IS THE 2020 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 THE BEST PONY YET?
The first time the Shelby name was applied to a Mustang was way back in 1965. It was a hit with those who wanted to go fast in a straight line, a trait that followed the production-versions of the muscle cars for years. Is the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 any better?
First, an interesting tidbit that some of you may not know. When the first Ford Mustang was launched, it didn't find favour among its target market, young men were simply not interested in the little Pony car. So, the gurus in the Ford marketing department decided on a new strategy; they'll market it to females, secretaries to be specific.
Soon, though, they realised they needed to appeal to the racing enthusiast too, and gave legendary racer, and the man who was working on the Le Mans-winning Ford GT's, a call. That man was Carrol Shelby, and his response was, "you can't make a racehorse out of a mule".
Ouch. But soon Shelby had sprinkled his magic onto the Mustang and a relatively successful racecar was born. The homologation versions were a hit and the rest, as they say, is history. A classic was born.
Fast forward over five decades, and we find ourselves watching automotive journalist, Jason Cammisa from ISSIMI Official, putting the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 through its paces.
With the Mustang's reputation for the flurry of memes we've seen over the past few years, it's clear the All-American muscle car still has the 'straight-line only' stigma attached to it. Now, with nearly 800 horses under the bonnet, is this latest model any better at turning a corner?
To put it to the test in all disciplines, it's up against the benchmarks in the sports car world; the angry Dodge Challenger Hellcat, the precise Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and the magnificent Ferrari 812 Superfast.
So, with a history lesson, drag racing, sideways cornering and a cameo from SCCA Hall-of-Fame race-car driver, Randy Pobst, this is a Mustang must-see. Hit that play button below to find out if the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is, finally, a true sports car.
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