild speculation claimed it was closing its doors due to health problems that Carroll Shelby might be experiencing, we were assured by the company's VP of Marketing and Communications Jim Owens that the company is "alive, healthy and well." When asked where the rumor may have originated, Owens declined to speculate. As proof of the company's vitality, however, he noted that at the time we spoke the facility in Las Vegas should've built its fiftieth Shelby GT of the day. And that's what makes Shelby Automotive going out of business a tough rumor to buy: its contracts with Ford to build not only the Shelby GT, but the upcoming GT500KR.
[Source: jalopyjournal.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sam @ Oct 11th 2007 4:55PM
ok, why would Ford let this happen? I mean seriously, if it was in financial trouble, Ford would make sure, even in its dire situation, to keep this going. Why? Because its a cash cow, and a premiere tuner of Mustangs. Just a thought.
catgirlshyla @ Oct 11th 2007 7:03PM
They refuse to release the Focus ST here in the US, so why not neglect their top tuner?
Sam @ Oct 11th 2007 7:50PM
ok, regarding the Focus ST, thats based off an entirely different platform from the US-spec Focus. But, Alan Mulally has said he wants to great global platform vehicles in the coming future. So I think we're gonna have to wait a generation or two until that happens and then maybe we'll get a Focus ST. As for the SVT program, its a damn shame it went under right around the time everyone else started gearing up their own in-house tuner brands.
Jay Evans @ Oct 11th 2007 4:56PM
The babbling of idiots.
SPG @ Oct 11th 2007 5:10PM
If they go out of business can they at least tune up Dodge's again?
CSX!
Jim @ Oct 11th 2007 8:31PM
Thew Focus ST might be a nice car, but it sure as hell ain't a cash cow...Ford could sell one 500KR and cover the profit on 20 Focus ST sales.
The Focus ST is the answer to a querstion no one really needs to ask. It's not enough greener, or enough cheaper, or enough faster than the existing field for sale in the US to make any real impact.
I realize the tree huggers want all American car makers to start selling JUST minicars, to save the spotted owl, but it ain't gonna happen, cause the "rest" of us...a majority, most likely...won't buy them.
:pffffft: