Supercharged Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-H coming to Hertz rental fleet in the US

The supercharged Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – upgraded from 760 horsepower to more than 900 horsepower, making it the fastest and most powerful Mustang to date – will soon be available to hire from rental car giant Hertz in the US.

Although the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 costs between $US86,000 and $US110,000 in US showrooms, you can now rent an even more powerful version tuned by Shelby’s performance shop – from $US399 per day at selected Hertz offices across North America.

Twenty-five examples of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-H (‘H’ is for Hertz) will join the rental fleet over the next three years, in a partnership between Hertz and performance-car outfit Shelby that dates back to 1966, when the original “Rent-A-Racer” program was born.

All vehicles are individually numbered and will be offered for sale as a collector’s item once their three-year run as a rental car expires.

The showroom version of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is powered by a supercharged 5.2-litre V8 (760hp/625ft-lb or 567kW/847Nm) and paired to a fast-acting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Hertz versions have been enhanced by Shelby American’s tuning house in Las Vegas, to unleash even more power.

Fitted with a larger capacity (3.8-litre) Whipple supercharger, the firm claims an output in excess of 900 horsepower (671kW).

Hertz says 19 examples of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-H are black with gold stripes and Hertz badging. And six are white with gold stripes and Hertz badging, to honour Shelby American’s 60th anniversary.

The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-H also has Hertz logos on the front brake calipers, sill covers and floor mats, embossed Hertz badging on the grille and boot, a special build plate (with a build number) on the dash, and the engine cover is painted gold.

The bonnet is made from lightweight carbon fibre.

Only selected Hertz outlets will have the vehicles. The 25 examples of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-H will initially be available in Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and Fort Myers. 

An undisclosed number of less-powerful – but still potent – non-supercharged, 5.0-litre V8-powered Ford Mustang Shelby GT-H models will be available in coupe and convertible body styles in Atlanta, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Tampa.

A statement from Hertz says: “The vehicles pay tribute to the original ‘Rent-A-Racer,’ the legendary 1966 Shelby GT350-H, and builds on Hertz’s legacy to give customers the unique opportunity to drive elite, high-performance vehicles they can't access anywhere else.”

After the Shelby and Hertz partnership began with the original Ford Mustang in 1966, later editions were released in 2006, 2007 and 2016. 

“Now we're going even further with the first Mustang Shelby GT500-H, which is the most powerful rental car that Shelby has ever built,” says the Hertz media statement.

The CEO of Hertz, Stephen Scherr, said: “This partnership has made automotive history many times over the years, and we look forward to future collaborations that will continue to both push limits and delight our customers with exciting cars and experiences.”

MORE: Shelby and Hertz

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-H specifications:

Ford Shelby GT-H coupe and convertible