The run of 2016 Shelby Mustang GT-Hs for Hertz included 140 examples delivered into the rental fleet for allocation day-by-day to mere mortals, and then 16 of the “Executive Cars,” a name that to the Hertz Shelby enthusiast has a special aura. These 16 cars were not rented but were instead purchased by Hertz executives for their personal use and enjoyment. These were the only 2016 Hertz cars delivered with a 6-speed manual transmission rather than the automatic transmissions used in the rental fleet, and were also outfitted with an oversized Shelby-badged Roush supercharger. With 670 horsepower on tap, an Executive Car hurtled through the quarter-mile in just 11 seconds, making this model the fastest Hertz Shelby ever built.
Jim Taylor’s Executive Car was the 14th of the 16 built, and is identified on its window sticker, included in the file, as having been ordered with the 3.55 limited-slip rear axle, six-way power seats and voice-activated navigation system — and, importantly, clearly identifies it as built with the 6-speed transmission. The car was originally supplied to Santa Monica Ford/Hertz Corporation in Oklahoma City, and following its executive use was subsequently sold into private ownership through Hertz Car Sales. Recording only 3,132 miles at the time of cataloging, it remains in excellent overall condition, and represents unbeatable performance for the dollar in the best Hertz-Shelby tradition.
