Created under the direction of racing legend Carroll Shelby, the Shelby EXP500 CSS "Black Hornet" pays tribute to its chrome and green
prototype, the Shelby Green Hornet, and is the only approved reproduction. Like its predecessor, the "Black Hornet" sports the famous
scoops and stripes, powered by a Cobra Jet 428 V8 engine with a heart-pounding 335 horsepower. The car began life as a vintage 1968
Mustang, and was transformed into an authentic Shelby muscle car worthy of inclusion in the Shelby Worldwide Registry. Titled to
Mr. Shelby and donated from his personal collection, the car is being auctioned by Restoration Hardware to benefit the
Carroll Shelby
Children's Foundation™.
As a rolling test "mule" for new technologies, the original Green Hornet Shelby GT500 was one of the most important cars in
automotive history and one of the rarest Shelby prototypes of all times. Visionary Carroll Shelby challenged his band of hot rodders
to out-engineer the world's best. In so doing, every innovation imaginable was tested on this notchback coupe. Over the course of a
couple of years, the Shelby American crew used this car to experiment with ground-breaking technologies such as an early electronic
fuel injection system on the 428 cid engine, independent rear suspension, a power antenna and four wheel disc brakes. This
development mule was far ahead of its time and also served as the prototype for the "GT/CS" model Shelby before being turned into
a test car.
To commemorate this groundbreaking Shelby, Barry Smith, owner of Legendary G.T., built a continuation Shelby EXP500 under license
from Carroll Shelby Licensing using an original 1968 Ford Mustang. Painted "Stetson Black" in honor of the hat worn by the lanky Texan, the EXP500 CSS "Black
Hornet" is identical to the Green Hornet just after it received disc brakes but prior to the Colonic EFI or independent rear
suspension. Since 2003, the car has been owned by Mr. Shelby. The EXP500 CSS is a car so true to a specific moment in time, it's
as if a time capsule was opened to celebrate American ingenuity at its best. It is truly the one, the only, the legendary
EXP500 CSS "Black Hornet."