The Most Expensive Ford Mustang Ever Was Just Auctioned for $3.85 Million

Before acquiring international fame at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT40, the man played by Christian Bale in Ford v. Ferrari got to spend some time behind the wheel of a Shelby GT350R. This particular car – 5R002 – was just sold for $3.85 million at the Mecum Indy 500 auction, making it the most expensive Mustang in existence.

Nicknamed “Flying Mustang” back in the day, the first R-Model “is also arguably the most important Mustang in the history of the marque.” Finished in Wimbledon White and with blue stripes, the lighter and more powerful iteration of the Fastback was described by none other than Shelby American as “a true dual-purpose sports car.”

Sold in March 1966 for $4,000, prototype 5R002 eventually found a new home in the Shelby American Museum in Boulder, Colorado for 14 years. A collector by the name of John Atzbach purchased the car in 2010. He spent thousands of hours researching and restoring the Shelby GT350R, then showed off the go-faster pony in 2014 at the Amelia Island Concours with project engineer Chuck Cantwell in attendance.

The first competition prototype and the first of two factory team R-Models holds a special place in the Blue Oval’s history, and there is no doubt that Miles helped 5R002 make a name for itself on the track. Peter Brock, Bob Bondurant, and Jerry Titus also raced this pony with great success in the SCCA B-Production National Championship.

If you’re in the market for a similar car but don’t have millions of dollars to spend on it, the Original Venice Crew that helped building the original offers replicas for $250,000 or thereabouts. The reproduction model can be had with a live axle like the final car or an independent suspension system like early prototypes of the GT350R.