There is a lot of old money in Europe; princes and dukes and earls and all that who have known nothing other than a privileged life where money is no object. But old money loves new cars, and though some royalty may be loath to ride in anything made outside of Germany, others are drawn to the raw horsepower and strong looks of American muscle cars. If you thought cars like the $56,000 Shelby GT500 were expensive in America though, that price can easily double thanks to importation tariffs and much higher taxes. The same goes for other up-and-coming economics like China and Brazil.
Yet despite this, Ford may be seriously considering selling the 2013 Shelby GT500 in Europe for the first time, reports Automotive News.
In an interview with AN, Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s executive director of global product programs, says that the 2013 Shelby GT500 has sales potential outside of the American market. It is true that people with enough money have been able to import “gray market” Mustangs for some time, and the practice is common enough.
But now Ford is considering selling the 2013 Shelby GT500 itself. Indeed, with 650 horsepower and a top speed over 200 mph, the 2013 GT500 is indeed a world-class supercar. Ford seems to recognize that, and hopefully they will move to start selling the GT500 outside of America for the first time. Ford has already made it clear that the next-generation Mustang will be a car sold on a worldwide basis; what better envoy to send out first than the 2013 Shelby GT500?