Shelby American announced today that it will end production of its Ford Mustang-based Shelby GT350 after it ceases taking orders at the end of this year.
Shelby American president John Luft says that the company has been "preparing for this day since 2010" when the GT350 nameplate was reprised as a limited run performance car.
The move is a surprise for Shelby faithful since the GT350 nameplate has, off and on, been a part of the firm's identity since founder Carroll Shelby first began hopping up Ford mustangs in the mid-1960s. The 1965 GT350 was his first foray into high-performance Mustangs. Today, early GT350s sell for upwards of $250,000; in January, one of the racing-oriented GT350Rs sold for $730,000 at RM Auctions' Scottsdale, Arizona, sale.
Luft gave little hint to Shelby's future plans other than stating that the firm is "planning our next ultimate performance Shelby model."
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