Ford’s all-new version of the Shelby GT500 Mustang has already racked up its fair share of headlines for staggering numbers: its Camaro-beating 760 horsepower, its impressive (but not super-informative) 10.6-second 0-100-0 mile-per-hour time, its hefty 4,225-pound curb weight. Now, however, we’ve learned about another mind-boggling stat regarding the newest, most potent member of the Ford Mustang family. Those sweet painted racing stripes running up and down the car’s spine in most of the pictures of it released so far?
Yeah, they cost $10,000.
There’s a reason why it’s so pricey, of course. As Motor1 confirmed when they reached out to Ford after seeing a YouTuber’s video and a leaked order guide both mentioning the high-cost option, the painted stripes cost $10K because they’re painted on beneath the car’s clear coat using a bespoke process. Ford’s own production capacity for such paint jobs is limited, so the painted-stripe Shelbys have to go to Penske for their two-line treatment.
Ford also offers vinyl racing stripes for one-tenth the price, but the painted ones look far classier by virtue of being beneath the clear coat; they also reach further into each crevice and down along every relevant body panel than the vinyl ones.
That’s not the only five-digit-death-punch to your bank account to be found on the GT500 options sheet. There’s also the $18,500 Carbon Fiber Track Package, that adds bits like 20-inch carbon fiber wheels, track-ready Recaro front seats, the disappearance of the rear seats and an adjustable rear wing, among other parts. There are also plenty of lesser options, like the $3,000 Technology package that brings items like a blind spot monitoring system and an improved stereo and the $1,000 carbon fiber instrument panel.
Add it all up, and it seems possible to push the 2020 Shelby GT500’s price above $100,000 — a mind-boggling sum for a factory Ford Mustang. Still, you could always just buy the base model for $70,000 and have 98 percent of the thrills and looks for 70 percent of the price.
