“We’re honored that Carroll Shelby and the Ford Motor Company chose to offer the first production Ford Shelby GT to the public through a Barrett-Jackson Auction,” said Craig Jackson, CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. “Carroll Shelby is an American legend and his indomitable spirit is in every detail of this impressive machine. We look forward to putting this rare piece of history into the hands of a collector while raising money for a wonderful charity.”

Shelby GT #001 was hand-crafted by the men and women of Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas and is one of three pony car variants produced via a Ford and Shelby collaboration. Along with the Shelby GT is the Hertz version, the Shelby GT-H, as well as the long-awaited Shelby GT500.

"The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company has been a great supporter of my foundation,” said Carroll Shelby, CEO of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. “It’s appropriate that we offer the first of my new Ford Shelby GT Mustangs at the Barrett-Jackson Auction, which has probably sold more Shelby cars than any other venue in the world.”

At a prior Barrett-Jackson auto auction in 2006, the buying rights to an early production Shelby GT500 sold for $600,000 (US) and last July, a Shelby GT-H was auctioned off for $250,000 (US). It has proven that nameplate Ford Mustangs are money makers and that history will most likely repeat itself at the upcoming auction this month.