Given the chance, most people would love to drive a sports car around the track, but the majority of the human race will never be able to afford something like a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. That's where Hertz comes in. The car rental giant has been renting out vehicles to people across the globe for over half a century, and is famous for starting the 'rent-a-racer' program where people can rent fast sports cars for a bit of track-day action. Hertz has offered its customers a large selection of American sports cars over the years, but it is best known for its fleet of Ford Mustangs. From classic Shelby GT350s, to more modern offerings, the company loves a good Mustang, and its new three-year partnership with Shelby America will deliver a range of exclusive 2022 Shelby edition Ford Mustangs to select Hertz locations across the US.
Hertz will be introducing an impressive collection of Mustangs to its client base, including special edition Ford Shelby Mustang GT-H fastbacks and convertibles, and the mighty Mustang Shelby GT500-H fastback tuned for over 900 horsepower.
The new fleet will sport unique styling: 19 of the GT500 vehicles will feature a shadow black exterior paint theme, while six will wear an Oxford White paint job to celebrate Shelby American's 60th anniversary. The GT cars will be available in Rapid Red metallic, Oxford White, Carbonized Gray and Shadow Black.
The classic gold "Le Mans" dual racing stripes also make an appearance, as does a set of rocker stripes, and Hertz Edition and Shelby 60th anniversary emblems. Shelby and Hertz logos are embroidered on the seats, sill plates and floor mats, and special serial numbers are featured on the dash and under the hood.
Shelby GT500 models get added styling modifications such as a gold-colored supercharger, aluminum forged mono-block wheels wrapped in performance summer tires, custom side stripes, tinted windows, and a vented, ultra-light dry carbon fiber hood that cuts 30 pounds from the curb weight.
Power output from the Hertz Shelby GT500 goes from 760 hp to over 900 hp thanks to an open cold air intake system, a high-volume supercharger intercooler, and a massive 3.8-liter supercharger. GT models feature a Borla cat-back performance exhaust, staggered 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin tires, and exterior mods such as a deep-draw hood, and fascia winglets.
"Shelby American and Ford Motor Company changed the perception of American sports cars, starting with the Shelby Cobra in 1962. Shelby later teamed with Hertz to create the 1966 Shelby GT350-H, which immediately became one of the most exciting rental cars in the world. Together, we made history again with both a reborn Shelby-GT in 2006, 2007 and in 2016. Now we're going even further with the first Mustang Shelby GT500-H, which is the most powerful rental car that Shelby has ever built," said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American.
We love that this rich and historic partnership is back up and running, and we wish Hertz and Shelby America the best of luck because renting out 900-hp Mustangs to any red-blooded American is bound to end in glorious disaster.