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122 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE WINTER 2024A NEW LEGEND IS BORN RENT-A-RACERIn 1966, Shelby American joined forces with the rental car company Hertz to establish the \program, featuring the powerful GT350 Mustang. This collaboration resulted in the production of approximately 1,000 GT350-H vehicles exclusively designated for the Hertz rental fleet. The program also spawned numerous rumors of renters secretly swapping the robust Hi-Po 289ci V8 engines found in these distinctive black-andgold pony cars for less-powerful V8s from their own vehicles, returning the GT350-H to the rental counter, leaving the unsuspecting Hertz personnel none the wiser. These stories and other similar rumors have elevated the vehicle’s status in the collector car world. Over the last six decades, Hertz and Shelby collaborated a few more times. The 2006 Shelby GT-H had a 25-horsepower boost over the standard Mustang GT, while the 2016 GT-H – marking the 50th anniversary of the Rent-a-Racer program – included a Ford Performance exhaust, Ford Racing handling package and carbon-fiber spoilers.In May 2022, the legend was reborn again, but this time the Shelby American-tuned Hertz rental car would use a 2022 Ford Shelby GT500 as its base. The Shelby GT500 boasts a supercharged 5.2-liter Predator V8 engine mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. However, in contrast to the stock car's 760 horsepower, the Hertz edition has undergone extensive modifications, resulting in a robust output of over 900 horsepower, establishing it as the mightiest Shelby rental car to date. To attain this enhanced power, Shelby incorporated a gold Whipple 3.8-liter supercharger with a high-volume supercharger intercooler, high-volume heat exchanger, open cold-air intake system and a Borla cat-back exhaust system.To further enhance performance, the Shelby American team added performance half-shaft axles, which contribute to improved power delivery and traction. The car’s weight was also reduced by adding a prepreg dry carbon-fiber performance hood with functional evacuation air vents and air-vent water management trays. The Shelby hood-lock housing is another unique