- Reports say Ford was paying $800 in licensing fees for every Shelby Mustang sold.
- Between the Shelby GT350 and GT500 models alone, Ford paid an estimated $30 million in licensing fees.
- It’s unclear if the Shelby name will return on the current S650 model.
Look at the current Ford Mustang lineup, and you might notice something missing: the Shelby name. The last factory Mustang to wear the moniker was the Mustang Shelby GT500, which ended production just before the seventh-generation model debuted.
That leaves a lot of fans wondering—where did Shelby go? Instead of a new GT500, Ford introduced the Ford Mustang Dark Horse and the even more extreme Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC, the latter essentially filling the role of a modern GT500. So why did Ford ditch the Shelby name on the S650 Mustang? Short answer: money.
Licensing The Shelby Name
What many people might not realize is that Ford doesn’t actually own the Shelby name. The rights still belong to Shelby American, an entirely separate entity based in Nevada. That means Ford has to pay them to use it.
According to a report from Ford Authority, Ford was paying an estimated $800 in royalties for every Shelby-branded Mustang it sold. That might not sound like much at first, but with the number of Shelby Mustangs flying off dealer lots, that number adds up quickly.
Ford sold 24,211 examples of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R during their run, along with 14,130 examples of the GT500 between 2020 and 2022. At roughly $800 per car, that totals over $30 million in licensing fees. That’s a pretty significant figure for a badge.
Will Shelby Return?
It’s still unclear whether the Shelby name will return—at least for the current S650 generation. There were some rumors that it would make a comeback, but Ford reportedly chose to move forward with the Dark Horse branding instead.
Ford says this shift aligns with its renewed focus on motorsports. Alongside the latest Mustang, the company launched six race variants, from the stripped-down Dark Horse S to the full GT3 racer. There are even plans to bring the Dark Horse SC into NASCAR competition by 2027.
For now, the Shelby name remains on the sidelines, while Dark Horse takes center stage. That could change in the future, but for now, Ford is fully committed to the Dark Horse name.
Motor1’s Take: There’s no denying the appeal of past Shelby models like the GT350 and GT500—they’ve become icons in the Mustang world. Still, the new Dark Horse models are impressive in their own right, and Ford’s heavy investment in racing suggests they’re more than just a placeholder. But if you’re hoping for a Shelby comeback, you might be waiting a while.
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