GT500 Is Worth the Wait—Especially When It Has 930 RWHP

First 2020 Shelby GT500 ThatDudeinBlue tests is a modified monster with 930 wheel horsepower. It’s so good, it transcends being a Mustang.

We’ve all been waiting more than half a decade for a new Shelby GT500 Mustang. With 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 5.8-liter V8, the 2013-2014 model was an absolute beast. But since it left the market, the Mustang’s rivals have only grown stronger. Ford Performance finally released the S550 version of the Shelby GT500 last year. David Patterson, aka ThatDudeinBlue, had to wait even longer to drive it, but he got something in return for his patience: The opportunity to skip the stock 2020 GT500 and go straight to driving one with 930 rear-wheel horsepower.

For obvious reasons, this orange GT500 is called the “Tang Stang.” You probably remember it. At the end of January, we brought you news of it breaking into the 9s at the drag strip.

Only a few mods helped it do that. According to Patterson, “When it comes to modifications, it’s essentially a pulley, E85 and injectors.” Owner Lee Dennis also replaced the factory rear tires with stickier rubber and deleted the cats. Output is up from 760 crank horsepower to 930 – at the wheels.

Patterson’s pulls initially leave him at a loss for words. When his ability to speak catches up with his adrenalin, he’s amazed at how built the largely stock “Predator” V8 feels. Although the GT500 is definitely capable of face-rippling acceleration, it also handles curves well thanks to its suspension tuning and multi-mode MagneRide dampers. “I’m going down this extremely tight road in north Georgia and if this was in a live-axle Mustang, no, it wouldn’t be fun at all.” Patterson adds, “The 305-size tire up front – BAM, you’re right in. There’s no … sense of delay in the steering.”

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – a first for the Mustang – is equally snappy. When Patterson pulls back on the left shift paddle to downshift, the Ferrari-esque box immediately drops to the lowest possible gear to get the GT500 right into the thick of the power band. It’s more than just fast. It makes a believer out of Patterson.

The control dial for the transmission is surrounded by a techy and carbon fiber-accented cabin that feels like a substantial upgrade from the last-generation GT500’s interior. Its optional Recaro front buckets are especially good and perfectly sized.

We know the last six years have been torture for Shelby fans, but based on Patterson’s experience with this modified 2020 GT500, we’d say it was worth the wait – and the $2,500 it took to make the most powerful factory-produced Mustang ever into an instant legend.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.