SPECS 2019 Ford^ Shelby
GT350 Mustang2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500
(Carbon Fiber Track Pack)
BASE PRICE $61,535 $73,995 ($92,495)
LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD,
4-pass, 2-door coupeFront engine, RWD, 4(2)-pass,
2-door coupe
ENGINE 5.2L/526-hp/429-lb-ft
DOHC 32-valve V-85.2L/760-hp/625-lb-ft supercharged
DOHC 32-valve V-8
TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual 7-speed twin-clutch automatic
CURB WEIGHT 3,825 lb (53/47%) 4,200 lb mfr est (4,000 lb MT est)
WHEELBASE 107.1 in 107.1 in
L X W X H 188.9 x 75.9 x 54.2 in 189.5 x 76.6 x 54.3 (53.7) in
0-60 MPH 4.0 sec 3.0 sec (MT est)
QUARTER MILE 12.3 sec @ 117.0 mph 11.0 sec @ 130.0 mph (MT est)
EPA FUEL ECON 14/21/16 mpg 12/18/14 mpg
ENERGY CONSUMPTION,
CITY/HWY241/160 kW-hr/100 miles 281-187 kW-hr/100 milesCO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 1.18 lb/mile 1.37 lb/mile
ON SALE Currently CurrentlyFIRST DRIVE
11.12-second pass. So close!
My quickest? “ET: 11.287 MPH: 130.19.”
For comparison, the last 650-hp Camaro
ZL1 1LE with the 10-speed automatic I
ran did an 11.5-second quarter mile at
124.0 mph on an unprepared surface, and
my quickest time in the 797-horsepower
Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye was
11.8 seconds at 128.0 mph.
A couple tricks Drag mode performs
are to soften the rear dampers for better
weight transfer to the rear and what the
Tremec engineer called “over-torque”
shifting, which is a lot like a no-lift
shift in a manual transmission. Unlike
the 80-millisecond shifts in Sport or
Track modes, which briefly pause the
throttle/engine inertia before seamlessly
engaging the next highest gear, over-
torque maintains wide-open throttle
and slurs two shifts together to exploit
the surge of inertia, and you can feel it
in the small of your back. They’re not
the quickest shifts, but they do produce
better ETs at the dragstrip. We can’t
wait to get a loaner and experiment with
launch techniques. I bet there’s a 10 in it.
Honestly, the only letdown is the
GT500’s interior. The seats, both the
base units and the optional Recaros, are
fabulous and supportive. The faux suede
THE GT500R IS ONE OF THOSE CARS THAT LEAVES FOLKS LIKE ME SPEECHLESS.
steering wheel is perfect. The full-color
LCD dash is clear and easy to navigate.
The rest of it, though, looks, feels, and
functions just like a $43,000 Mustang
GT Premium. There are hard plastics on
the dash, trans tunnel, and shift paddles.
The new rotary shifter doesn’t look racy
or feel particularly robust or substantial.
Slapping some carbon fiber on the dash-
board isn’t enough. The sense of occasion
one feels when driving the car or looking
at it doesn’t carry into the interior.
I realize this review largely ignores the
base car. The reason for this is because
the base car is what I expected of the
GT500: Come for the power, stay for the
slides. On the same racetrack, the GT500
was brilliant in the way it does not have
enough grip to control the power or thelateral forces the R can generate. There’s
more body motion, so it feels alive and
feisty and just plain fun. It’s also pleasant
on the road, quiet enough for conversa-
tion but with power and noise in reserve.
The GT500R, on the other hand, was
completely unexpected. It’s one of those
cars that comes out of nowhere every few
years that leaves folks like me speechless
until I have time to absorb the experience
and reflect on what it means.
What it means is that American muscle
has arrived on the European supercar
scene, and it means business. I can’t help
but think of those early Shelby Cobras
and, later, the Ford GT40s grabbing the
podium at Le Mans. This isn’t that, but in
the civilian world, something like that is
happening right now. QFEBRUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 39