Las Vegas: Ford Motors have started production of the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR, unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. The 1,000 units limited edition GT500KR Mustangs will be available soon at select Ford dealerships and would be customised by hand and delivered to each customer in an enclosed transporter, just like the legendary Ford GT, the company stated.

The GT500KR or the 2008 ''King of the Road'' is the fourth limited-edition Mustang introduced in the market by Shelby Automobiles and Ford since resuming their collaboration in 2001. Interestingly, the production date of the GT500KR also happens to be the 85th birthday of  Carroll Shelby, owner of Shelby Automobiles.

Shelby, who was actively involved in the GT500KR's development, said, ''My energy and passion for performance products has always been strongest when I am working with Ford. I'm always looking to up the ante when it comes to performance, and bringing back the 'King of the Road' Mustang is just what we need.''

Thee 2008 ''King of the Road'' is powered by a Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine, which is enhanced with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack to boost horsepower to an estimated 540-hp and torque to 510 ft-lbs.

The additional power is generated through the revised ignition and throttle calibration and a cold air intake system that replaces the stock unit. The Shelby GT500KR cold air intake seal was designed in unison with the new carbon fiber hood to prevent hot engine compartment air from reaching the air intake.

According to Ford, to fine-tune the GT500KR's chassis - stiffened 50 per cent to deliver increased body control, the SVT engineers and Shelby put the GT500KR through a rigorous testing program developed specially for SVT products, including a 12-hour racetrack durability test. The result is a powerful car with a combination of increased performance capability and comfortable driving experience on road.

The GT500KR's aerodynamics have been tuned up with new front splitter design works with the hood and revised rear spoiler, which has enabled the GT500KR set new performance standards for Mustang handling and straight-line performance on the racetrack, slalom course and skidpad.

The new bulging hood of the GT500KR, is made from ducted aluminum/carbon fiber clamshell, similar to the Ford GT.  The hood is secured by a pair of stainless steel, twist-down hood pins,  a visual indication of the extra horsepower packed beneath it.

Unlike most traditional designs, the hood features three components: the outer panel, an integrated airflow duct which spans the entire hood and the inner panel. The duct serves three purposes: to channel supplemental fresh air into the new cold air intake, to relieve high-speed underhood pressure and to move air from the front intake and engine compartment to the rear extractors.

Developed through intensive use of analytical tools including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), the design optimises the structural properties of carbon fiber delivering panels at a wafer-thin 0.8 mm. The hood saves 15 pounds versus its aluminum counterpart in the GT500.

The Mustang will hit the road with the new Supercar F1 tyres,from Goodyear, which make their North American debut  on this new Mustang.

The limited edition models are identified by a special 40th Anniversary badge on the fenders and grille, distinctive body colored mirror caps and Shelby lettering stretching across the front of the hood and along the rear portion of the deck lid. a special Shelby VIN tag is affixed to each vehicle, mounted in the engine compartment.

The interiors have been decked up with all-leather accessories and features Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and an official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate mounted at the top of the center stack.

Other standard equipment includes HID headlamps, wrapped and stitched instrument panel, an interior ambient lighting package, centre console and armrests, and an electro chromic rear view mirror. Optional equipment includes a Shaker 1000 audio system and DVD navigation system.

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