Shelby Super Snake: History, Specs, and Price

Ever since the 1960s, the name Shelby has engendered a visceral reaction from the automotive enthusiast community. Of course there's the man himself, Carroll Shelby , who became a living legend. Shelby helped Ford take down Ferrari at Le Mans thanks to his work with the also legendary GT40 race cars. He built the Shelby Cobra , one of the most memorable and collectible American sports cars in history. He also partnered with Ford to produce some of the meanest Mustangs of the muscle car era. Shelby even worked with Chrysler for a time . Today, the Shelby Super Snake Mustang serves as the modern flagship of his namesake company Shelby American, a car and a brand that carry on his legacy in the form of a fire-breathing Mustang worthy of the Shelby badge.

The Super Snake package begins with a stock Mustang GT , which is then sent to the Shelby American factory in Las Vegas. A supercharged engine, upgraded suspension, and more powerful brakes are all fitted to the Mustang GT to substantially improve all aspects of performance over the base car. A host of functional and nonfunctional exterior changes improve the aesthetics of the pony car by giving it a much more aggressive look and help differentiate the Mustang Super Snake from less powerful Mustangs.

By 1967, after his success with the GT350, GT500, and of course the iconic Shelby Cobra , Carroll Shelby had already made a name for himself. Having helped Ford vanquish the (nearly) unbeatable Ferrari team at Le Mans with its GT40, Goodyear commissioned Shelby to build the baddest car he could so the tire maker could test and market its new Thunderbolt tires with some real-world results.

The car and the tires didn't disappoint (read on for specifics on the Gen 1). What was disappointing was the enormous price tag the Super Snake commanded, which at a full $8,000 was more than three times the base Mustang's price in 1967. So what was originally intended to be a limited run of 50 cars became significantly more limited, resulting in a single, one-off model that became an instant classic and one of the most legendary Mustangs ever.

When the GT500 returned in 2007 , it wasn't long until Shelby decided to offer the Super Snake package to make a fast car even faster. Initially, the Super Snake upgrade could only be added to a GT500 donor car. But once the GT500 was discontinued after 2014, the foundation car became a Mustang GT.

This change caused some internal discord among pony car purists, as they believe a "real" Super Snake must be based on a GT500. But with a current max of 825 hp on tap, those complaints seem to have diminished a bit. Aside from the Mustang GT, the only other model currently in the Ford lineup that can qualify for the Shelby Super Snake treatment is an F-150. Only 2018 and newer cars can be converted, with all used cars being approved on a case-by-case basis to ensure they're mechanically sound enough to handle the massive power upgrade.

The 1967 GT500 Super Snake began as a marketing ploy by Goodyear. The tire manufacturer wanted to prove just how durable its new Thunderbolt radials were and asked Carroll Shelby to run wild with a car that could put them to the test. Happy to oblige, Shelby began with a regular GT500 and removed the original 355-horsepower, 428-cubic-inch V-8 engine. He replaced it with an aluminum 427 MK II engine out of the Le Mans-winning GT40 that made an incredible (for the time) 520 hp.

The Super Snake project was originally slated for a limited run of 50 units, but after the bean counters decided the Super Snake would have to command $8,000 to make a profit, Ford decided to shut down the whole project, leaving just one single 1967 Super Snake in existence, which recently sold at auction for a cool $2.2 million .

After a 40-year hiatus, Ford and Shelby hashed out their long-standing issues and collaborated once more to resurrect the GT500. The standard car came with an Eaton supercharged 5.4-liter 32-valve V-8 that made 500 hp. The Super Snake package was available for an additional $27,995 over the stock GT500's $40,930, with power coming from a larger Eaton blower that pushed the engine to 600 hp. But if your speed addiction was severe enough, for another four grand you could upgrade to a Kenne Bell supercharger that simultaneously made 725 hp and destroyed your warranty in the process.

When Ford upped the GT500's engine to a 5.8-liter, 662-hp Corvette-killer, Shelby decided to follow suit. The 2013-14 Shelby GT500 Super Snake was nothing short of insane , offering a minimum of 850 hp, and with the Shelby 1000 package offered to 2010-2014 Super Snake owners, they could have a car capable of up to 1,200 hp!

2015 is where the GT500 and Super Snake take divergent paths. The SS had always been based on the GT500, but when Ford discontinued its king snake in 2014, Shelby had to shift its own gears when it came to building the Super Snake. So, for the first time in history, the Super Snake utilized a normal Mustang GT as its foundation rather than the defunct GT500.

The base Mustang GT came with 426 hp and a cost of $33,200. For an additional $49,999 owners were treated to a blown version of the Coyote motor that was capable of 670 horsepower. Like the previous-generation SS, a Kenne Bell or Whipple supercharger upgrade was available, which bumped power to 750+ horsepower. The 2015 SS also marks the first time such a car could be ordered with an automatic transmission, as all previous Snakes were made with manual transmissions.

The Shelby Super Snake followed along with the face-lift the base Mustang received in 2018 . A more aggressive fascia with a Shelby-specific grille, hood, air intakes, and splitters highlighted the changes to the front end, while an upgraded rear diffuser rounded out the Super Snake's intimidating look. Utilizing the same 5.0-liter supercharged Coyote V-8 as the previous Super Snake, base power got bumped to a massive 710 hp, while an optional and arguably ridiculous 825-hp version was also made available. Twenty-inch forged black or bright aluminum wheels, shod in barely legal Michelin summer tires helped get that power to the ground, while huge six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo brakes stopped the car with authority.

This version of the Super Snake continued where the previous generation left off. Stuffed between new aluminum widebody front fenders is a Whipple-supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 that produces 825 hp. Helping that monster motor fend off heat-soak is Shelby's Extreme Cooling system, which consists of an upgraded radiator, polished aluminum overflow tank, and heat exchanger. A Shelby-specific catback exhaust from Borla makes the Super Snake growl with the ferocity of a rabid lion. Highlighting the lineup is the sleek drop-top Speedster . A hard top tonneau cover deceptively hides the rear seats, making the Speedster into a two-seat roadster. Only 98 of these gorgeous drop-tops will be made per year, a number chosen to celebrate Carroll Shelby's 98th birthday back in 2021.

2024 Shelby Super Snake: Two Levels of Performance

This should come as no surprise—Shelby American is turning America’s last standing V-8 powered pony car into its latest Super Snake model by combining supercharged power with a refined appearance. The specialty vehicle manufacturer unveiled its latest creation during Barrett-Jackson's Palm Beach auction. The 830-hp 2024 Shelby Super Snake is the kind of thing we’ve come to expect from Mustang’s longtime ally and performance partner. Production is planned for midsummer 2024 and the Super Snake can be purchased at select Shelby-authorized Ford dealers.

While the entire Super Snake itself could be considered a performance upgrade, the Shelby American team is known primarily for beefing up all the major components of speed. The engine is modified beyond even the most powerful Mustang available from Ford , with the most recent version making a supercharged 825 horsepower. An optional Penske suspension that includes stronger halfshafts, springs, and a rear stabilizer bar help keep the tail of the Super Snake planted to the pavement. An optional camber/caster kit is also available to tailor the cornering and stability of the front end to suit the owner's driving style.

Inside, the Super Snake differentiates itself from the base Mustang GT with a Shelby-specific interior highlighted by a custom carbon-fiber gauge cluster mounted on top of the center dash. Displayed there are analog readouts for fuel pressure, oil pressure, and of course, boost. Shelby floormats, sill plates, and a serialized Carroll Shelby Manufacturing (CSM) plaque all remind passengers they aren't in a garden-variety Mustang.

A Super Snake can be differentiated from a more domesticated Mustang by Shelby-engineered body panels that include more aggressive front fenders, a functional ram-air hood, and a Shelby front grille replete with functional air ducts to help cool the front brakes and wheel bearings. An available wide-body kit adds 4.0 inches to the rear track and 2.5 inches to the front that not only adds a more menacing look to the Super Snake, but also improves on-road stability. Twenty-inch black or bright forged aluminum wheels mounted on Ford Performance wheel studs, a rear spoiler, diffuser, tail panel, and a louvered quarter window round out the Super Snake's sinister stance. Shelby will also tint the Snake's windows to give the car an even more menacing look, provided it is legal in the state of ownership.

In 2009, Shelby paid homage to drag racer Don Prudhomme by creating a Super Snake equipped with a Whipple supercharger capable of producing up to 800 horsepower on race gas. The package was aptly created as a drag racing setup and limited to a run of 100 units with a price tag of $100,000 each.

Then in 2018 Shelby American made the decision to create ten continuation 1967 GT500 Super Snakes. Starting with ten original donor cars, each was given a ground-up rebuild with new sheetmetal and a Holley carburetor-topped 427 big-block V-8 that cranked out 550 hp funneled through either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. Each car also received a factory VIN and an original title. With a cost of $249,995, they were a relative bargain compared to the first car's recent $2.2 million auction price.

Last seen in 2009, Shelby resurrected its Super Snake F-150 in 2017. Available in two- or four-wheel drive, the first F-150 Super Snake is only available in a four-door Crew Cab configuration, while the freshly added Sport variant is available solely as a two-door model.

Shelby's super truck comes with a lowered suspension featuring coilovers up front and an adjustable rear sway bar. A Super Snake ram-air hood, front bumper, air splitter, tonneau bed cover, and requisite paint stripes complete the look. Stomp the gas pedal, and watch as 0-60 takes a scant 3.45 seconds, while 0-100 comes and goes in just 8.3 seconds, bringing new meaning to the word hauling!

Depending on which Super Snake we're talking about, the engine type and power output can vary. For currently available models, the lowest power output comes in the form of the naturally aspirated Super Snake Sport F-150 , with just 400 horsepower. On the other end of spectrum, the flagship Mustang GT-based Super Snake comes to play with more than double that figure, at a staggering 825 ponies. In terms of all-time performance output, the 2013-14 Super Snake outfitted with the Shelby 1000 package was capable of making an NHRA-level 1,200 horsepower.

• 1967 Shelby Super Snake - 520 Horsepower
• 2007-2014 Shelby Super Snake - 500‒1,200 Horsepower
• 2015-2017 Shelby Super Snake - 670‒750 Horsepower
• 2018-2020 Shelby Super Snake - 400‒825 Horsepower
• 2021-2023 Shelby Super Snake - 400‒825 Horsepower
• 2024 Shelby Super Snake - 830 horsepower

As with most bespoke high-end supercars, prices can vary significantly depending on how unique you want your car to be, as well as what year, make, and model that car also happens to be. Based on a new 2023 Ford Mustang GT coupe equipped with a manual transmission, you can order a Super Snake from an authorized Ford dealer for a base price of $140,270. However, a fully loaded Super Snake convertible or Speedster can see its MSRP climb well into the $170,000 price range almost as quickly as the car itself.

If it is a 2023 Super Snake F-150 we're discussing, that comes with a lower $104,895 base price for the naturally aspirated truck, while the supercharged version starts at $113,395. In either case, both prices also include the cost of a new F-150 XLT 4x4 .

Yes. Moving in chronological order, the original 1967 GT500 Super Snake is easily the rarest of all, with just one ever produced. The 2007-2010 GT500-based Super Snake had a significantly higher limit of 1,000 examples each year. The more modern 2015-2021 Super Snakes had an annual limit of 500 cars per year, while both F-150 based Super Snakes are limited to 250 examples per model year. Finally, the latest 2021 and newer Super Snakes are limited to just 98 Speedster units and 200 non-Speedster units per model year.

All current Super Snakes use a version of the Ford 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 . The GT-based car gets a Whipple-supercharged unit that helps the engine make an incredible 825 horsepower. Keeping that high-powered engine cool is Shelby's Extreme Cooling system that utilizes an upgraded radiator, heat exchanger, and polished aluminum overflow tank. The F-150-based Super Snakes use either a naturally aspirated version of the Coyote engine that makes 400 horsepower, or an optional supercharged version that makes almost double the NA engine's power, with 775 ponies on tap.

As with most "which is faster" contests, a lot of variables are at play. Compared to the 797 hp Charger Hellcat Redeye, a race with the Super Snake will be a close one almost every time. Shelby claims a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 10.9 seconds, while we tested the Charger and clocked it at 4.0 and 11.9 seconds, respectively . The true answer as to which car is quicker boils down to track conditions and the all-important driver.