If you've seen the Saturday night action flick Gone in 60 Seconds, you'll know all about the Shelby GT500.

For the uninitiated, the GT500 of 1967 is one of the rarest and best looking muscle cars ever built. But Stuart Milne says Ford's 2006 effort is even better.

I won't spoil the film, but suffice to say that when Nic Cage steals the GT500, chaos ensues.

It's a sequence that all petrolheads dream of re-enacting - outrunning a police helicopter, saving the hostage and getting it on with Angelina Jolie, all in time for supper.

Unfortunately 1960's GT500s are rarer than rocking horse teeth, so there was never really much chance of ever owning one. Until now.

In 2005, Ford pulled the wraps off a GT500 concept and were presented with whoops of delight, questions... and the all important open chequebooks.

Ford must have realised once they teased the motoring world, we wouldn't leave them alone until they started producing them.

Earlier this year, the first GT500s hit the streets, packing a 475bhp, 5.4-litre supercharged V8 motor.

Ford have been a bit cagey on the performance front, but its said to demolish the 0-60mph dash in 4.5 seconds and blast to the scary side of 170mph.

At first glance, the GT500 doesn't look much different to the bog standard Mustang. Look closer and you'll see there's a different rear wing, some unsubtle Shelby badging and some cooling vents and scoops. But it's enough for most.

Of course, there are some for whom 'enough' isn't enough.

For these maniacs (me included), there's a sensational 'Eleanor' conversion, which is an aftermarket take on the star of Gone in 60 Seconds.

For your extra pounds, you'll get a bronze '500 with black stripes, a chunky bodykit and a set of horny alloys. Adding to the full effect are a set of bonnet straps and some huge rally-style foglamps. Words can't describe how amazing the conversion looks.

The original GT500 was created by ex-racer, Carroll Shelby, who made a name for himself by exporting AC Cobras from the UK, and dropping in a lusty Ford V8.

So when Ford wanted someone to inject some high performance into its Mustang range, Shelby was their first port of call. 

 The result was the GT350R, a lightweight race car that earned the Mustang its first performance stripes. Subsequent Shelby Mustangs included a street version of the race car, the GT350, and the Mustang 'rent-a-racer' GT350H, which came out of a bizarre project with Hertz car rental.

The ultimate Shelby Mustang of the era was the 'King of the Road' GT500KR. Powered by a 7-litre V8, the GT500KR was one of the most incredible muscle cars ever.

Is the reborn GT500 a worthy successor? Well, if it goes half as well as it looks, it'll be a cracker.

Read previous Look at the Wheels on That columns.