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Renters Will Rock The Roads When Mustang GT-H
'Rent-A-Racer' Returns to Hertz Lots
By Chris Kassab

Click here for video of the Shelby GT-H
April 12, 2006 (FCN) -- They're baaaaack!
Ford will announce today at the New York Auto Show that it is bringing back the famed Shelby GT-H "Rent-A-Racer" program this summer.

A special run of 500 performance-modified Ford Mustang GTs -- designated GT-H for "Hertz" -- will be produced by Shelby Automobiles and available at select Hertz locations to mark the 40th anniversary of the legendary program that offered car enthusiasts the unique opportunity to rent and drive a high-performance sports car.

"Like the original Hertz cars, the Shelby GT-H will be a hoot to drive," said Carroll Shelby, CEO of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. "We started with a terrific Mustang and modified it with some Ford Racing go-fast parts and gave it a distinct look for Shelby-style driving. Whoever gets the opportunity to rent one of these unique cars will get an experience of a lifetime."

No one is more delighted about the new Shelby GT-H than Randy Betki.

"I'm so glad to see it come back," said Betki, a product/systems design engineer at Research and Vehicle Technology in Dearborn.

Betki was 12 when the original Shelby GT 350-H "Rent-A-Racer" was introduced in 1966. But he doesn't have to reach that far back into his memory to remember the car because he has one in his garage. He bought it 23 years ago and restored it to its original glory.

"It's a rare car, and it's a lot of fun to drive," he said. "When I'm driving it down the road, people usually nod in appreciation or give the thumbs-up."

When Shelby wanted to compare the vintage vehicle to the modern-day GT-H at Ford's design studio in Dearborn, he asked the company for help locating a car. They knew exactly who to call.

"This was when there was snow on the ground, and I said 'I don't think so,' " said Betki, noting that no sane car collector would ever allow one of his prized possessions to be driven in inclement weather. "Then they said they'd come and pick it up in an enclosed trailer, so I said, 'Fine.' "

When the car arrived at the studio, Betki was invited to come, too. He got the chance to talk with Shelby and get a sneak peak at the new GT-H.

"The new car bears a lot of resemblance to the original," he said. "It's got the shiny black exterior with the gold racing stripe down the middle, and it has the signature Shelby front grille."

Like the original, the GT-H will also possess some impressive performance credentials. Among other things, Ford Racing Performance Parts (FRPP) is supplying its FRPP Power Pack to add a 25-horsepower kick to the 300-horse Mustang GT 4.6L V-8.

"The FRPP Group's involvement with niche builds like this Hertz project is a natural for us as well as for Hertz and Shelby," said Jamie Allison, program manager, FRPP. "The Shelby GT-H demonstrates just how well-balanced our out-of-the-box Ford Performance parts really are."

Ford Racing will be working hand-in-hand with technicians at Shelby Automobile's assembly facility in Las Vegas during the build-out of the GT-H.

"The teams at Ford, Hertz and Shelby Automobiles have put together a pony that not only has a special look, but it can really run, too," said Shelby. "The lucky few who get to rent a GT-H will have the opportunity to enjoy a car that looks, accelerates, handles and sounds the way a high-performance Ford Mustang should."

Back in 1966, you could rent a Shelby GT 350-H for $17 a day and 17 cents a mile for gas. The times have definitely changed. What hasn't changed is the passion that's ignited whenever the name "Carroll Shelby" is paired with the iconic Mustang sports car.

"As soon as you hear that it's a Shelby, that it's a Mustang, and that it's black and gold, that's really all you need to know," said Betki.

Hertz so good: Shelby GT-H On Sale Now!

500 of the pre-ordained collector cars are on the way to a dealer near you!

It’s a train that’s been a coming and we all heard it a mile away. The first of the 2006 Shelby GT-H Hertz Mustangs are heading to dealerships around the country, for sale to the public. Ford has released the news that Hertz has already begun to auction off the first five hundred Shelby GT-H Mustangs from their fleets.

As we reported back in December the first few cars sold at auction to car dealerships fetched between $68,000 and $90,000. The industry only auction will continue to liquidate the rest of the cars to licensed Ford dealers through April of this year with an expected wholesale price tag of $60,000. The process is being handled by a company out of Atlanta, GA called Manheim Auctions.

“We’ve taken out all of the units we had in the Northeast for obvious reasons,” says Walter Seaman, Hertz Corporation division vice president, Worldwide Fleet, Maintenance, and Car Sales Operations. “They’re still available for rent in selective markets such as California and Florida. We’ll have all the cars sold by April. We’re selling quite a few with less than 10,000 miles and we’ll try to keep the rest under 15,000 miles, just because it makes it more of a collectible car.”

What does this mean to you? It means that you can start looking for the cars to appear on Ebay almost immediately, being sold to the highest bidders by various Ford dealerships around the country. What price you ask? Well, if the dealerships are paying $60,000 + for the cars, you had better believe they are going to want at least a $10,000-15,000 profit at minimum. Yep, prepare for the high priced rodeo.

All nagging about profiteers aside, the whole affair has indeed been a major plus for both Ford, Hertz and Shelby. By putting this project together they have created a new chapter in the history of the modern day Mustang. “It’s one thing for us to say it’s a legend, but it’s another to see that coming from third-party endorsements,” says Robert Parker, Ford car marketing manager. “That just proves the strength of the brand. The Shelby GT-H is a car that people will be talking about 40 years from now.”

Hertz says that just like the original GT350H in the 1960‘s, the modern ay Shelby GT-H Mustangs have built their own urban legends that will surely become part of the fabric. Several Mustang internet sites have shown photos and shared stories that range from winning drag races at local strips, to winning trophies at car shows, to the story of a bride-to-be who rented a GT-H for her honeymoon as a gift for her husband.

Hertz added that they kept a tight leash on the cars which now come with modern day black boxes and GPS systems to alert the company of foul play. “Forty years ago, when Hertz had the program, it was little less controlled,” says Seaman. “We were very careful with a very detailed check sheet when the car was rented and returned. There were some people who thought they were getting away with a lot of things, but they ended up reimbursing us for damage.”