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Shelby Super Snake Mustang: Lots to brag about

[Credit: All images courtesy of Shelby American]

 

 

Why get a Mustang GTD when you can get an 830-hp Shelby Super Snake Mustang for almost half the price? Built on the latest S650 Ford Mustang platform, the 2026 model Shelby Super Snake is a sophisticated high achiever with lots to brag about.

"The Shelby Super Snake Mustang has continuously evolved and improved since we reintroduced it for the 2007 model year, four decades after the first car became an immediate sensation," said Shelby American CEO Joe Conway. "Based on Ford's world-class Mustang sports car, the Shelby Super Snake name is now synonymous with American high performance."

The first time the "Super Snake" Shelby name appeared was a big-block Cobra roadster in 1966; it was followed by the Super Snake Dragster campaigned by Don Prudhomme in NHRA. The first Shelby Super Snake Mustang was built in 1967 for Goodyear Tire Company high-speed testing. Shelby installed a detuned version of the 427 c.i.d. big-block racing engine that whipped Ferrari at Le Mans into a new Shelby Mustang. This Super Snake prototype set speed records, but only one car was built by Shelby American.

A few decades later, Shelby revived the Super Snake Mustang; the car has achieved legendary status, making the name alone among the most vaunted in the performance world. The 2026 model is on an entirely new level.

VIDEO: Unleashing the beast: Shelby Super Snake Mustang. [Credit: Shelby American]

"Over the years, the Shelby Super Snake has evolved but kept its fierce competitive personality," said Gary Patterson, president of Shelby American. "Every aspect of the vehicle is modified and upgraded. The Shelby Super Snake has become our flagship car, as well as the longest running model based on the Ford Mustang in our history."

The 5.0L-powered Shelby Super Snake is available with either 480 or 830+ hp, giving it elite capabilities with robust reliability. In addition to more horsepower with an optional Whipple supercharger, Shelby sliced weight with a proprietary aluminum hood and carbon fiber fenders that redirect airflow for superior cooling.

Lightweight magnesium wheels cut rotating mass, and a featherweight carbon fiber tail wing plants the tuned suspension firmly on the road. New styling elements include gunmetal-finish wheels and optional Orange Fury exterior color.

According to Vince LaViolette, Shelby American vice president of operations and senior designer, "Our goal was to put super-car capabilities within reach of serious enthusiasts worldwide. We achieved that mission. The 2026 Shelby Super Snake is visually different from European cars, yet it can compete with them at half their price."

VIDEO: Shelby Super Snake Mustang walkaround. [Credit: Shelby American]

The 2026 model is available with a manual transmission or automatic, as well as in either a fastback or convertible configuration. Only 300 total cars will be available in the United States, with a small number built by official Mod Shops worldwide. Production of the cars has begun in Las Vegas.

Each vehicle from Shelby American is documented in the official Shelby Registry. The car starts at an MSRP of $175,885, including the base Ford Mustang (chassis based on 401A Mustang GT Fastback, with Performance Pack, Active Exhaust, MagneRide suspension, Red brake calipers, and B&O sound system options), and a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. The powertrain warranty from Ford remains intact.

Learn more at shelby.com/Vehicles/2026-Shelby-Super-Snake. Lots more specs there. Also available in Shelby Super Snake-R racing version.

Source: Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc.

Published January 2026

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