The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 has been one of the most popular Mustang models ever — but it seems this connotation has worn out its welcome. It was recently announced that Shelby American, Inc. will end the production of the modern generation of the iconic American muscle car. Production of the other Shelby performance cars is set to continue without this famed Mustang, so what’s the motivation behind this surprising move?

Shelby American Says the GT350 is No More After this Year

A sad announcement came from Shelby American when it was confirmed that 2013 will mark the end of the modern GT350 — December 31st of 2013 will be the last day they will be taking orders for the Shelby GT350.

Initially reintroduced by Shelby American in the auto market in 2011, the Shelby GT350 has continued on with pretty successful sales and popularity in 2011, 2012 and 2013 production models.

The discontinuation may seem uncalled for when looking at sales, but if you look at the past history of the Shelby GT350, you might understand this decision better. Original Shelby GT350s were made for1965, 1966, and 1967 year models, and were then pulled unexpectedly, just like what’s happening now.

Shelby American has made no secret of their tradition with following their own historical patterns and trends — they tend to make history, then proceed to repeat it over and over as they wish.

When revamped in 2011, the coupe models were all made with guardsmen blue stripes on top of the competition white base — just like the premier models in 1965.

Carry on to 2012 and you’ll find that the three additional colors introduced, the convertible option, and other options available with the Shelby GT350 were similar to ones offered in 1966.

Likewise in 2013, this year model came with additional color options, more equipment choices, and a styling tweak but the overall performance remained the same.

As Mustang Turns Over Another Generation, More Changes Are Likely

Adding to the decision to discontinue the GT350 is the upcoming generational change for the Ford Mustang. There’s also an unconfirmed rumor that the SVT version Shelby GT500 won’t be available either in the next generation.

Production won’t stop for the other Shelby models. Drivers who want Shelby inspired cars will continue to be able to purchase a new Shelby GTS, GT500 Super Snake, Shelby 1000, Shelby Raptor truck, and Shelby Focus ST Hot Hatch.

Perhaps we’ll get another three years of the Shelby GT350 in a few decades, but that prediction is too much of a long shot to matter right now.