Shelby American & Trans Am Presented by Pirelli Team Up for Track-Focused Car

Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., introduced a limited run of 2026 Shelby GT350/TA edition cars at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 830-plus-horsepower sports car is inspired by Trans Am SGT category specs in honor of the 60th anniversary of the first year of the series, which Shelby-built Ford Mustangs helped Ford Motor Company win in 1966. Constructed in collaboration with Turn Key Automotive, the street-legal GT350/TA is track-ready with components from Shelby’s future Trans Am spec race car.

“1966 was a dominant year for Shelby American in motor racing,” said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American. “Shelby American helped Ford Motor Company win the FIA World Sportscar Championship, largely thanks to the legendary victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, along with SCCA B-production series with the Shelby GT350. Shelby’s efforts were vital in Ford’s overall Trans-Am success, as the Mustangs’ points helped it win the first-ever Manufacturers’ Championship. We’re returning to those racing roots with this limited-edition car, which also portends many elements of our future Trans Am spec race car.”

The Trans-Am series Manufacturers’ Championship was new for 1966. Shelby American built race spec Ford Mustangs for the Trans Am Group 2, using many parts from their “R” models but retaining Ford VINs for manufacturer points. Drivers like Jerry Titus, Peter Talbert, Ira Morrison and Vic McClain raced Shelby American Group 2 Mustang notchbacks in the inaugural series, helping Ford win the championship with key wins and points.

“The 2026 Shelby GT350/TA is an amazing car that builds upon the 60th anniversary model Shelby GT350R that we introduced last year,” said Gary Patterson, president of Shelby American. “This sports car is designed to be competitive on both the street and track. Our motorsports roots are deep, and we continue to bring that championship DNA to every car we build.”

The 2026 Shelby GT350/TA Is Street-Legal & Track-Ready

The Shelby GT350/TA was built for the serious weekend track warrior, company officials stated in a press release. Beginning with the popular street version of the 2026 Shelby GT350, the Shelby team focused on reducing weight, sharpening the performance and keeping it cool at speed.

“We spent an incredible amount of attention on enhancing the aerodynamics on this car,” said Vince LaViolette, vice president of operations and senior designer at Shelby American. “From revised front splitters to the new hood and upgraded rear diffuser, this car is even better at slicing through the wind. We have more aggressive suspension pieces, Trans Am spec wheels and tires and upgraded cooling systems to ensure peak performance, lap after lap.”

The street-legal, track-ready 2026 Shelby GT350/TA has 830-plus horsepower and is only available with a 6-speed manual transmission. It features a carbon fiber interior “tub,” integrated roll cage, Trans AM spec high-speed carbon-fiber Aero package, fully adjustable race struts and shocks with remote reservoir, new Alcon racing brakes, numerous chassis upgrades and more.

For 2026, key differences include:

• New carbon-fiber front splitter, fiber fender vents, rocker/splitter, grille and fascia aero dive planes
• Shelby Performance hood with carbon-fiber air extraction and painted Shelby ghost graphic
• Quad exhaust outlet at the rear diffuser with GT350R muffler and black accented tips
• Carbon tail panel with GT350/TA graphic or the 60th Trans AM ghost graphic
• Quarter panel Shelby Racing Team matte finish graphic for the 60th anniversary package
• Trans Am spec Forgeline Wheels with Perelli P Zero tires
• Pro Systems Alcon Endurance brake package
• Safety cage with carbon fiber protective covers
• New colors – Grabber Blue, Oxford White, Shadow Black, Orange Fury, Carbonized Gray, or Race Red with coordinated graphics package
• Shelby GT350/TA door graphic.

Built in Collaboration With Turn Key Automotive/Motorsports

Only 70 Shelby GT350/TA model cars will be built in Michigan in collaboration with Turn Key Automotive/Motorsports. The company has deep experience in performance parts, racing and low-volume niche programs, and provides the expertise, parts, services and support to take a project from rendering to reality, noted the release.

“Working with Shelby American has been a great adventure for our team,” said Turn Key owner Rich Rinke. “It is exciting to help Shelby connect enthusiasts with motorsports through limited-edition cars that leverage our extensive competition experience. This incredible car will impress any serious racer.”

In addition to collaborating with Shelby American on the street-legal Shelby GT350/TA, Turn Key is helping develop a track-only version of the sports car intended for competition in Trans Am. Turn Key is an approved Trans Am vehicle builder of SGT and GT vehicles with a stellar reputation for success, the company said. Together, they are developing a Trans Am spec race car with plans for an official entry in the 2026 race season. Jack Rinke, a Turn Key development engineer who worked on the Shelby GT350R and new Shelby GT350/TA, intends to compete in the car.

“1966 was an incredibly important year in motorsports, especially for sports car racing,” said Aaron Coalwell, technical director at the Trans Am Race Company. “While the Shelby American team GT40s were winning Le Mans, the Shelby-built Mustangs were Ford’s significant North American road racing effort. Who would have thought in 1966 that we would still be going strong 60 years later? So many manufacturers, car models and racing series have come and gone since 1966.  We are very pleased to collaborate with Shelby on this new car, which we hope is just the beginning of a new chapter in our shared motorsports history. We can’t wait to see these cars on the track.”