Firefighters responding to the scene of a serious accident are sometimes called upon to pry open a vehicle to rescue its occupants. Given the presence of twisted high-resistance steel, cables, deployed airbags and other hindrances, it’s often no easy task.
And so firefighters get training in the art and science of how to use the “jaws of life”. Recently, the Dearborn Fire Department in Michigan used a donated Rapid Red GT500 test model as a guinea pig for training its firefighters. The model was outfitted in the carbon-fibre track package and so represented a good challenge for the firefighters, what with its 20-inch wheels, large rear spoiler and Recaro front seats.
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Before you get too despondent about this desecration of a priceless (well, very expensive) muscle car, know that the Shelby in question was a preproduction test model destined for the crusher anyways. Rather than have it simply disappear, Ford donated it to the fire department so it could be put to good use first. The model was not certified for use on the road and could never have been legally registered.
Still, it’s a painful sight…