Despite Hollywood heavyweights Ethan Hawke and Selena Gomez, one castmember in Warner Bros. Pictures' new action thriller “Getaway” that everyone conceded was by far the coolest is—the Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake!

In the film, former race car driver Brent Magna (Hawke) is pitted against the clock. Desperately trying to save the life of his kidnapped wife, Brent commandeers a custom Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake, taking it and its unwitting owner (Gomez) on a high-speed race against time, at the command of the mysterious villain holding his wife hostage.

The Shelby is no ordinary Mustang. It has long been an aspirational auto of choice for motor heads and a pop culture symbol of the American spirit. A limited number are built each year and it is regarded by many as one of the most capable street-legal hotrods in the world. The dedicated cult following reveres its look, performance and custom status.

The majority of Shelbys featured in past films were built in the ‘60s; however, two silver 2008 GT500 Super Snakes with black stripes, and a 5.4-liter Ford SVT V-8 725 horse power engine, with 590 lb.-ft of torque—which translates to the ability to make a quarter-run mile in 12.5 seconds, hitting 119 miles-per-hour—were used in the filming of “Getaway.”

Although the Super Snakes were actually driven in intense stunts, they were used very judiciously because of their high value. And, like every real star, the Super Snake had its own stand-ins and stunt doubles.
Director Courtney Solomon attests, “I chose the GT500 Super Snake because ‘Getaway’ takes place in a foreign country, and I wanted the quintessential American muscle car with enough star power to shine with Ethan and Selena. And boy, did it shine.”

Opening across the Philippines on October 16, “Getaway” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.