COULD “CLICK AND CLACK” (tm) BE PARTLY RIGHT ABOUT THE SHELBY GT500KR?

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Tom and Ray Magliozzi – NPR’s “Click and Clack (tm), the Tappet Brothers (tm) -- absolutely HATE the new 550 horsepower Shelby GT500KR.

They say that anyone who’d buy one is a “whacko.” They claim that Ford and Shelby’s most recent collaboration is “Absolutely ridiculous and stupid.”

As "Truth With Speedzzter" has previously pointed out, Click and Clack (tm) are paternalistic, pencil-necked poltroons who seemingly can't stand automotive liberty or apparently ANYTHING that smacks of "E-V-I-L" high performance!

BUT, could they be partly right?

A post on Autoblog entitled “Ford Mustang GT500KR priced at $79,995" douses a gas-guzzler-sized load of fuel on that debate.

Ford will be producing 1,000 GT500KR Mustangs this year, with another 700 in 2009, so FoMoCo is pricing the ultimate 'Stang accordingly. For $79,995 (including destination and gas-guzzler tax), you get everything included in the "standard" GT500, plus Ford Racing's Power Upgrade Package. . . .

Roughly $40,000 more for 40 horsepower and a few styling parts?

KR must now stand for "King of the Ripoffs!"

Apparently Ford (R) and Shelby (R)couldn't stand by and let the Ford Dealers alone rip off the customers.

Too bad FoMoCo can't build a cheap V8 performance car anymore.

For $80,000.00, customers should at least get:

1. An EcoBoost (tm) (or EcoBoost "twincharged" DOHC V8 [NOT A V6 or an I4! A glorious DOHC VEE-EIGHT!];

2. An EBS-style direct ethanol injection system;

3. A John Coletti "SuperCooler" intercooler(More on the "SuperCooler");

4. Variable cam lift and phasing on the intake and exhaust cams;

5. A variable geometry intake manifold (not that lousy, “no-runner length” power-loser that's stock on the GT500 and which costs 70+ horsepower at certain engine speeds due to an obvious lack of inertia “ram” tuning);

6. Cylinder deactivation (a/k/a "Displacement on Demand" (tm) or "Active Fuel Management (tm);" and

7. Probably even a 50+kw parallel hybrid electric "booster" motor!

Now that would truly be an “ultimate ‘Stang!”

Moreover, it would help establish the sort of technological leadership that Speedzzter’s been advocating for FoMoCo to show in the EcoBoost era.

Too bad FoMoCo's just "phoning it in" these days.

And too bad the Shelby brand is once more associated with an overpriced gouge-mobile.

And at that price, "Click and Clack" (tm) apparently don't have to fear too many "whacko" Shelby GT500KRs will be sharing the highways with the their rabid "CAR TALK" & Consumer Reports (tm) fans driving psychedelic VW microbuses, three-popper GEO Metros, "greener-than-thou" Toyota Prius[es], "phonebooths-on-wheels" Smart ForTwos or other staid, imported, low-performance motoring appliances preferred by the "sensible" paternalistic set.

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