Mustang Shelby GT350

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

Last weekend, the 48th annual Barrett-Jackson classic car auction at Scottsdale's WestWorld was the company's most successful auction in its history, bringing in more than $131.6 million in sales. More than 1,800 vehicles were sold, making this the largest public no-reserve collector car auction ever held.

Among the most expensive cars to sell for charity at the auction included the first ever 2020 Toyota Supra to roll off the production line, which sold for a staggering $2.1 million, and the first ever 2020 Shelby Mustang GT500 that sold for $1.1 million. Another muscle car that sold for an absurd amount was this super-rare 2015 Shelby Mustang GT350R, which went under the hammer for $500,000 with less than 200 miles on the odometer.

That may not be as astronomical as the GT500 that sold for over $1 million, but the GT350R had a starting price of just over $61,000 back in 2015, so it sold for nearly nine times its original value. You could also buy a brand new 2019 Shelby Mustang GT350 for a fraction of the price.

What makes the 2015 Shelby Mustang GT350R so special? It was built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the mighty Mustang and was very limited. Like the 1965 R-model, Ford only built 37 examples of the GT350R. Purchases were also restricted to Ford family and VIPs, making it an extremely exclusive model. Under the hood is a 5.2-liter V8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission, producing 526 hp.

The car was originally owned by Petersen Automotive Museum Founding Chairman Bruce Meyer and sold to car collector and museum supporter Ron Pratte. All proceeds will benefit the Petersen and the Henry Ford Museum.

"The Petersen would not be the global force it is today without the help of Bruce Meyer," said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. "His tireless dedication and outstanding leadership over the past 25 years is unrivaled, and we are so thankful for his generous contribution to us through the sale of this extraordinary GT350R."