Ford Shelby GT500 Races Into Phoenix Area Sept. 8 & 9; Media Invited to Drive Vehicle

WHAT: The boldest, most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang ever -- the eagerly awaited 2007 Shelby GT500 -- is taking to the streets of America this summer, making stops in 16 different cities, including the Phoenix area on September 8 & 9.

Featuring a 500-horsepower, 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine, the Shelby GT500 is the most powerful factory-built Mustang ever. A modern interpretation of the Shelby Mustang of the 1960s, the new GT500 uses advanced engineering to attain the performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road. True to the original GT500, it is available both as a coupe and as a convertible.

  WHERE & WHEN:  Friday, September 8 and Saturday, September 9

  Firebird International Raceway - Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. - Noon

The Shelby GT500 and new Shelby GT will be available for media test drives as well as hot laps with Robert Parker, Ford Car Marketing Manager. Parker will also be available for interviews.

Media Outlets - Sept. 8 and 9 (time/location at media's convenience)

The Shelby GT500 and new Shelby GT would be available for visits to media outlets as well. Media will be able to drive the vehicle around their office surroundings. Parker will also be available for interviews.

Phoenix Area - Sept. 8 and 9

The Shelby GT500 and new Shelby GT will appear at select locations. Media and general public are invited to attend:

  --  Earnhardt Ford & Mazda (7300 W. Orchid Lane, Chandler) - Sept. 8 at
      12:30 p.m.
  --  Barrett-Jackson (3020 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale) - Sept. 8 at 3
      p.m. - The Green Hornet and Shelby GT-H will also be featured.
  --  The Coffee Shop (3000 Ray Road, Gilbert) - Sept. 9 at 7 a.m.
  --  Sanderson Ford (6400 N. 51 Avenue, Glendale) - Sept. 9 at 10 a.m.
  --  Car Show at Scottsdale Pavilions (8969 E. Indian Bend Road,
      Scottsdale) - Sept. 9 at 3 p.m.

ALSO: Named after racing legend Carroll Shelby who collaborated with Ford on this and other storied Mustang models dating back to 1965, the 2007 version is by far the most attainable vehicle in the elite and exclusive 500- horsepower club -- the world's most powerful production cars.

The GT500 was ranked as the most buzz-worthy new-vehicle nameplate among sporty car considerers in a Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research survey taken a full year before this summer's introduction.

The Shelby GT500 tour kicked off June 8-10 in Tulsa, Okla. In addition to the Phoenix area, the new Shelby Mustang is traveling to Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo.; Tampa, Fla.; Fort Worth, Tex.; and San Diego, Calif., among other locations. The tour concludes at the end of September in Long Beach. The schedule for the tour is subject to change and vehicle event availability.

Go to http://media.ford.com/ for news releases and high-resolution photographs.

PRNewswire -- Sept. 8