From Brad at themustangsource.com (you can trust this source):
Update from the Inside
The final GT500 will wear tape stripes because they look great, have a long life, and are much cheaper than paint. (The show car's stripes were painted.)
The hood on this yellow car is the production hood. It creates low pressure in all the right places and extracts heat well.
The stripes on this yellow car are NOT production. They were cut for a different hood design--not this one. The tape stripes will more closely follow the lines of the scoops.
The decklid will not have the "SHELBY" lettering like the show car did because a lot of people (including myself) thought it was too goudy and because the letters, if stuck on a permeable tape stripe, would fall off. They could cut the tape stripe around the letters, but that is expensive and could look terrible if any of the letters were slightly off level. They are considering placing smaller "SHELBY" letters off to one side of the decklid.
Carroll himself is pushing hard for the red seat inserts, but the red stitching probably won't make production.
The Dark IUP on the show car is very similar to what will be offered on late 2006 Mustang GTs. The color will be the same, the pattern may not be. It will utilize the satin A/C vent rings like the show car did. (The standard IUP has chrome rings.)
No decision has been made regarding at which auto show the GT500 production car will be unveiled. Ford VPs want to continue to strengthen the Mustang's images as "Detroit's car", but the folks at SVT have always been fond of the Chicago show.
Update from the Inside
The final GT500 will wear tape stripes because they look great, have a long life, and are much cheaper than paint. (The show car's stripes were painted.)
The hood on this yellow car is the production hood. It creates low pressure in all the right places and extracts heat well.
The stripes on this yellow car are NOT production. They were cut for a different hood design--not this one. The tape stripes will more closely follow the lines of the scoops.
The decklid will not have the "SHELBY" lettering like the show car did because a lot of people (including myself) thought it was too goudy and because the letters, if stuck on a permeable tape stripe, would fall off. They could cut the tape stripe around the letters, but that is expensive and could look terrible if any of the letters were slightly off level. They are considering placing smaller "SHELBY" letters off to one side of the decklid.
Carroll himself is pushing hard for the red seat inserts, but the red stitching probably won't make production.
The Dark IUP on the show car is very similar to what will be offered on late 2006 Mustang GTs. The color will be the same, the pattern may not be. It will utilize the satin A/C vent rings like the show car did. (The standard IUP has chrome rings.)
No decision has been made regarding at which auto show the GT500 production car will be unveiled. Ford VPs want to continue to strengthen the Mustang's images as "Detroit's car", but the folks at SVT have always been fond of the Chicago show.
