THE 2020 FORD SHELBY MUSTANG GT500 WILL DELIVER 760BHP
The American's are about to receive a 760bhp gift from Ford in the shape of the Shelby Mustang GT500.
750bhp and 847Nm of torque make this the most powerful production Ford ever built... and it'll be sitting in the engine bay of the 2020 Shelby Mustang GT. It's not just the powerplant that's received some work, the chassis has been upgraded, and the aerodynamics tweaked to be more efficient too.
There are no official performance specs from Ford yet, but unconfirmed reports suggest Ford's flagship muscle car will do 0–62mph in roughly three seconds and reach the quarter-mile in under 11 seconds. Considering the Mustang GT500 is set to take on the likes of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, it'll have to be fast.
Popping the bonnet will reveal a hand-built, all-aluminium, supercharged 5.2-litre V8 with forged con-rods. Below that sits a new structural engine sump, while a water-to-air intercooler system keeps operating temperatures constant.
A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which can swap cogs in under 100 milliseconds, sends power through a carbon fibre prop shaft to the rear wheels. The transmission comes with three drive modes focussed on comfort, track and drag strip driving.
The chassis receives new lightweight coil springs, active dampers and revised suspension geometry. Slowing things down are Brembo six-piston callipers but are fitted with something called line-lock, which allows for lighting up the tyres without destroying the rear brake pads. Nifty. Burnouts, though, will be grave for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
The GT500 will be offered with two packages. The first option is more subtle, with adjustable suspension top-mounts and a fixed rear lip-spoiler. The second is more extreme, wider 20-inch carbon fibre wheels and an adjustable GT4 wing, and a functional splitter with canards give it a more aggressive look, while a deleted rear bench trims weight.
Inside, the new GT500 will be fitted with Fords latest tech, so expect a digital gauge cluster and an eight-inch touchscreen. Ford has put a carbon fibre dash, Recaro racing seats, race harnesses, a 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system and suede door cards on the options list.
Ford is hush regarding pricing, but it'll definitely be the most expensive production Mustang too. Which means nothing to anyone except our American readers, seeing as they're the only ones who are going to get the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 anyway.