Shelby American's Truck Business Is Booming
About this episode
The discussion covers Shelby American's expanding truck business and the high pricing of the new Mustang Dark Horse SC, highlighting its performance upgrades and market positioning. Shelby's president, Gary Patterson, shares insights on their truck lineup, customer base, and ongoing projects like the GT350R for Trans Am racing. The hosts also explore the evolving minivan market with updates on the Chrysler Pacifica, Ram's Promaster City return, and Mercedes' luxury electric minivan. Additionally, they analyze the competitive electric SUV segment with Rivian's R2 and Lucid's upcoming models, Honda's EV program cancellation, and the challenges faced by Ford and Cadillac in the current Formula One season.
Shelby American President Gary Patterson joins Gary and Alex to talk about the new Shelby Performance operation that will be cranking out hundreds of pickups every year; Ford reveals the price for the Mustang Dark Horse SC; Rivian does the same for the R2; and minivans are having a moment in the U.S.
Ford
"Mustangs, minivans, if you can believe that. Some new electric American cars, and of course we're going to wrap up the first weekend in Formula One for our favorite American brands, Ford and Cadillac..."
Ford is a big car company from America that makes many kinds of cars and trucks, including the famous Mustang.
Ford is a major American automotive manufacturer known for producing a wide range of vehicles including the iconic Mustang sports car and popular trucks and SUVs.
Formula One
"We're going to wrap up the first weekend in Formula One for our favorite American brands, Ford and Cadillac..."
Formula One is a type of very fast car racing with special cars that race on tracks all around the world.
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of international single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA. It features the fastest and most technologically advanced race cars competing in a global championship.
Cadillac
"We're going to wrap up the first weekend in Formula One for our favorite American brands, Ford and Cadillac..."
Cadillac is a brand that makes fancy and comfortable cars and SUVs.
Cadillac is a luxury vehicle brand owned by General Motors, known for its premium cars and SUVs with advanced technology and comfort features.
Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC
"We found out finally the price of the new Mustang Dark Horse SC, the supercharged version of the Dark Horse... It's got the same 5.2 liter supercharged V8... but it also has the 7-speed dual clutch transmission and the Magna Ride shock absorbers."
The Mustang Dark Horse SC is a powerful version of the Ford Mustang with a special supercharged engine and a fast-shifting 7-speed transmission. It also has special shocks that help the car handle better on the road or track.
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC is a high-performance supercharged variant of the Mustang Dark Horse, featuring a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine, a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, and advanced suspension with Magna Ride shock absorbers. It is positioned as the successor to the 2022 Shelby GT500 with significant performance upgrades.
track pack
"Base price, $103,000 with the track pack, $140,000, and of course they're doing a special launch edition, $170,000."
A track pack is a set of special parts added to a car to make it better and faster when driving on race tracks.
A track pack is a performance package for cars that includes upgrades such as enhanced brakes, suspension, tires, and aerodynamic parts designed to improve the car's performance on race tracks.
supercharged V8
"It's got the same 5.2 liter supercharged V8. A couple upgrades as far as the performance is concerned..."
A supercharged V8 is a type of engine with eight cylinders that uses a special device called a supercharger to make the car more powerful by pushing more air into the engine.
A supercharged V8 engine uses a supercharger to force more air into the engine's cylinders, increasing power output significantly compared to a naturally aspirated engine. The V8 refers to the engine having eight cylinders arranged in a V configuration.
Ford Shelby Gt500
"... Horse SC, essentially the successor to the 2022 Shelby GT500, it's got the same 5.2 liter supercharged V8. A c..."
Ford is a company that makes many types of cars and trucks. They build vehicles for everyday use and for people who want fast cars.
Ford is a major American automaker known for producing a wide range of vehicles including trucks, SUVs, and performance cars. The brand is often associated with innovation in the automotive industry and iconic models like the Mustang and F-150. Ford's engines, such as the 5.2-liter supercharged V8, are notable for their power and engineering.
7-speed dual clutch transmission
"But it also has the 7-speed dual clutch transmission and the Magna Ride shock absorbers."
This is a type of car transmission that changes gears very quickly and smoothly by using two clutches instead of one, making the car feel faster and more responsive.
A 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) is a type of automated manual transmission that uses two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets, allowing for faster and smoother gear changes compared to traditional automatics.
Magna Ride shock absorbers
"But it also has the 7-speed dual clutch transmission and the Magna Ride shock absorbers."
These special shocks in the car can change how soft or hard the ride feels by using magnets, so the car can be comfortable on the road and also handle well when driving fast.
Magna Ride is an adaptive suspension system that uses magnetically controlled shock absorbers to adjust damping in real time, improving ride comfort and handling performance.
Shelby GT 500
"One mystery that still remains is how much power this has. The Shelby GT 500 had 760 horsepower. Of course, we have the Mustang GTD..."
The Shelby GT 500 is a very fast and powerful version of the Ford Mustang car. It has a strong engine that makes it go really fast and looks sportier than regular cars.
The Shelby GT 500 is a high-performance variant of the Ford Mustang, known for its powerful engine and aggressive styling. It typically features a supercharged V8 engine and is one of Ford's flagship muscle cars.
horsepower
"One mystery that still remains is how much power this has. The Shelby GT 500 had 760 horsepower. Of course, we have the Mustang GTD, which uses an even more awesome version of this engine at 815 horsepower."
Horsepower tells you how strong a car's engine is. The more horsepower, the faster and more powerful the car can be.
Horsepower is a unit of measurement that quantifies the power output of an engine. It indicates how much work the engine can perform over time and is commonly used to describe a car's performance capability.
homologation special
"The GTD is as close to a modern homologation special as you get. So there's a very different approach to that."
A homologation special is a special car made so it can be used in racing. The company has to make some cars you can drive on the street to follow the rules.
A homologation special is a limited-production vehicle built to meet racing series regulations that require a certain number of road-legal cars to be produced. These cars often have race-inspired features and performance upgrades.
Shelby American
"Of course, if you prefer, you could still get a real deal Shelby from Shelby American, which is also building more performance trucks these days."
Shelby American is a company that makes special, fast versions of cars and trucks, started by a famous car builder named Carroll Shelby.
Shelby American is a performance vehicle manufacturer founded by Carroll Shelby, known for creating high-performance versions of Ford vehicles, including iconic cars and trucks.
stickers and scoops
"the trucks and suspension and things like that, there's a whole lot of meat and potatoes. It's not just stickers and scoops. So it comes with a big price, but at the same time, it's also big performance."
These are things like fancy stickers or air openings on the car that make it look cool but don't always make it go faster.
Stickers and scoops refer to cosmetic modifications on vehicles such as decals and air intake scoops that may enhance appearance but do not necessarily improve performance.
Ford Mustang
"Are the truck Shelby buyers also Shelby Mustang buyers or these two different kind of customer? Well, we do have a lot of people that have both, which is really neat. And they trust Shelby brand to bring, you know, maximum performance to either one of those product lines and how many people do own trucks and cars, right? Mustang's a performance vehicle."
The Ford Mustang is a famous fast car that lots of people like because it looks cool and goes fast. Shelby makes special versions that are even more powerful.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car known for its performance and cultural significance since its introduction in 1964. It is often associated with Shelby performance variants that enhance its power and handling.
Shelby brand
"And they trust Shelby brand to bring, you know, maximum performance to either one of those product lines and how many people do own trucks and cars, right?"
Shelby is a company that makes cars and trucks faster and better by changing parts like the engine and suspension.
Shelby is a performance brand founded by Carroll Shelby that specializes in enhancing Ford vehicles, especially Mustangs and trucks, with upgraded engines, suspensions, and styling to deliver higher performance.
Ford Mustang Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet
"One of the originals. Yeah. Well, my first car was also, I bought it used with money I made mowing lawns of 69 Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet. I still have that car, believe it or not, over 50 years later. Wow. So that's pretty cool."
This is a special old Mustang from 1969 that has a very big and strong engine called the Cobra Jet. People who like fast cars really like this one.
The 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 428 Cobra Jet is a classic muscle car variant equipped with a high-performance 428 cubic inch V8 engine known as the Cobra Jet. It is highly regarded among enthusiasts for its power and collectible status.
performance builders
"There are a lot of performance builders that work on Mustangs and Ford pickups. Are you competing with them or are the customers brand loyal for Shelby?"
These are people or shops that change cars to make them faster or handle better than normal.
Performance builders are companies or individuals who modify vehicles to improve their power, handling, and overall driving experience beyond factory specifications.
Ford Mustang GT350R
"One of your new models that I love the looks of, haven't seen in person yet though, is the Mustang GT350R. Pretty classic Shelby spec."
The Mustang GT350R is a special fast version of the Ford Mustang made for racing and driving on tracks. It has a stronger engine and better parts to help it go faster and handle better.
The Ford Mustang GT350R is a high-performance variant of the Mustang developed by Shelby American. It features upgrades for track performance including a more powerful engine, improved suspension, and aerodynamic enhancements.
Trans Am racing series
"I know you were talking about building a version of that that would actually be able to compete in the Trans Am racing series."
Trans Am is a type of car race in America where muscle cars like Mustangs race on tracks. It's a popular and exciting racing competition.
The Trans Am racing series is a long-standing American road racing championship featuring muscle cars and production-based race cars. It is known for close competition and has been a proving ground for performance cars.
purpose build
"There's times when you purpose build a car for drag racing or road racing or whatever. But most of our products, they kind of cross the line and you can do multiple things with them."
Purpose build means making a car just for one special job, like racing on a track or going really fast in a straight line.
Purpose build refers to designing and constructing a vehicle specifically for a particular type of racing or use, such as drag racing or road racing, optimizing it for that activity.
aftermarket
"or they're doing something that's aftermarket like this, or they're, or if they're just spending money in the aftermarket on their own, make it something their own."
Aftermarket means adding or changing parts on a car or truck after you buy it to make it better or look different.
Aftermarket refers to parts or modifications made to a vehicle after it has been sold by the manufacturer, often to improve performance, appearance, or functionality.
Stellantis
"Also, though they did get rid of the plug-in hybrid version, along with all the Stellantis plug-in hybrids."
Stellantis is a big company that owns many car brands, including Chrysler. They make and sell lots of different cars.
Stellantis is the multinational automotive group formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group. It owns brands like Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and others.
plug-in hybrid
"Also, though they did get rid of the plug-in hybrid version, along with all the Stellantis plug-in hybrids. But it's amazing that this brand has been cruising along for a couple of years now with only the Pacifica and its lineup at 110,000 a year."
A plug-in hybrid is a car that uses both gas and electricity. You can charge it by plugging it in, so it can drive some distance on just electricity, saving gas.
A plug-in hybrid is a vehicle that combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor and a battery that can be recharged by plugging into an external power source. This allows for limited electric-only driving and improved fuel efficiency.
Kia Carnival
"And that's what all, this is all the family-oriented minivan, what you're talking about, Pacifica or Odyssey or Sienna or, you know, even the Kia, the Carnival."
The Kia Carnival is a family van that is newer and has lots of features that families like, competing with other popular minivans.
The Kia Carnival is a minivan that offers a modern design and competitive features aimed at families. It is one of the few minivans available in the US market alongside the Pacifica, Odyssey, and Sienna.
Toyota Sienna
"And that's what all, this is all the family-oriented minivan, what you're talking about, Pacifica or Odyssey or Sienna or, you know, even the Kia, the Carnival."
The Toyota Sienna is a family van that many people like because it is very reliable and can save fuel with its hybrid engine.
The Toyota Sienna is a minivan known for its reliability and hybrid powertrain options. It is a strong competitor in the family minivan market alongside the Pacifica and Odyssey.
facelift
"So that's where you're going to get this facelift. And it's going to continue to, you know, sell in exactly those kinds of volumes that it has."
A facelift is when a car gets a small update to how it looks, like new lights or a different front, but it's still the same car underneath.
A facelift is a mid-cycle update to a vehicle's design, usually involving cosmetic changes like new headlights, bumpers, or interior tweaks without a full redesign.
commercial minivan segment
"When Ram brings back the Promaster City commercial minivan, you know, Ford and GM got out of this segment. So to Ram, they had the Promaster City a couple years ago, stopped selling it in 2022. It's bringing it back for 2027, but this time around, it's a little bigger."
Commercial minivans are vans made mostly for work, like carrying tools or products. They are built tough and can pull heavy things.
The commercial minivan segment includes vans designed primarily for business use, focusing on cargo capacity, towing ability, and durability rather than passenger comfort.
cargo space
"The cargo space is big enough to fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood now with the door closed, two pallets, very commercial oriented, although they will have a passenger van version."
Cargo space is how much stuff you can fit inside a vehicle. Bigger cargo space means you can carry more things.
Cargo space refers to the amount of usable storage area in a vehicle, especially important in commercial vans and minivans for transporting goods or equipment.
passenger van
"Although they will have a passenger van version. It would be interesting to see if anybody buys the passenger van version of this instead of the Pacifica, or if this is just a total expansion of the minivan segment."
A passenger van is a big vehicle made to carry lots of people instead of stuff. It's often used for things like airport shuttles or big families.
A passenger van is a vehicle designed primarily to transport people rather than cargo, often used for shuttles, group transportation, or family use.
rear wheel drive
"$45,000 for a rear wheel drive with 275 miles of range. Now, comparing this to the Model Y, you can get one of those now with rear wheel drive for 40 grand, 321 miles and 50 grand for all wheel drive and 327 miles of range."
Rear wheel drive means the car's back wheels get the power from the engine or motor to make it move. This can help the car handle better when driving.
Rear wheel drive (RWD) means the engine's power is sent to the rear wheels only. This drivetrain layout often provides better handling dynamics and is common in sports cars and some trucks.
all wheel drive
"321 miles and 50 grand for all wheel drive and 327 miles of range. Obviously not off-road oriented at all, but that is still king of the electric cars and it's not even close."
All wheel drive means the car sends power to all four wheels, which helps it grip the road better, especially when the road is slippery or rough.
All wheel drive (AWD) means power is sent to all four wheels of the vehicle, improving traction and stability, especially in poor road conditions or off-road situations.
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