For many of us, getting our hands on the rare, expensive 2007 Ford Mustang GT500 would be a dream come true.

But would you settle for getting your hands around one? Then order a copy of Franklin Mint's all-new 1:24 GT500. Of all the GT500 models I've seen, it is far and away the most accurately designed -- an important addition to your collection if authenticity is important to you.

You obviously won't be able to drive it, but my experience with models has been that their value and desirability generally follow the real cars. That's why models of Corvettes, Ferraris, BMWs and all the muscle cars are so expensive on the model car resale market.

Bottom line: The real GT500 is hard to find and will have a stratospheric value someday. So too, will this miniature version.

Thanks to a team-up of performance legend Carroll Shelby and Ford, the GT500 is making its first appearance in 40 years in dealer showrooms. The real car, priced at $40,930 to $45,755 before the inevitable dealer markup for a highly desirable automobile, is powered by a 5.4-liter, 500-horsepower behemoth of a V-8 engine. It features a Roots-Type Eaton supercharger and an air-to-water intercooler.

On the model, you'll see one of the most beautiful interiors ever in this particular scale. The seats have the right matte finish to duplicate leather, chrome and aluminum trim on the instrument panel and the pedals, brushed aluminum sill plates and a nice chrome finish on the tiny gear shift.

The back window has the defroster elements duplicated in its surface. The tiny Shelby Cobra emblems are so well done you can make out the lettering and the famed snake. There's even a Shelby Cobra decal in the lower corner of the windshield.

The engine and the undercarriage are joys to behold with every single decal, wire and piece of plumbing done in the correct color, texture and lettering. It would be fun for Franklin Mint to make a diagram of each, so you can tell what part does what.

Opening doors, hood and trunk, along with all the attendant details, are the order of the day on this car.

Another important point: Most models of this car fail to include the little snake emblem etched into the seat bolsters. Not this one. It's got them right there, proof of the car's pedigree.

Only 5,000 copies of this model will be available, and at $140, it's likely to sell fast. See www.franklinmint.com for details.