Have you ever fancied a 1968 Ford Shelby GT500 KR? Well, good news: one is currently listed for sale at Cars & Bids, but act fast. At the time of writing, this incredible American muscle car had just a few hours left on its listing.
The Shelby GT500 KR is one of the rarest examples of the Ford Mustang ever built. Produced in 1968, only 1,570 were made in total, with KR standing for ‘King of the Road.’ These were born out of a bitter rivalry between Carroll Shelby and Chevrolet.
In early 19678, Shelby and Ford General Manager Lee Iacocca heard that GM was planning to roll out a higher-performance Chevrolet Corvette, promoted with the ‘King of the Road’ slogan. That saw Ford enter a race against GM to trademark the name, yet GM had no idea that this was taking place. When Shelby found out the name had not been trademarked, he jumped in and did so right under Chevrolet’s nose.
What followed was one of the best versions of the Mustang ever produced. What also makes this one so special is that it is one of just 43 GT500 KRs that was finished in a stunning special-order yellow paint.
This Shelby Mustang Is a True Automotive Icon
Under the hood is a 428ci Cobra Jet V8 engine. This 7.0-liter V8 was huge and produced 360hp, at least via official figures. In truth, it produced much closer to 400hp, perhaps even higher than that. But while the engine is a highlight, it is actually the color of this car that makes it so rare.
The car is finished in a special-order yellow, with a black interior. It is one of just 43 GT500 KRs finished in yellow, with an automatic transmission, that was built in 1968. The listing on Cars & Bids states it is a Canadian-spec Mustang, and it is currently registered and located in Quebec, Canada. The previous owner saw the car through a huge restoration.
With just 72,100 miles on the odometer, it is also quite a low-mileage example of the muscle car. The car comes complete with a Shelby build sheet, as well as a Marti report, which lists all of the equipment it has. Some of this includes 15-inch wheels, power steering, an AM radio, Traction-Lok rear differential, plus Sport Deck rear seats. So there are plenty of features with this Mustang.
How Much Will This Muscle Car Sell For?
At the time of writing, the car had just a few hours left on the auction. But there were a total of five bids, and the highest bid was $95,000, so it’s going to fetch good money. There are only a couple of minor flaws listed, which are some cracks on the hood nose vents and scuffs on the front-end chrome trim. Otherwise though, this remarkable muscle car is virtually immaculate.
As one of just 43 in yellow with a manual transmission, it is an incredibly rare example of one of the best muscle cars ever made. Some still say that the Ford Mustang is the greatest muscle car ever produced, and it’s certainly one of the most iconic. This auction will let someone go home with a truly brilliant piece of history.