Excess is a proven marketing tactic. Those who want some, often want it all. And then more than that. So, Hertz is once again conspiring with Shelby American to put renters into sweetened versions of the Mustang.
There’s the pure cane GT-H coupes and convertibles for customers who want to add some sugary goodness to their next rental. And then there’s the GT500-H which is pumping a claimed 900-horsepower of supercharged super-sucrose directly into the veins of lunatics on vacation who don’t mind risking automotive type-two diabetes.
First, yes, at least some of the GT-H models feature black paint and gold graphics inspired by the original “Rent-A-Racer” GT-350H Hertz and Shelby unleashed upon a well-suspecting public back in 1966. But they’ll also be stocked by Hertz in red, white, gray and black. – all with gold stripes. This 2022 version is actually the third revival of the concept, which also had 2006, 2007 and 2016 iterations.
The GT-Hs should begin showing up at Hertz this summer. There will be “about 200” each of both the coupes and convertibles. Rentals will start at $99 a day without any mileage restrictions. For those eagerly waiting for these to migrate to the Hertz car sales lot, that will happen somewhere between seven and 12 months later. Hertz is consciously maintaining the cars with an eye on high resale values.
Based on the Mustang GT, the GT-H models use that car’s 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated, Coyote V-8 paired to a Shelby-specific, Borla-made cat-back exhaust system. Ford rates the GT at 450-horsepower, but Hertz claims 480 hp from the GT-H.
There’s also a lot of visual hammer to the GT-H. Shelby bolts on its Hertz-specific vented "Deep Draw” hood, a new grille, “winglets,” some stripes and lots of logos including a Shelby (CSM) serial number plaque and badges celebrating the 60th anniversary of Shelby American. The wheels are 20-inchers with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires – 255/35R20s wrapped over nine-inch wide wheels in front and 275/35ZR20s on 10-inch wide ones in back.
The original GT-350H was the only Shelby Mustang then offered with an automatic transmission. Shelby hasn't said yet if the new GT-H continues that tradition.
The 10-speed automatic used on the Mustang GT moves over intact.
Meanwhile, over in Cloud Cuckoo-land, here is the GT-500H. Based on Ford’s production Shelby GT500, the big change is the replacement of the 5.2-lite V8’s usual Eaton Roots-style supercharger with a 3.8-liter displacement Whipple screw-type compressor. This seems to be the same system Shelby uses on its GT500KR. That includes a larger throttle body, cold air intake, updated pulley system and dual core dual pass intercooler. Shelby claims the system is optimized for 93 octane fuel, but will happily thrive on 91.
The regular GT500 is rated at 760-horsepower and doesn’t slouch in any performance category. It's probably for the best, then, that Shelby retains the GT500's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. That also means that Hertz will be renting a 900-horsepower GT500-H that puts all its grunt out through the rear wheels. Beginners might want to start with something more, well, civilized.
Shelby is also fitting the GT500-H with a carbon fiber hood that’s so open to the elements, it’s almost not a hood at all. And, of course, you get a massive rear wing and a rear sail panel that announces the Shelby name. The gloss-black wheels are 20x11-inches in front and 20x11.5 inches in back. The gloss-black wheels are 20x11-inches inside 305/30ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber in front with 20x11.5 inchers in 315/30ZR20s out back. Pilot Sport Cup 2s would be stickier, but these are, after all, rentals. Ultimate adhesion must be sacrificed for durability, civility and affordability.
Naturally, the brakes are also upgraded to enormous Brembo discs clamped by Brembo rotors wearing Hertz colors and branding. Nothing shouts stopping power like calipers with the Hertz logo.
There will be 25 GT-500Hs in the Hertz fleet with 16 of them painted Shadow Black and the other six will be Oxford White which is close to the Wimbledon white hue that covered the first Shelby GT-350s.
Want to rent one? Bring a high-limit credit card and a clean driving record to the Hertz airport location that will have them available. Daily rates will start at $399 including 75 miles or use with additional miles at 99-cents each. The beastly GT-500Hs will be at the outlets in Fort Myers, Miami, Orlando and Tampa in Florida. Or in Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona. It’s an affordable (relatively speaking) way to get seat time in a monster.
The less intimidating GT-H models will be on hand in Atlanta, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Tampa. If you don’t know what states those cities are in, it’s not likely you’ll be visiting them anyhow.
Shelby and Hertz have signed a three-year pact to continue this program with, maybe, different products hitting the rental fleets in coming years. Most of Shelby’s current production is toasted F-150s and that would be a natural next step. Shelby has also been playing with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E and that seems a logical bridge product between indulging vice and pursuing virtue.
Also, keep in mind that Hertz’s fleet can also include zoomy machines from other manufacturers. For example, Hertz put Camaro ZL-1s and special versions of the Corvette in its 420,000-or-so vehicle fleet before.
Consider this Shelby adventure Hertz’s alternative internal combustion program for those renters who don’t want a Tesla or think that Tom Brady is kind of annoying in those commercials.
John Pearley Huffman has been writing about cars since 1990 and is getting okay at it. Besides Car and Driver, his work has appeared in the New York Times and more than 100 automotive publications and websites. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, he still lives near that campus with his wife and two children. He owns a pair of Toyota Tundras and two Siberian huskies. He used to have a Nova and a Camaro.
