The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is “the quickest street-legal Mustang ever”.
This is it, all you horsepower fanatics out there: the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is officially here. A step well above the GT350 that’s already on sale, the Shelby GT500 aims to take the horsepower race directly to the likes of the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and Chevy Camaro ZL1. Thanks to a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine, the 2020 Shelby GT500 produces more than 700 horsepower. We knew that already from last year, but it seems Ford isn’t quite ready to announce exact power and torque figures just yet. Nevertheless, Ford claims this car will run a quarter-mile somewhere in the sub-11 second mark.
Getting all that power to the ground, Ford Performance decided on a Tremec 7-speed dual-clutch transmission in lieu of the usual 10-speed automatic. On top of that, they also picked Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires to sort out the grip issue. Although, Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires area also in the mix for a more track-biased option. Ford Performance fit 16.5-inch front brake rotors to the Shelby GT500 — offering 20 percent more swept area than the GT350’s brakes.
Two handling packages are available for the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The aptly-named Handling Package offers strut top mounts and a different spoiler. The Carbon Fiber Track Package takes things one step further with 20-inch carbon fiber wheels, the Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires, an adjustable carbon fiber GT4 track wing and splitter wicker. With that package, you also lose the rear seat to save weight.
Technology on board
On the performance front, designers and engineers of the 2020 Shelby GT500 didn’t stop there. Ford’s most powerful car packs more cooling and downforce airflow thanks to a double front grille opening. Ford claims there are double the front fascia openings as on the GT350 to get as much cooling air where it’s needed as possible.
However, there’s still some tech features from the standard Mustang models that carry over, for the driver’s convenience. That 12-inch digital instrument cluster is still front and center. You still get a 12-speaker B&O Play audio system, controlled through an 8-inch SYNC 3 infotainment system. Not that you’ll likely be listening to the stereo, mind you. After all, this isn’t your friend’s EcoBoost Mustang, is it?
New colors for the 2020 Shelby GT500 include Red Hot, Twister Orange and Iconic Silver. In GT500 tradition, owners can also spec painted stripes on their cars from the factory.
The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will arrive in fall 2019, joining the GT350 in the lineup. Ford hasn’t announced pricing yet, but expect it to fall well north of the GT350’s $59,140 starting MSRP.
Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more news from the 2019 Detroit Auto Show!
