Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 arrives in 2006
Supercharged muscle car with 450bhp+ 5.4-litre V8
The most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang in history takes to the street next year, following collaboration between performance car legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT).
Ford took the wraps off the 450-plus-horsepower Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 show car at the New York International Auto Show March 23. Designed in the image of Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s, the Shelby Cobra GT500 melds SVT's modern engineering with big-block performance.
Engine
Just as the original Shelby GT500 was the "step up" to big-block power from the GT350, the new Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 steps up to Ford's supercharged 5.4-litre MOD V8. The result is the GT500, the most powerful factory Mustang ever, with over 450bhp and 450lb-ft of torque.
The cast-iron block, four-valve engine is force-fed an air and fuel mixture via a screw-type supercharger at 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. Aluminium cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings sourced from the Ford GT program bring a high level of proven durability to the drive train, while upgraded cooling components promise longevity. The engine has been further tuned from its first application in a Mustang, the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, a limited edition model of 300 units.
The supercharged V8 is mated to a T-56 six-speed manual gearbox which, in Ford's words, offers evenly spaced gears to make the most of the engine's broad torque curve. The heavy-duty transmission has proven itself in Mustangs in both road and track environments, including the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, 2004 SVT Mustang Cobra and the new race-winning Ford Racing Mustang FR500C.
Chassis
The GT500 features a MacPherson strut independent front suspension with "Reverse L" lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle.
Ford said that this rear suspension design has been validated on the track by Ford Racing. The race-prepared Ford Racing Mustang FR500C was purpose-built from the base 2005 Mustang body structure and suspension geometry to run in the Grand-Am Cup series, a class of road racing for production-based cars. Competing against cars from Germany and Japan, a Mustang FR500C competed in and won its first ever race in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February 2005.
"SVT and Ford Racing will be working closer than ever as we go forward on future projects, especially Mustangs," says Thai-Tang, a Ford Racing alumnus who served as the race engineer for the Newman-Haas Racing team in 1993. "The Mustang FR500C racing program is an exact demonstration of the capability we engineered into the mainstream Mustang to be capable of. Now, we have both a Daytona victory and the return of the Shelby Cobra GT500 to showcase Mustang performance possibilities."
SVT is fitting 14-inch, cross-drilled Brembo brake discs up front and 13-inch discs at the rear, inside 19-inch wheels wrapped in high-performance tyres.
Design
The Shelby Cobra GT500 combines the dramatic design genes of the all-new Mustang with Carroll Shelby's legendary performance image to create an SVT Mustang that broadens the power brand's design approach and appeal.
"The restrained, performance-oriented SVT design theme has become instantly recognisable to enthusiasts without brash styling cues," said SVT design chief Doug Gaffka. "The GT500 takes a huge leap forward by combining the modern Mustang muscle car with the classic Shelby performance look to expand SVT's reach to a much bigger audience."
The 2005 Mustang design team drew inspiration from classic 1968 Mustangs, the models that transformed the mild-mannered pony car into a muscle car with attitude. Envisioning an SVT model, the team tested GT500 design cues on the Mustang GT coupe concept that was unveiled at the 2003 North American International Auto Show. In 2004, designers further developed the GT500 look on the Mustang GT-R, a race-bred concept with the dual purpose of foreshadowing SVT's Mustang design direction and Ford Racing's plans to return Mustang to road racing.
The GT500 now comes into full light, punctuated by the classic Le Mans-style white stripes that race along the top of the show car's "SVT Red" paint from nose to tail. The GT500 nomenclature is prominent in the lower body-side racing stripe, another cue from the classic Shelby Mustangs.
The reworked front fascia features a functional air splitter and the unique hood has heat-extraction ducts, combining to provide improved airflow and aerodynamics. Revised headlamp insets offer a more aggressive look and result in symmetrical upper and lower grilles with large air openings, creating a visual connection to vintage Shelby Mustangs.
The unique rear fascia features strakes inspired by the Ford GT's integrated rear airflow diffuser, and a rear spoiler reminiscent of a classic GT500. To mark the collaboration of two Mustang performance icons, the GT500 features Shelby and SVT badging.
Continuing the snake logo tradition of past-generation SVT Mustang Cobras, as well as late-model Shelby Mustangs, the fenders each feature an updated design of the Cobra. For the first time on any SVT Mustang, the front grille features an off-centre snake in place of the standard running horse. "GT500" is burnt into the side rocker stripes, and the Shelby name is prominently featured across the rear deck. The SVT logo can be seen on the wheel centre caps as well as on the sill plates.
The interior is wrapped in ebony black leather, including the top of the dash, door panels, centre arm rest, gear stick, and hand-brake handle. Red leather seating surfaces and door panel inserts contrast the rest of the cabin. Snake logos embroidered into the seat backs finish the package.
The Shelby GT500 script and Cobra image are repeated on the steering wheel cap. Behind the wheel are titanium-faced gauges swapped in location so that the tachometer is dominant visually for the driver. The chrome accessories inside the cabin have been replaced with a satin aluminium finish, including the aluminium gear knob.
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby is lending his support to SVT, adapting his earlier role as a senior advisor on the "Dream Team" that was assembled to develop and build the 2005 Ford GT. "I've worked with the SVT guys for several years now, and I know they have the guts, the talent and the passion to deliver the best performance Mustangs ever," said Shelby.
A production version of the GT500 will go on sale in 2006, continuing the high-performance lineage of the SVT Mustang Cobra model line. It will be followed by a steady stream of performance products developed by SVT, including Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin, the industry's first performance sport-utility truck, in 2007.
The production GT500 will be the first in a string of niche market Mustangs that SVT will help deliver. This will create Ford's broadest product portfolio, stretching from under $20,000 for the V6 Mustang coupe to the 450-plus-horsepower GT500, each offering performance and value.
The GT500 and the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin teaser accelerate the wave of momentum at SVT since the launch of the 2005 Ford GT supercar. SVT also now will develop non-SVT branded Ford Division performance vehicles - including heritage-based performance Mustangs in the spirit of the 2001 Bullitt GT and 2003 Mach 1 - as it becomes more directly integrated into Ford's mainstream product development process.
Related story: www.pistonheads.com/search.asp?s=gt500&d=0&x=0&y=0
4wd said:
RHD???
Is this instead of that other Mustang concept a while back - the orange GT something?
I think www.americanpickuptrucks.com are doing rhd conversions on the mustang !!!
G
4wd said:
RHD???
Is this instead of that other Mustang concept a while back - the orange GT something?
I think your talking about the concept that was supposed to look like the trans-am car of the 60's that raced the Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challengers, etc. This is actually the paint scheme of one of the cup cars but other than that I think it was just an example of what could be done with the car.
American Muscle said:
I do feel bad for you guys in the UK. The people here are complaining about gas prices and they've only just gone over $2.00 a gallon. I can't even imagine what it would cost across the pond.
Uh...come out to California. I don't think the price has been under $2 a gallon in the last couple years. I paid $2.599 a gallon last week. Still doesn't hold a candle to UK pump prices...
danmangt40 said:
^well, for this type of car anyway. I mean, a corvette will almost certainly still be quicker and generally just more pleasing in every way for a bit more money, and a 400hp GTO will better accomodate 4 people and handle better for significantly less money but will likely be slower.... chalk this one up as potentially better than any other mustang ever, if it handles better than the '03 cobra.
The Corvette only puts out 400 HP, and is $5K more. Granted it is 300 lbs lighter, so it may be quicker. Do 'vettes still squeak and rattle after about 30K miles?
Although it is close, a GTO does not handle as well as a stock Mustang GT.
Again amazing and good to see Carol Shelby at it again.
P.S. The Mustang talked about earlier the Orange one is called the GTR and is essentially a stripped race car and will never be produced while this car could be. Though Ford has been putting out a lot of neat stuff lately such as the Shelby GR-1.
hase90 said:
The Corvette only puts out 400 HP, and is $5K more. Granted it is 300 lbs lighter, so it may be quicker. Do 'vettes still squeak and rattle after about 30K miles?
The C6 Z06 comes out in 2006 (sept 2005) and will have 500BHP and will be about 350lbs lighter than the Mustang.
You obviously haven't driven a C5 or C6 vette, no squeaks or rattles on these babies.
Mustang wins the "it's got 4 seats" as long as the rear passengers have very short legs.
Nice looking car and if I had unlimited funds would have one in my collection, trouble is there are just too many great cars coming out of America at the moment and I want to buy them all and I am skint
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