It feels strange to start my coverage of the 2024 Essen Motor Show with a spotlight, but sometimes you just need a break from the madness of a big event like this.
While the show rages on downstairs, I’ve retreated to the media suite upstairs to recharge. And what better way to do that than by telling you about my two all-time favorite cars ever built in America?
For those still getting an idea of my car tastes, let me explain: my dream three-car garage consists of my own BMW 740i Sport, a Porsche 964 Turbo S 3.3 Lightweight, and a 1967 Shelby GT Mustang.
My BMW is a non-negotiable in the garage, while the 964 only just beats the 993 Cup 3.8 RSR. The Shelby? That could easily be replaced with a split-window 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, depending on my mood.
So imagine my shock when I turned the corner at EMS and found a matching GT500 And Stingray parked next to each other at the V8 Werk stand in hall 7 of Messe Essen.
Yes, I stood stock still, speechless, wondering if I was in a fever dream. You see, these cars are as rare as they come in the world of 1960s American sports and muscle cars, with an appeal factor that is through the roof.
The split-window C2 Corvette wasn’t available until 1963, the model’s debut year, thanks to Bill Mitchell’s design direction. To me, it’s one of the most iconic shapes in automotive history, inspired by the bizarre backbone of the Bugatti Type 57 and refined into the sleek, fastback coupe we know today.
When it debuted, the C2 must have been a revelation. With its compact dimensions, bulging hips, sharp line and distinctive pop-up headlights, it was a world apart from the more traditional 1962 Corvette roadster it replaced. By comparison, the C2 felt like it was designed in a different century.
Inside, the C2 was just as radical. The dashboard had two large arches housing the driver’s instruments, along with a lockable glove box for the passenger. The Corvette was no longer a silly summer weekend toy; it had grown into a car that you could use every day with ease.
That said, it wasn’t just about looks and comfort; it was still a car with serious performance for the time. Behind the shark-nose front fascia was a 327ci (5.4 liter) small-block V8, producing between 350 and 360 horsepower, depending on your budget and how hard you needed to win those traffic light drag races against your neighbors.
A stiffer chassis, shorter wheelbase and lighter body meant the Stingray weighed less than the roadster that preceded it. Combined with faster steering, bigger brakes and wind tunnel-tested aerodynamics, the C2 could drive, stop and handle much better than its predecessor.
But as much as I love the Stingray, I can’t help but be drawn to the sheer brutality of the Shelby GT500. After nearly two years of using the GT350 – Carroll Shelby’s race-oriented, lightweight masterpiece – he and the team at Shelby American decided to take bigger steps to differentiate their cars from the typical Ford Mustang.
One of the most noticeable changes was the car’s bodywork. The GT500 received a longer, more aggressive fiberglass nose cone and a Kamm rear panel with an integrated spoiler. The front grille housed a pair of center spotlights, and the iconic three-bar taillights were replaced with much wider items borrowed from the Mercury Cougar.
Gone were the rear louvers, replaced by functional air intakes and cooling intakes on the underside of the brakes. The fiberglass hood was now fitted with a scoop to improve engine cooling and airflow, because with the 428ci (7.0L) ‘Police Interceptor’ V8 crammed under the hood, it was going to need it!
The engine, based on Ford’s 390ci engine, produced approximately 360 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. While the GT500 may sound like the more brutal of the two, the truth is that it was much tamer than the GT350.
The GT350, with its racing focus, was sometimes considered too rough and aggressive for normal driving. The GT500, on the other hand, has smoothed out some of those rough edges by dropping the higher-strung V8 and limited-slip rear differential, among other small details.
As much as the young racer in me longs for a ’67 GT350 – ready to take more abuse, but with the beautiful Shelby-designed nose and tail – the reality is that with GT350s and GT500s selling for well over $200,000 these days, I I would probably be terrified to really explore their full potential.
So perhaps the GT500 would make more sense – a perfect balance of power, style and more usable handling.
I had the privilege of experiencing not one but both of my dream machines at the same time, all thanks to the folks at V8 Werk, who spent thousands of hours restoring each car for the same owner. How could I resist an invitation to visit their workshop and showroom? But honestly, I might be too busy pinching myself to take pictures!
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
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The Essen Motor Show 2024 on Speedhunters
