[SPEEDEAMON]

Bud Man,

I feel the '05 Mustang fills the bill for an attractive affordable for-the-masses type sports car and I bet Carroll Shelby's renewed partnership with Ford will spawn a modern Shelby GT350 or GT500 that most of us would consider owning.

The Ford GT is an image car built to celebrate Ford's 100 Anniversary and Racing History. I went to two dealers to see if I could be put on a waiting list. They both told me to go to hell. They said the dealership owner was keeping it for himself. I was fortunate enough to at least see the car up close in Monterey, even sat in one. The build quality was up there with the best of Italy and the retro look of the styling both exterior and interior is smashing. All this with A/C and power windows. It makes the Corvette and Dodge Viper look cheap, really cheap. I also took a good look at the rear bumper where the exhaust exits through. The Ford engineers have made it easy for removal of the bumper so that the clean lines of the body can be fully appreciated. If I can get one I would definitely remove it. Comparing the cars in the same price range, like the Ferrari 360, Lamborghini Gallardo, Aston Martin DB9, Bently Continental, and CSX4XXX the Ford Gt is a welcome addition to the group. I for one commend Ford for having the guts to build the Ford GT in such a short time from the prototype, and I look forward to seeing it on the road soon. And who knows, there may be a Shelby edition in the future which may be even more expensive and exclusive.

Shin