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This 2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C Is What the American Dreams Are Made Of

The Ford Mustang is the quintessential American car. It's the first thing that pops into your head regarding V8 muscle from the Land of the Free. While they are labeled as crowd killers, and everyone on the internet argues about whether they are overrated, the Mustang we are talking about most certainly doesn't fall under that category.
2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C 15 photos
Photo: MayorCars/Bring a Trailer
2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C
Before getting to the monster itself, we should quickly examine how the Mustang came to be. The Mustang story begins with the legendary Lee Iaccoca. He wanted a lightweight, affordable car for the American masses – and he wanted it in record time, one and a half years. They used the Ford Falcon's chassis to save money on the design. The long hood and the short rear end came courtesy of inspiration from European cars of the time, and even the Chevy Corvair contributed to specific design queues on the interior.

The result debuted at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, and on the very same day, dealerships opened up their doors to reveal the new beauty in on their showroom floor. That day, Ford sold 22,000 Mustangs, thanks to a brilliant marketing strategy – a campaign directed to the young baby boomers.

At first, it came in two different configurations, a two-door hardtop and a convertible. But, in September of 1964, the best body style would be released as an option – the two-plus-two fastback. This history of coolness peaked in 1969. All other American manufacturers were taking swings at the Mustang, so Ford decided to hit right back with the sledgehammer that is the Mach 1. It had a 428 ci (7.0-liter) V8 called the Cobra Jet, making it the street racing, tire-slaying go-to.

2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C
Photo: MayorCars/Bring a Trailer
Following that, the Mustang took a big hit, as every other American car did – the gas crisis and emissions regulations. This new generation didn't hinder sales, but the Mustang wasn't the same – low horsepower and grandpa-ish looks don't measure up to the savage power of the previous models. Things would change in the '80s with the release of the Foxbody Mustang. The performance was back, and nowadays, they make great project cars. The '90s Mustang also saw performance improvements, but, just as in the previous generation, one thing was missing – the looks.

The retro throwback looks came with the S197 generation released in 2005. It also got a redesign on the outside in 2010, and the engine options were revised the following year – and today, we are talking about a Mustang from this iteration, specifically, 2012. But there is more to this car than a plain-old Mustang – it has the Shelby name all over it.

Mister Carroll Shelby has been tuning Mustangs since 1965, with the GT350 being the first. What followed is a long list of super-fast Mustangs, but the one we have here today tops them all. It's called the Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C, and it was born as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Shelby Cobra – and that makes it rare, one of 18, to be exact.

2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C
Photo: MayorCars/Bring a Trailer
Now, let's get to the car. On the outside, the already mean-looking stance is taken a step further. The Ingot Silver Metallic paint hides a carbon fiber hood, rear valance, front and rear spoiler, and rocker panels. Contrasting the color are 20-inch forged Shelby wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport rubber wrapped around them. Behind the girthy wheels, you'll find Shelby-branded Wilwood calipers, with six pistons in the front and four in the rear – serious stopping power, and you'll see why in a second.

Moving on to the inside, you'll be greeted by Sparco seats upholstered in black leather with the Shelby 1000 logos. The black leather theme continues to the steering wheel, which fronts a 160 mph (260 kph) speedometer, a tachometer with a 6,250 rpm redline, and a boost gauge, alongside a few other ones. If those aren't enough gauges for you, there are also additional ones mounted on the A-pillar, among which is another boost gauge - because, maybe, you forget the massive amount of air pumped into the engine.

Speaking of the engine, it measures 5.4 liters (330 ci) with eight cylinders. On top of what seems to be an already potent engine, you'll find a Whipple supercharger that measures 4.0 liters (244 ci) - that is more displacement on a supercharger than any car I see out the window has on its engine. It's absolutely wild, and what's even crazier is the power output. Alongside the supercharger, the engine is revised with more substantial parts to handle the (and brace yourselves) 1,100 hp (1,115 ps) output. That is Bugatti Veyron territory in a Mustang.

2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C
Photo: MayorCars/Bring a Trailer
All that oomph is sent to the rear wheels via a Tremec six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. With this insane package, you also get an aluminum driveshaft and a twin-disc clutch. But that only makes the car handle the power; keeping it going straight is up to you.

If you find yourself brave enough to get behind this rear-wheel drive horror, you must dig pretty deep. This Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C is up at auction in Miami, Florida. It currently sits at 133,000 dollars with two days left on the auction. It comes with the manufacturer's certificate of origin in the selling dealer's name, a window sticker, and Shelby invoices. Also, it has only 225 miles (362 kilometers) on the odometer, so it's safe to say that it scared the life out of someone, and it has remained dormant since then.
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About the author: Călin Iosif
Călin Iosif profile photo

Călin’s origin story is being exposed to Top Gear when he was very young. Watching too much of Clarkson, Hammond and May argue on TV turned him into Petrolhead (an automotive journalist with a soft spot for old pieces of... cars, old cars).
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