If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that there is always a bigger, faster Mustang coming down the assembly line. The GT500 hit the streets in 2008 with 500 horsepower on tap. A few months later, the rolled out the GT500KR, the “King of the Road” with another 40 horsepower on tap thanks to revised engine tuning and upgraded airflow tricks. But the king sat on the throne for only a few weeks before Carroll Shelby rolled out the GT500 Super Snake, a car that is still widely regarded as the ultimate old-school Mustang and the last car to receive Ol’ Shel’s personal touch. With some serious horsepower upgrades (how about 630 horsepower and nearly 600 pounds of torque?), a revised suspension to put it to use, and enough bespoke appearance upgrades to make it stand apart, the Super Snake was an instant icon that still stands tall among Mustangs, even 13 years after it was built. And while initial reports were that only Super Snake coupes would be built, a handful of Super Snake convertibles slithered out the door and onto the streets, creating an almost intoxicating mixture of style, performance, and in-your-face motoring.

This spectacular Tungsten Gray Shelby Super Snake convertible shows just 8470 original miles and remains in 100% as-delivered condition with no modifications or signs of abuse. With two adult owners, it has been sparingly used and with this much performance on tap, I’m guessing they were both worried about using all of it. As a result, it is immaculately preserved and in exceptional condition inside and out with only the lightest signs of use. Tungsten Gray is a fantastic choice for this most predatory of Mustangs, being both subtle and aggressive, and letting the musclebound bodywork do most of the talking. The Super Snake received a unique front fascia and that twin-nostril hood, a carbon fiber splitter and side skirts, carbon fiber mirror housings, and a slightly more pronounced wing than the GT500. Black stripes were, of course, optional but who wants a Shelby without them? It’s also festooned with a number of Shelby Cobra emblems, all of which advertise the Super Snake upgrade, along with a 40th Anniversary badge on the grille. From any angle, this car looks predatory.

The black leather interior is mostly stock GT500, although Shelby was quick to add Super Snake embroidery to the headrests and armrest, plus custom door sills as standard equipment. It also features a custom gauge pod in the center of the dash with carbon fiber gauges for boost, fuel pressure, and oil pressure. Options include the white cue ball shifter ($199), Carroll Shelby embroidered floor mats, and the light bar overhead. There’s also a dash plaque that showcases the car’s CSM number and, of course, another Carroll Shelby signature. In fact, you’ll find no fewer than six Carroll Shelby signatures inside this car, just in case you didn’t notice what you were driving. The rest is familiar Mustang stuff, which is good: large, easy-to-read gauges, comfortable leather buckets with an embossed Cobra logo, and a long list of features: A/C, power windows, locks, mirrors, and seats, cruise control, and a killer Shaker 1000 stereo system. It all works, of course, and if you’re a Mustang fan you’ll feel at home in this Super Snake pretty quickly. There’s also a power black canvas convertible top that stows itself with the touch of a button, plus a fully finished trunk with yet another Carroll Shelby autograph on the mat.

The list of performance upgrades (over the already heavily upgraded GT500KR) is significant. Most of the power comes from a black powdercoated Ford Racing supercharger that crams a whole lot of extra air into the 5.4 liter DOHC V8. The Super Snake came with a factory warranty despite its 630 horsepower, which suggests Ford believed in the hardware’s durability. A custom engine tune ensures that this insanely fast Mustang starts easily, idles properly, and drives like any other late-model Mustang until you get into the boost. The blower goes to full boost faster than you can get your foot on the floor and when that happens, you’d better have this thing aimed where you want it to go. You’ll note this car also has the optional upgraded cooling system in black (a shocking $2995 option), which also features billet aluminum caps for all the underhood reservoirs. There’s a lot of hardware crammed in there, but it works properly and remains terrifyingly fast even 13 years after it hit the streets. There still aren’t many cars that are more potent than this.

The suspension received extensive upgrades to handle the added power. Ford Racing supplied the suspension, including special shocks, springs, and sway bars, and the Super Snake remains comfortable in the real world while being eminently capable on the track. The standard 6-speed manual transmission gets an upgraded clutch and a short-throw shifter with that $200 shift knob, and the rear end gets 3.73 gears on a limited slip. Borla supplied the exhaust system, which sounds epic at any speed, and there are massive brakes with Alcoa 6-piston calipers that were painted red for a little flash (and which cost a whopping $3995!). Brake cooling ducts are probably not a bad idea and the rotors are cross-drilled. As you can see underneath, this car hasn’t even seen rain and everything remains in virtually new condition. All the factory decals and markings are still in place and nothing has been modified or damaged. Special 20-inch forged aluminum wheels from Alcoa were unique to the Super Snake and carry 255/35/20 front and 275/35/20 rear Pirelli performance radials.

Documentation is extensive, including all the factory manuals, original Ford and Shelby window stickers, Shelby certificate of authenticity, build sheets, receipts, and more.

There are a great many enthusiasts who regard the S197 Mustangs as the peak of pony car development. It retains the rear-wheel-drive and live axle fun of a traditional Mustang, but is incredibly polished and civilized. The Super Snake is perhaps the best example of the Mustang’s split personality, remaining very docile and easy to handle while delivering world-class horsepower and performance. With under 9000 original miles, lots of documentation, no modifications, and exceptional maintenance, this is the late-model Shelby to own. With an original sticker price of more than $80,000, it can also be considered something of a bargain today. Just an incredible car. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.