Not sure were to post this but I'll put it hear since it involves the Ford GT500 ...

Going home from the GOAT's 1st oil change, I hop on to the 210W only to pull right beside an 03-04 Mustang Mach-1. Traffic is lighter than usual given the approaching holiday so I give him a little rev while I pass him by (1500mi is enough of a break-in). He doesn't take the bate. My antics did catch the eye of an unsuspecting EVO8 merging on at the next on-ramp. I see him speed up and do a quick sprint from 65-90, when he comes up beside to me to let him know what to expect. He too opts out and switches lanes without giving chase.

I slow down and catch a glimpse of a red 05 Mustang passing me on the left. I see white racing stripes and think to myself "let's see if this guy is all show". I switch lanes and speed up to get a closer look. I noticed the dual exhaust and think 'GT with a nice paint job, gotta be modded'. I then say 'hmmm no GT gas cap'. At this point I downshift to 4th, hammer it, and pass on the right. I slow to pull along side and that's when I see it, a little Snake emblem on the fender. First thought 'POSER', second thought 'hey, that would explain the dual exhaust with no GT badging, third thought 'I thought these weren't supposed to be out till 07 ', final thought 'well hell let's find out what a 50HP differential and 200lbs of extra weight looks like!!'.

I tried to entice him into a run but it wouldn't. We came up on traffic shortly after so finding out how fast they are became out of the question. I stayed beside the GT500 for a while and noticed the vented hood, but no white stripes along the rocker panel. I didn't think to roll-down the window to hear for supercharger whine. While I was behind him, I did notice that SHELBY was nowhere to be found.

I think I just tried to take on an LAIAS pre-production display model!!

 

I have seen something very similiar on the freeway the other day. My son kept yelling dad its the new Cobra. He noticed the Cobra emblem on the side and I was like "HOLY ****" Then I noticed on the bottom it said GT350. Poser

 

hrmmm wrong form maybe... the lounge... but not camaro 5th gen...

although... intresting...

i saw a new mustang with a cobra emblem going on oncoming traffic about 6 months ago... it had a cobra square in the middle of the grill looked pretty 3d... looked awesome...

hehe on my drive today kinda weird, at the same time, i had a C230 and a E500 try to race me... never had a mercedies try to race me, let alone 2 at the same time... haha i saw the E500 merge onto the freeway at like 100 so i figured he'd go... but the c230 kinda supprised me...

 

Funny to hear about this. I caught a pre-production GT500 at work yesterday. Guess the truck driver wanted to stop off and do a little shopping with his load of Gran Marquis and one, yes one red, very beat-up GT500. I've got pics at work. I'll post em later.

John

 

It could have been an early GT500, and then it could have been a prettied-up Mustang GT. There are several dealers in these parts that are dressing up GT's with stripes and body kits, etc. Some have GT-350 plastered on the side, some even have Cobra emblems on them, and I believe at least one or two have forced injection added. The key difference between the GT500 and the modded GTs is the nose/grill area. So if you do a side-by-side comparison between a unmodified GT and the car in question, you'll have your answer.

 

Thats a good point, they are making alot of cosmetic kits for these cars now. That would explain why the guy wouldn't run against you.

 

The one I saw yesterday was definitely a mule...trailer hitch, funny gauges and all. I'll get those pics up later. The front end was also the real deal.

John

 

are the saleen mustangs legit, the body style looks a lot different...

 

the higher end ones. most of them are GTs with kits and rims, essentially.

 

Any GT 500 would probably still have blue Michigan Manufacturer plates on it...

 

Don't doubt you for a minute Danno. If I had a dollar for each prototype or preproduction car I came across on LA freeways when I lived there, I'd be able to retire and live comfortably ever after.

 

I'd seen those GT-350 kits before, usually on the "Pony Package" V6s, and that's what I thought it was initially. I had never seen one of those with the Cobra emblem or the vented hood.

The front grille didn't have the GT foglights and the paintjob looked damn good (no stickers). It had 2-1/2" to 2-3/4" dual-exhaust <I thought it seemed a little small> with some white non-california plates. It might have been Arizona, the letters were plain block style (reminded me of Texas Truck plates).

Hopefully GM will do some similar advertising with the 5th gen.

 

Was it yellow? If so that's just Nino's 05 GT from svtperformance

 

It was red, it looked just like the GT500 in Motor Trend a while back except it didn't say SHELBY in the back and didn't have the white stripes along the running board.

 

Ive seen a car similar to that on the 91 out in the Riverside area twice recently, but it was always going the other direction, so I assumed it was just a red car with the stripes...however, Ford HQ down in Orange County near the Irvine Spectrum always has something going on. I saw the 05 GT in traffic 2 months before it showed up in the dealers showrooms, and also followed a convoy with 5-6 '05 Saleen Mustangs, with 2 Saleen S7's, and an Aston Martin in that same area on Irvine Blvd., about six months ago. I did a U-turn and tried to follow them, but they were haulin a@#. Caught up with them at a stop light just before they turned into the fairground gate, but after I saw the guard at the gate, I just turned around without even tryin. I have no doubt that you probably stumbled across a preproduction mule...