2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Is the Muscle Car Purist’s Choice

By Brett Foote - May 23, 2022

Simple but brutal, the 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will likely be the last of its very special breed.

It’s no secret that the 2020+ Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the most powerful pony car ever, as well as blazingly quick and fast. But while the new version of the ultimate Mustang is certainly impressive, it comes with only one transmission option – an admittedly excellent dual-clutch gearbox. Those that prefer to bang their own gears and can afford to give up a little performance as a result would still rather have a manual, and for them, the 2013 and 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 might just be the last such vehicle ever built. Thankfully, it’s still a darn good one, as YouTuber Matt Moran recently pointed out in his video review of the car.

The GT500 returned in 2007 packing an impressive 500 horsepower, but Ford really upped the ante and blew everyone’s collective minds in 2013, when it blessed the car with an incredible 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque from its supercharged 5.8-liter powerplant, which made it the most powerful Mustang ever at that time as well as capable of cresting the 200 mph mark. Perhaps more importantly, it came equipped with a proper six-speed manual as its sole transmission choice.

As Moran points out, the 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is also arguably one of the best-looking in history, too. “It just looks so muscly,” he says. “It has this really hunkered down, hunching forward look to it. It has aged so well, this car being basically 10 years old, it still looks as good as it did 10 years ago.”

Driving the 2014 GT500 is a pleasant experience as well, thanks to its weighty shifter and instant throttle response, though the clutch engagement point is admittedly a little high and takes some getting used to, as Moran points out. It sounds incredible, though the tone of this particular car is enhanced by a Borla exhaust. The low-end torque also makes this gen of the GT500 actually feel fast, while the newer car lacks a bit at the lower end.

Ultimately, it’s hard not to love these cars, as Moran quickly discovers during his test drive. “These things are just crazy good fun,” he says. “They’re also a really good value. It’s less sophisticated with the suspension setup and you don’t have all the toys you have with the new one, but they really delivered a good performance bargain for the money back then.” And, perhaps more importantly, you’re bound to be more engaged when driving one than you are with the more modern version.