Anytime Carroll Shelby's name appears on an automobile, there's a good chance customers will clamor to drop gobs of money on the supposed upgrades that transform run-of-the-mill cars into legit performers. Look no further than Ford's current Shelby GT500, which tops the lineup as the most powerful Ford Mustang ever produced. Meanwhile, the GT350 looks to be headed for a lull, despite wild praise from an automotive industry celebrating the maxed-out track potential of the first Mustang generation to feature independent rear suspension from the factory.

And now, almost in honor of the retiring GT350, Mecum Auctions has listed an incredible specimen set for the Indy 2020 event: the first-ever Shelby GT350R prototype from 1965.

If You Have To Ask

Mecum Shelby Mustang GT350R Prototype 2
via Mecum Auctions

The provenance of this car truly boggles the mind. Mecum's description includes bullet-point quotes like "The most historically significant Shelby Mustang in the world," "The Ken Miles R-Model," and "The first Shelby R-Model competition car built." This example was also piloted by the likes of other legendary drivers like Bob Bondurant, Chuck Cantwell, and Peter Brock, as well as Jerry Titus, who won the 965 B-Production National Championship at the wheel of this exact car.

You Can't Afford It

Mecum Shelby Mustang GT350R Prototype 3
via Mecum Auctions

The listing dives deep into this specific car's history, both at the track and as a test mule for developments that would lead Carroll Shelby on his way down the path of history. In the film $1,000,000 Mustang, the chicken farmer from Texas himself said, "Ken Miles and Chuck Cantwell drove 50,000 miles in the test mule Mustang," about this car, to which Chuck Cantwell replied, “I wonder which month of testing Carroll was referring to? I’m sure we put a LOT more than 50,000 miles on that car.”

RELATED: Hemmings Find: 1965 Ford “Shelby” F100 Restomod

Seven Figures Or More

Mecum Shelby Mustang GT350R Prototype 4
via Mecum Auctions

While the car might have featured in a movie about it called $1,000,000 Mustang, it's hard to imagine that the seven-figure mark won't be broken almost immediately during bidding, even amid a global coronavirus pandemic that is shutting down automotive events around the world.

Source: Mecum

NEXT: 10 Surprising Facts About Carroll Shelby (And 5 About Ken Miles)