One of the most anticipated limited edition versions of the renowned Ford Mustang will be sold at No Reserve to celebrate the pony car’s 45th anniversary during the 2nd Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Las Vegas Oct. 7-10, 2009. The No. 5 Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang is one of only 45 to be built and is specially equipped with a 550 horsepower engine; as one of the featured cars, the Mustang will cross the auction block at approximately 6:30 p.m. PDT on Friday, Oct. 9. The 2009 Las Vegas event will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and feature approximately 400 collector vehicles for sale, posh lifestyle events and live, high-definition TV coverage from SPEED.

Known as the “Father of the Mustang,” Iacocca presented the Ford Mustang to the world during a dramatic press conference at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. During his time as Ford Division president and general manager, Iacocca made the Mustang a household name. He even tapped veteran racer Carroll Shelby to build special high performance versions of the car. A video from Iacocca to the crowd will air before the car is sold on Oct. 9.

“This is a stunning modern-day muscle car from the visionary who started it all,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “It’s hard to imagine where collector car enthusiasts would be if Lee Iacocca hadn’t championed the Ford Mustang project 45 years ago. Now, he has teamed up with some of the top automotive talent in the world to produce the 45th Anniversary model. It’s an instant collectible.”

Nearly two years in the making, the Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang is a collaborative effort by Iacocca, designer Michael Leone, and Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters. The new business venture is called I Legacy. The Mustangs are being offered exclusively through Galpin Ford in Southern California.

"It has been the most amazing time of my life, working with Mr. Iacocca on this car,” said Leone. “This 45th Anniversary Edition Mustang is a rare, complex, elegant and extraordinary piece of moving artwork. With innovative technology, the visual impact of its fastback design and expert craftsmanship, it is truly exceptional in every way; the only car that can bear the Iacocca name on it. We couldn't be prouder to have the number five car crossing the auction block at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas.”

Each of the 45 limited edition Mustangs is custom built by a team of talented artists using composite construction laminates, a reinforced material from the aerospace industry. The hand-crafted vehicles, all painted in a specially created Iacocca silver hue, are fabricated using the finest tooling, with each part separately cured in an autoclave.

The Iacocca-designed hood crest is custom built by a distinguished jeweler and every emblem is hand-finished and polished. Front and rear wheels are cast aluminum and chrome plated for a sheen-like finish and the center caps are machined and also chrome plated.

While the exterior fastback design of the Iacocca Silver Mustang is compelling, the mechanical underpinnings are true American muscle. The No. 5 Iacocca Mustang was specially equipped with a 550 horsepower engine featuring a Ford Racing polished Supercharger that includes dyno sheets and other documentation. The driver can harness the extra power through a quick-shifting 5-speed manual transmission.

Inside the Iacocca Silver Mustang, the interior is resplendent with luxurious touches that highlight the car's special heritage. These include Iacocca Diamond Design leather seats with embroidery stitching, an Iacocca signature dash plaque with serial number, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with “I” badge and Iacocca-badged aluminum door sill plates.

“The most appealing aspect of the Iacocca Mustang is its sleek appearance,” added Davis. “Each line is clean, very sharp and seems to flow endlessly with the car. And the custom silver color is extremely bold, which embodies the spirit of the Mustang.”

When it crosses the block at No Reserve in Las Vegas, the Iacocca Silver Mustang will join a famous group of Mustangs sold at Barrett-Jackson.

“From first production Ford and Shelby models to one-owner classics, we’ve sold just about every Mustang possible at Barrett-Jackson,” continued Davis. “There’s a passion and aura surrounding the Mustang brand that is like no other, and it shows when one crosses our auction block. The energy will be through the roof when the Iacocca Mustang is sold in Las Vegas.”

World championship drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. has introduced a new generation of Mustang to the world with the Mustang RTR. The extremely limited-production Mustang RTR-C puts still more muscle behind the already incredible 2010 Ford Mustang GT. Balancing 550 tire-shredding American horsepower with new-generation design influences, Vaughn has incorporated state-of-the-art technology with first-rate carbon fiber body construction to make the Mustang RTR-C one incredible-looking, raw performance machine.

Since its victorious introduction at the NHRA Winternationals in 1968, Ford’s Cobra Jet Mustang has created a legacy of power, performance and triumph.

The 40th Anniversary 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang lived up to the legend of the original, duplicating the NHRA Winternationals victory in 2009 and dominating drag strips across the land.

Today, Ford Racing unveiled the 2010 Cobra Jet Mustang at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, which marks the continued evolution of the CJ as a factory-produced turnkey race car. In honor of the SEMA introduction, Ford Racing built and unveiled a one-of-a-kind “SEMA Special” silver Cobra Jet complete with a charcoal Cobra Jet graphics package.

“The 2008 Cobra Jet was a great car, it did everything we wanted it to do,” said Brian Wolfe, director, Ford North American Motorsports. “We’re really proud of the car, but then again we’re always trying to make the next one better.

“With the 2010 Cobra Jet, we had the luxury of a longer development cycle and the result is absolutely stunning. Where the 2008 Cobra Jet was an extremely potent starting point for NHRA Stock competition, the 2010 will enhance the car further. We are all excited to see the new Cobra Jet in competition.”

For decades, the Mustang has been the preeminent car in many forms of racing, including drag racing. The 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang added to that legacy this season with high- profile wins at the NHRA Winternationals and U.S. Nationals, and by setting numerous track records across the country.

The 2010 Cobra Jet, like its predecessor, is a factory-built race car that is intended for NHRA Stock and Super Stock racing. The goal for the 2010 Cobra Jet was to enhance the race features to further make its own place in NHRA history. The 2010 CJ will come with all of the features of the 2008 car with enhancements that include options for a full race-prepared automatic or manual transmission, drag race-specific shocks and springs, manual steering and brakes, 8.50 certified rollcage, and an Aeromitive return-style fuel system with trunk-mounted fuel cell.

Additionally Ford Racing engineers have developed for the 2010 Cobra Jet a factory-first launch control/rev limiter that will allow drivers to preset the rpm after they stage the car. When they are ready to leave, all they do is put the throttle pedal to the floor; they don’t have the engine speed to free rev. Previously, the launch control/rev limiter was only available as an aftermarket option.

Much like Ford Racing’s previous Mustang FR500S race car, the Cobra Jet Mustang will get its start at the Auto Alliance International (AAI) assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The entire 50-car run of 2010 Cobra Jets will be built on the same production line that produces the 2010 Ford Mustang production car. Production of Cobra Jets will commence in January, with delivery of all vehicles expected in the first quarter of 2010.

All of the additional parts and pieces for the CJ can be found in the Ford Performance Parts catalog. And since the Cobra Jet is produced from a base V-6 Mustang, any consumer can turn his Mustang into a Cobra Jet by purchasing the parts from the Ford Performance Parts catalog.

The 2010 CJ car features a choice for customers between two supercharged engines or three normally aspirated engines (pending NHRA approval). These options will allow the Cobra Jet to be eligible for more classes in the NHRA, as well as competition with other sanctioning bodies, including NMRA, NMCA, PSCA and IHRA.

All 50 of the 2010 Cobra Jet Mustangs have already been ordered by Ford dealers for delivery to customers. For those customers who missed out on the limited run of 2010 Cobra Jets, Ford Racing has set a goal to provide future versions of the Cobra Jet.