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Archive Ford, Shelby and Hertz Team up for Shelby GT-H "Rent a Racer" Convertible
Palm Beach, Fla., March 31, 2007 –
Lightning has struck again, the Ford Shelby GT-H “Rent-A-Racer” program
from Ford Motor Company, Shelby Automobiles and The Hertz Corporation has
returned with a special run of convertible versions of the
performance-modified Ford Mustang GTs for rent exclusively through Hertz.
Unveiled and sold for $250,000 on the block at the Barrett-Jackson Auction
in West Palm Beach, Fla., the companies announced that approximately 500
convertibles, a first for the GT-H program, will be available through the
Hertz Fun Collection at select airport locations in Arizona, California,
Colorado, and Hawaii, later this year. Proceeds of the sale will benefit
the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation.
The Shelby GT-H Mustang program was launched in 2006 to commemorate a plan by Carroll Shelby and The Hertz Corporation in 1966 to help put high-performance, special-edition Shelby Mustang coupes into the hands of racing enthusiast-minded rental customers. Ford supplied the new Mustangs with V-8 engines and automatic transmissions while Shelby added extra performance and style. Hertz gave the public access to a unique driving experience. Those Shelby GT-H Mustang coupes are being retired from the fleet, and are in the process of being auctioned off to Ford dealers. Some of the early GT-H coupes to reach auction have achieved impressively high prices – in the range of $60,000-$90,000 – which underscores the desirability of the Shelby GT-H program. The program was so popular that Shelby, Ford and Hertz have again teamed up to create the first Shelby GT-H Mustang convertibles. The 500 cars will be built at Shelby Auto’s facility in Las Vegas for delivery to Hertz. “The Ford Shelby GT-H was so much fun to drive that people literally begged us for more,” said Carroll Shelby, CEO of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. “The Mustang program never stands still, so we created a Ford Shelby GT-H convertible that gives people another unique driving experience. It’s a genuine American pony car that delivers open air motoring.” Hertz Fun Collection The 2008 Ford Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible will be available at select airport locations that feature the Hertz Fun Collection including Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco, California; Denver, Colorado; Maui and Honolulu, Hawaii, and Las Vegas, Nevada. “We’re excited to be offering a special edition Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible,” commented Joe Nothwang, Executive Vice President and President of the Americas and Pacific for Hertz. “Customer reaction to last year’s Shelby GT-H Mustang was so positive that we felt it only natural to offer yet another exclusive car through Hertz’s Fun Collection. Once again, customers can experience the thrill of renting a high-performance car that provides the utmost in driving experiences while adding a splash of fun with its open roof capabilities.” Consumers can check-out the Shelby GT-H convertible which will be on display in the SIRIUS booth, booth CP-9 (Crystal Palace 9), at the New York International Auto Show April 6 – 15, 2007. With the addition of the Shelby GT-H Mustang Convertible, Hertz now offers 14 Fun Collection cars that can be specifically reserved. More than 40,000 Fun Collection vehicles are available at approximately 20 major airport locations in the United States. Shelby Styling The Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible will be fitted with a unique hood with pins and a brushed aluminum grille with running horse emblem. A unique front fascia with integrated lower grille, as well as a set of body side scoops will be incorporated. The GT-H’s 18-inch black aluminum wheels will be shod with P235/55ZR18 performance rubber. To give the car additional stiffness, a stylish light bar and supplemental bracing will also be added to the convertible. Thundering Ponies “Any Mustang touched by Carroll Shelby has a head start on becoming a legend, and a highly desirable collectible, but they're all designed to be seen, heard and driven hard” said Cisco Codina, group vice president, Ford North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “That's why demand is so high in our showrooms, and on the auction block.” With total production expected to number only 500 units exclusively for Hertz rental fleets, this special-edition Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible will give Hertz customers a truly exclusive driving experience. “This GT-H project was a tremendous
success and demand for the sexy pony car led Shelby Autos and Ford to
offer a retail version to the public,” said Amy Boylan, president, Shelby
Automobiles Inc. “Working together with Ford and Hertz, we look forward to
creating history with the first Shelby GT-H Mustang convertible. This car
will deliver the looks and performance expected of a high-performance
Shelby-ized Ford Mustang. It will give Hertz customers the opportunity to
enjoy a rare muscle car with real top-down driving excitement.”
Hertz Fun Collection About Shelby Automobiles, Inc. Ford Motor Company * SIRIUS is a registered trademark of SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Inc.
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