Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with 750-Plus HP

The New King of the Road

Ford Mustang’s upcoming Shelby GT500 variant will be the most powerful Ford production car ever, and could very well produce in excess of 750 horsepower. We won't be able to see this newest member of the Ford family until 2019, but a teaser video released in January shows some rather quick but titillating glimpses of the supercharged GT500 that reveals modifications we haven't seen before. Clearly, Ford is going after the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and the fire-breathing 650 Hp Chevy Camaro ZL1, but they are not interested in keeping up with with the competition. That role went to the 526 hp Shelby GT350. With the GT500, the folks at Ford are interested in dominating the competition.

>>Join the conversation about the Shelby Mustang GT500 right here in The Mustang Source.

Form and Function

What's so cool about this Mustang variant is that many of the features you could only get aftermarket are now going to be available in the production model. For one thing, the Mustang Shelby GT500 will have independent rear suspension. It will also offer wider tracks, aerodynamic work, and fatter tires. The overall effect gives the car a serious attitude meant to intimidate its adversaries. From what we can see in the video and a few renderings and spy shots floating around the internet, the wheel wells offer a new look, starting with massive carbon ceramic brakes meant to harness the power this Stang will be generating. The rear end reveals a quad exhaust system and the rear diffuser looks fairly aggressive.  The front fascia is completely different than any other S550 Mustang to date. The grille is enormous, clearly designed to provide cooling to the engine up front, and its completely blacked out presentation is a first for the Mustang.

>>Join the conversation about the Shelby Mustang GT500 right here in The Mustang Source.

Some Serious Cooling Down

A huge vent mounted on top of the hood may have been designed for feeding the supercharger but it also gives the GT500 even more of a serious, "I-mean-business" look about it. The shoulder and hips of the car have been widened, giving it the appearance of someone who stepped into the gym fit and well toned only to emerge six months later completely ripped. The shape of the headlights is a modified version of the shape we see on the 2016-2017 Mustang but now the fender has been widened and the lights are tucked into a squared off portion of bodywork that houses an additional vent for cooling.  

>>Join the conversation about the Shelby Mustang GT500 right here in The Mustang Source.

A Predator Indeed

With all these added vents for cooling, we can presume that this Shelby is going to have one serious engine under the hood. In fact, we've learned that it's going to carry a supercharged 5.2-liter flat-plane-cranked V8 aptly nicknamed "The Predator." The meaning of all this is that the GT500 is going to be drive-off ready for straight-ahead, drag-strip performance, crazy acceleration, and an impressive top speed of 200 mph. We anticipate that it will fare well against the 650-hp Camaro ZL1 and the Dodge Challenger, including the 707-hp SRT Hellcat, and might even give the totally insane 840-hp Demon a run for its money.

>>Join the conversation about the Shelby Mustang GT500 right here in The Mustang Source.

The Winner's Circle

In a world where electric is becoming the thing and Ford has embraced EcoBoost enhanced vehicles, it's nice to see the blue oval leaning back toward the more conventional powertrains found at the heart of American muscle cars. Over the long haul, it's hard to beat what's already been proven to be a winner and the Shelby GT500 looks like it will be a winner in any circle.

>>Join the conversation about the Shelby Mustang GT500 right here in The Mustang Source.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit the how-to section in our sister site, Mustang Forum.