Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – First Drive: Perhaps the driver of a Nissan 350Z summed it up best with "That's a fast ------- car." Yes, yes it is. This example of an import owner paying respect to an American icon occurred as we passed each other in a mall parking lot, he in his Z and we in our 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible test car. The car's reputation clearly proceeds it, as our speedo registered somewhere between five and ten mph at the time.

Clearly, Ford has a hit on its hands, and for more reasons than its styling and historic badge. Anyone sliding into the driver's seat, from a hardened ex-con to a dorky kid to a mousy office assistant, becomes an intimidating badass. One of our editors, a relatively quiet and unassuming guy, talked freely about rejecting an impromptu street race invitation, but subsequently made sure to fill that challenger's rearview mirror with an intimidating Cobra badge courtesy of Ford. The Shelby is raw, muscular, aggressive, and demands respect. Whether or not it deserves it is another issue entirely.

With a 500-horsepower, supercharged engine strapped in, engineers would really have to muck things up to produce a GT500 that's anything but fast. With a 0-60 mph time in the low four second arena, it's admittedly quick, but not the quickest, though with a base price in the $40,000s it's not the priciest either. But what the Shelby lacks is handling on par with its power. In NASCAR terms, the Shelby would lose the race in the corners, a point likely of little surprise to anyone who has driven a Mustang.

For the price, there are vehicles offering superior handling and better 0-60 scores, many with the added benefits of practicality and versatility. There are expensive competitors with added power and performance. What they don't offer is the Shelby GT500 name and Mustang heritage, which to some buyers, is worth whatever the cost.