2007 Ford Shelby GR-1 - Production & Design - Road Test Review

A key piece of the puzzle, says Mays, is the Ford GT. "We've got to sit down and look at the runout of the GT and what we want to do with that," he says. "We've got to put the final numbers together on how this would fit into things as a potential replacement." With GTs selling faster than Ford can build them--"we sold it too cheap," grumbles one insider--the planned production run of 1500 cars will finish much sooner than expected, leaving the small manufacturing facility specially set up at Wixom, Michigan, with nothing to make. Because it uses a lot of GT parts and requires similar low- volume manufacturing techniques, building the GR-1 there "obviously makes a lot of sense when you think about it," Mays admits.

It sounds like a no-brainer, especially when you consider Ford's beancounters figured the company could bring a production version of the closely related Cobra roadster to market for about $110,000. But there are a couple of complications with the GR-1. First, as Mays points out, a closed coupe requires far more work on NVH suppression than an open-topped roadster. That takes time and costs money. Second, says Ford product creation chief Phil Martens, those cool scissor-hinge doors are a nightmare, requiring a lot of expensive engineering to ensure they fit properly and protect adequately in a crash.

"It's gonna be up to Phil and me," says Mays bluntly. "How badly do we want to do it?"

Let's make that decision easier for them, shall we? Let's get their boss to order them to build it. If you want Ford to produce the Shelby GR-1, send your cards and letters to Bill Ford at The Ford Motor Company, The American Road, Dearborn, Michigan 48126-2798. Ours are already in the mail.