Tuesday 15th November 2011

Meet the 200mph Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

New MY2013 GT500 should kick Camaro ZL1 into the weeds with 650hp V8

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This is the new '2013' (read 'on sale in 2012') Ford Shelby GT500. And this time around Ford is offering it with 650hp and a 200+mph top speed.

We found out a few weeks back that the new Shelby Mustang was to have an enlarged 5.8-litre motor at its heart, but we didn't know that the supercharged mill would become what Ford is calling (cue superhero cartoon narrator) 'the most powerful production V8 in the world'.

Indeed, the 650hp and 600lb ft makes the forthcoming 580hp Camaro ZL1 look rather asthmatic in comparison. In order to get such monumental power outputs, the GT500 has, as well as the extra swept capacity, a larger, more efficient supercharger, a new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a carbon fibre driveshaft. There's also an updated clutch, transmission and axle (albeit still a live one), with the final drive ratio lengthened to 3.31:1 to help cope with the huge torque on offer.

In order to help keep all that power under control, Ford has also announced a 'Performance Pack', which includes SVT-designed Bilstein adjustable dampers and a Torsen LSD. There's also an optional 'Track Package', which adds an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler.

Sounds sensible to us. Especially considering that the previous GT500 hardly felt under-endowed, despite pushing out 'just' 540hp...

You can read the full GT500 press release here.

 

[adz13091982]

Wow - this will have the eco warriors in a spin!

[Gary C]

Oooh

I like that

Not sure I would want to do 200mph in it though.

[GTRene]

sow...that's a big power-hike, a lot a muscles.

[MrTappets]

What does 'production' mean here? Mass production? Presumably that's why you can't count suff like Koenigsegg's V8.

[Rev Limit]

Want!

[Beefmeister]

Love this GT500 though. Given that the 2012 GT500 was a shade under $50,000 this shouldn't be much more expensive.

Which if you convert to £ is around £32,000. Makes the Nissan GT-R's bhp/£ seem a little high!

I'll have one in Kona Blue ('cos i love Kona bikes) please.

Edited by Beefmeister on Tuesday 15th November 13:25

[marcosgt]

"Why do American cars have so little power?" - Where are you now, eh?

I still don't want one though

M

[LuS1fer]

With the Corvette ZR1 having 638hp, I can't see it being long before they give that a boost as Lingenfelter are already offering 750hp versions.

I'm ambivalent about this restyle but there may be IVA issues with the standard HIDs and new rear light clusters to overcome before anyone can get hold of one.

[EDLT]

LuS1fer said:

With the Corvette ZR1 having 638hp, I can't see it being long before they give that a boost as Lingenfelter are already offering 750hp versions.

I'm ambivalent about this restyle but there may be IVA issues with the standard HIDs and new rear light clusters to overcome before anyone can get hold of one.

Whats wrong with the lights, apart from having to change the colour of the rear indicators?

[Stew2000]

I be Roush.

[LuS1fer]

EDLT said:

Whats wrong with the lights, apart from having to change the colour of the rear indicators?

HIDs require washers and self-levelling in the UK. The last model had standard lights as an option (the non-boss-eyed looking one)but I'm not sure this one does or whether the last lights will fit this restyle.

[robinessex]

RH drive version ? Bet not

[Dagnut]

BADASS

[carsnapper]

They've done well if that brick will do 200mph even with the application of 650HP. That must be one helluva white knuckle ride, even on a salt plain, let alone a test track.

The last thing this car needed was more power! I am fan of Roush handling.

[Gorbyrev]

One sneeze no license, two sneezes hello airbags!!! Wonderful.

[Lets Torque]

I love it!

[thirsty]

An amazing car and I am lusting for one now. However ... There must be something fundamentally wrong with this chassis considering the money Ford spends to make this car something special, but still insist on sticking with that stupid solid rear axle. It's also puzzling because this car was based on the old Jag S Type chassis. This is an old argument to be sure, but with HP and perfomance starting to reach crazy proportions, why haven't they fixed it? Is Ford just being stuborn?
All said, I would still like one.

[YAHOO]

This is fantastical news
This is exactly what the environment needs .. I love it

[jellison]

If the ZR1 with 638bhp can't quite do 200 how is this BOX.

Ford now making top notch engines to take it to Chevy.

I do prefer the way Chevy do it with the modern interpretation on pushrod tech though, why all those extra moving parts when you can do it with less

[adam5]

Looks awesome from front and rear, just can't warm to the side-on profile.

I'd get over it though for 650bhp!