The invitation came in the form of a short email from Ray Fong, formerly of VeilSide. Ray is now at PCG Campbell, one of Ford's public relations agencies. His short email read something like this, "Do you want to test-drive the Shelby Mustangs on PCH? Meet Duke's in Malibu. Friday 9/22." Now I grew up in Cerritos, California… one of the sport compact scene's key breeding grounds back in the day. But regardless of my love for all things JDM I am more importantly a lover of cars. Ray's invitation to test-drive cars affiliated with the most important American racers ever, on one of America's most famous stretches of road, at one of the coolest hamburger stands in America was drool-inducing.

Ford's marketing department decided that to make an impact on the entrenched tuner set in LA that they were going to have to step it up. Enter the Shelby GT500 convertible, Shelby GT, and the Shelby GT-H, and more importantly, the keys to the Shelby GT500, Shelby GT, and Shelby GT-H that were served up to any willing journalist. After lunch I found my mouth still watering at the chance to drive the latest fruits of the long relationship between Ford and legendary racer and builder Carroll Shelby that started in 1964.

One look at the top-of-the-line GT500 and you know that this is no ordinary Mustang. Shelby and Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) set out to create a modern rendition of the famous Shelby GT500 of the 60's. The powerdome hood bulges like the first guy to die in Aliens, and underneath it lies a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8. If that doesn't catch your eye the Cobra logo on the grill lets you know that you're in for a ride.

Launching the car at the first clear stoplight I could find on Pacific Coast Highway, the GT500 is everything that I thought it would be. The GT500 shoots out of the gate in a way that realizes any NHRA dream you've ever had. Beefy 285/40ZR18 tires in back put the 500 ponies to the asphalt and it's hard not to leave a trail of rubber, even with all the damn LA commuters getting in the way of my road-test. As PCH starts to wind I sense the GT500's muscle cars roots. It corners sufficiently well but it thrives in straight-line acceleration. I'll reserve rendering judgment until I get a chance to hop in its closed-roof twin on track. In any case, the GT500 is a worthy successor to the GT350 and GT500 of yesteryear. It features an impressive powerplant, capable Brembo brakes, and striking exterior replete with enough Shelby, Cobra, and SVT badging to make any Shelby/Ford/Mustang aficionado weep. At an MSRP of $46,500 the GT500 delivers exactly what is promises: big, beefy American hot-rod performance.

After returning to Duke's I jumped into the Shelby GT. John Alguire, Ford Performance Marketing Manager, described this car as "true driver's car." I'm ashamed to say that heretofore I had reservations as to whether any Mustang, Shelby GT or otherwise, could fit that bill. I stand corrected. The Shelby GT is not only a joy to drive, but a considerable value. This car surprised me with how balanced it felt, and at pricing in the mid-30's it will no doubt appeal to many of my fellow Gen-X-ers who need some more passion in their lives.

Powered by a 4.6-liter V-8 that puts out 325hp, the GT is just as fun to launch. Where it really surprised me was in the handling department. The GT felt lighter and more nimble than its big brother, attacking the twisty canyon roads of Malibu with confidence. The GT sports a Ford Racing Handling Pack that was developed by the same engineers who developed the 2005 Grand-Am Cup Championship-winning FR500C racecar. This kit drops ride height by an inch and a half, adds stiffer dampers, and a meaty front swaybar and strut tower brace. Power is transmitted to the road via 235/55ZR18 tires. The GT was civilized enough to be a daily driver but aggressive enough to induce a smile while maneuvering around the slowpokes on PCH. Badging is not quite as involved as in the GT500 but the GT does feature visual cues to let you know this is no ordinary ‘Stang: Shelby striping, hood pins, and trick interior touches like an old-school ball shifter.

While I hated handing over the keys, curiosity forced me to relinquish the GT and jump in the GT-H. The "H" stands for Hertz, which explains why this special version of the Shelby GT is clad in the black-and-gold corporate colors of the car rental agency. The GT-H is available as part of Hertz's "Fun Collection."

The original GT-H debuted in 1966 as a part of the Ford/Hertz "rent-a-racer" marketing campaign. 40 years later the GT-H is back, featuring the same 325hp 4.6-liter V-8 in the new Shelby GT. The most important difference is that the GT-H comes only in automatic transmission, which should be helpful for all those white collar road warriors who want to shift but have to juggle their Treos and Venti Cappuccinos in their other hands. As a former white collar road warrior myself, I definitely would have preferred to rent the GT-H over the 4-cyliner econoboxes I used to be trapped with.

Finishing up the test-drives, I asked John Alguire to help summarize what Ford's goal was in resurrecting the Shelby program. "The Shelby program is part of Ford's strategy to ensure that there is a Mustang to fit the unique needs and desires of every Mustang buyer," said Alguire. That means "different performance at different price points." The GT500 is the ultra-performance vehicle, with "features and modifications based on lessons from the Ford GT program." The GT is the all-around "driver's car." And the Shelby program provides a "halo effect" for the standard V6 version as well as the entire Ford product line.

No matter what your personal taste in cars, there's no question after a day with Ford and Shelby that the two legendary names in the auto world have a winning combination on their hands. Now if only I could get those GT keys back…