Rent the 900-hp 2022 GT500-H for $399 a day

Shelby fans were still reeling from the announcement days earlier that there would be a limited-production GT500-H hitting Hertz lots with more than 900 horsepower when they learned that they could be among the first to see and hear one up close. The first in-person unveiling took place at Carroll Shelby Enterprises in Gardena, California, before a crowd of Shelby fans and owners on May 14. On hand for the reveal were Shelby American President Gary Patterson and Vice President Vince LaViolette, as well as Mark Cangialosi, Vice President of Fleet Procurement & Services at Hertz.

We spoke with Cangialosi, who told us that the GT500-H will soon be available at some of America’s favorite summer vacation spots. The 25 examples of GT500-H, available for rent in Fort Meyers, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, will cost $399 per day.

To get the GT500’s already impressive supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 from 760 to 900+ horsepower, Shelby American replaced the factory supercharger with a massive, 3.8-liter Whipple unit to deliver more air into the high-performance heads, but not before it passes over an efficient air-to-water charger cooler that pulls the heat from the intake charger and sends it to a Shelby heat exchanger in front of the radiator. The GT500-H also benefits from better airflow by way of a new cold air intake that breathes through wide-open louvers in the new carbon-fiber hood. That extra power means additional exhaust gasses, so a Borla cat-back system helps evacuate it in a hurry. Of course, it sounds heavenly doing so.

Additional power can be fun on its own, but Shelby also gave the GT500-H heavier anti-sway bars and recalibrated the MagneRide suspension to take advantage of it all. Michelin rubber mounted to forged aluminum monoblock wheels, 20 x 11-inch front and 20 x 11.5-inch rear, also do their part to keep the road rocket planted to the pavement.

Just 25 of these limited-production GT500-H models will be built for 2022 and Hertz has plans with Shelby for future collaborations through 2024. This crop of GT500-H models will be available for rent through 2022. After that, you may be able to pick one of them up for your own. If you’re antsy, Shelby will build you a GT500KR with similar performance specs. But try as you might, we don’t think you’ll be able to convince them to paint it black and gold.