Although it hasn’t been one of the better-kept secrets in the car industry, Ford announced today the impending arrival of the Ford Shelby GT-H, a modern homage to the legendary gold-on-black “Rent-A-Racer” Mustangs that were available for rent at Hertz Rent-A-Car back in the mid-1960s. Urban legend has it that the original models were a favorite of the weekend racer crowd, with aspiring track hounds laying black patch to their nearest racetrack once they got beyond visual distance of the Hertz rental counter. (Check out Mustang Monthly for a nice write-up on an original ’66 Shelby GT350H-model.)
The new model sports the infamous gold on black paint scheme, but will also boast a number of improvements over the stock Mustang GT. A new Shelby-inspired hood, front fascia and side scoops help with visuals and airflow, while painted calipers and custom 17″ aluminum rims will complete the bling factor. The GT-H will also get some select go-faster bits, including an upgraded intake, exhaust, revamped engine tune and other components to squeeze an extra 25hp and 10 lb.-ft of torque out of the standard Mustang 3-valve 4.6 liter V8, boosting it to roughly 325hp and 330 lb.-ft in the GT-H.
According to the Ford news release, “approximately 500 units will be available through the Hertz Fun Collection at select airport locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.”
Check out the Shelby or Ford websites for more info and scroll below the fold for more photos. – [Jeff James]
