This Rare Shelby Was Almost the World’s Most Expensive Mustang

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2015 Bold Ride LLC

 

Posted by Jeff Perez

 

 

The Ford Mustang is an American icon— plain and simple. In its 50+ year history, the pony car has spanned six generations and plenty of variants. What’s the most expensive Mustang ever, though?

 

By definition, the most expensive Mustang title goes to a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake that sold in May 2013 for a mind-blowing $1.3 million. But a few months before this Super Snake was raking in the cash, an even rarer Mustang nearly sold for more.

In January 2013, a 1968 Shelby EXP 500 Green Hornet pulled in an outstanding bid of $1.8 million at Barrett-Jackson. That number was unheard of. Never before had a Mustang reached the million dollar mark, though a few had come close.

The Shelby in question is one of the few prototype Mustangs still in existence. EXP stands for experimental. The car featured the first use in a Mustang of fuel injection, special disc brakes, and an independent rear suspension.

It became a sort of pet project for Shelby chief engineer Fred Goodell, with plenty of input from Carroll Shelby himself. The platform paved the way for many modern enhancements the Mustang saw from 1967 up until today. Being saved from the crusher, it was thought to be lost in history until a keen collector picked it up and gave it a full restoration.

Unfortunately, the owner values this car so high, even the $1.8 million bid didn’t reach the reserve price. For now, it remains tucked away in a garage somewhere waiting for its next go at the auction block.
____________________________________