If you could buy a car with 500 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, and enough trunk space to fit a couple of carry-on bags for a weekend getaway, all for the lowly sum of around $25,000, would you do it? We definitely would. Although, some of you might change your mind when you find out that the car in question is a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Although, if you don’t mind that the car is an American classic, then you’ll be happy to know that you can regularly find used examples like this 2007 Shelby GT500 for under $30,000.

The older Ford Mustang Shelby GT500’s are powerful and plentiful

While the older Ford Mustang Shelby GT models aren’t as powerful as the current-generation ones, they are still not exactly slow by any means. The first-generation SVT (2007-2009) Shelby GT500 models were powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine that put out 500 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. And while the car’s power output aided in making it one of the best values when it was new – especially considering powerful cars like the BMW M5 were twice the price – it’s even more of a bargain now.

If you want to stay under the $30,000 mark, then you are currently limited to the 2007 to 2009 vintage cars, but the good news is that most of them have really low mileage counts since they were like second, or even third, cars for the previous owners. However, you could always daily drive it if need be.

If you want to daily drive a Shelby GT500, you can!

Keep in mind, the Ford Mustang GT500 is an American icon. Car and Driver once wrote that the introduction of the 2007 GT500 was “history repeating itself” as the last GT500 to come before it was alive from 1967 to 1970. The newer iteration had all the makings of a true American classic: a strong engine with more power and torque than the regular Mustang, better handling, and more overall visceral appeal to make you feel patriotic as possible behind the wheel. And the GT500’s performance did not disappoint.

Motortrend noted that the 2007 Shelby GT500 could sprint to 60 mph in around 4.5 seconds and complete a quarter-mile 12.7 seconds, making it much quicker than the Dodge Charger SRT8 and Pontiac GTO at the time. It was a formidable competitor on the track and on the street, but it could also be driven daily. In fact, the folks at Motortrend took a Shelby GT500 on a 900-mile road trip and wrote that the cabin was a “comfortable place to be” as the Mustang was “easy on the ears” and had a good driving position. While we would never expect anyone to take a Shelby GT500 on an epic road trip, it’s nice to know that this car can be driven daily in relative comfort. Just don’t expect stellar fuel economy numbers.

It’s a great time to own a piece of American history

If you’re in the market for some American muscle and feel the need for speed, then a Shelby GT500 could be one of the best choices. The 2007-2009 models retailed for around $42,000 when they were new, however, on today’s used market you can find them for anywhere between $25,000 to $30,000. We’re not market analysts, but we don’t suspect they will be going much lower than that any time soon. So if you want a piece of American automotive history, then now is a great time to make a move.