Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 VIN 001 bound for charity auction

The first 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 off the production line, VIN 001, can be yours. That is, if you plan to go to Barrett-Jackson’s 2019 Scottsdale auction in January (and almost certainly pay well over sticker to benefit charity). Proceeds from the sale will go towards the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Ford confirmed the news via email and also mentioned that the winning bidder will be able to select their own color from the available GT500 palette.

We still don’t know a ton about the upcoming GT500, but we certainly expect a supercharged V-8 with a whole lot of power—likely more than 700 horses. As for whether the engine will feature a standard cross-plane crank or exotic flat-plane crank like in the GT350, we still don’t know, but the former is more likely. A leaked image from a dealer meeting earlier this year provided a possible sneak peek of what the car will look like, which lined up with earlier Ford teasers. It most certainly looks the part of a mean machine, and with the current Mustang’s independent rear suspension, the GT500 might finally have the handling chops it deserves.

What’s certain is that the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will be unveiled on January 14 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and is bound for showrooms in fall 2019. And that first snake to rear its fanged head promises to be a potent one, indeed.