The most powerful street-legal Ford in history is here and our team at Randall Reed’s Planet Ford in Humble, Texas could not be more exciting. Arriving this fall in dealership, the all-new 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 is a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 producing more than 700 horsepower.
The Power Of GT500
Ford’s Shelby GT500 starts with a supercharged 5.2-liter aluminum alloy engine built by hand. To keep the intake air cooler and deliver a lower center of gravity, the team inverted a 2.65-liter rootstype supercharger with air-to-liquid intercooler tucked neatly in the V8 engine valley.
Like Shelby GT350, the aluminum alloy block features weight-saving wire-arc cylinder liners and high-flow aluminum cylinder heads, plus larger forged connecting rods, improved lubrication and cooling passages. Beneath that, a structural oil pan adds strength, reduces vibration, and features a patented active baffle system to keep oil where it’s needed.
To harness its power and torque to the unique carbon fiber driveshaft, Ford Performance leveraged learnings from the tuning of its Ford GT supercar’s dual-clutch transmission. The team selected a TREMEC® 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is capable of shifts in under 100 milliseconds. This dual-clutch transmission is designed for a number of drive modes, including normal, weather, sport, drag and track, and activates features like line-lock and launch control through selectable Track Apps.
All of this in sweet, synergistic harmony with one another gives the GT500 a projected 700-plus horsepower and blistering straightline speeds.
The Evolution of Mustang
Power and torque are just one element of many to the all-new GT500. To take advantage of these accomplishments, Ford gave the most powerful Mustang ever produced cutting-edge active chassis technology, track-bred Michelin tires and Brembo® brakes – all dialed in by Ford Performance.
Shelby GT500 takes advantage of revised suspension geometry, a new electronic power steering unit and lighter-weight coil springs front and rear. Next-generation active MagneRide™ suspension is one of many baked-in goodies, along with the latest in advanced drive mode technologies from Ford Performance. The payoff is the highest-ever lateral acceleration from a Mustang for greater track performance and driver control.
A performance vehicle like this calls for a performance sized tire and braking system. Putting all this chassis hardware to the pavement is:
- Custom Ford Performance-spec Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires
- 16-5-inch (420-millimeter) two-piece rotors
- Larger, stiffer Brembo sixpiston calipers.
The GT500’s new braking system has 20 percent more swept area than the Shelby GT350’s, giving these brakes more than 30 percent additional thermal mass in the front corners.
In addition to the new performance braking systems and tires, are two handling packages with increasing level capability. An available Handling Package includes adjustable strut top mounts and spoiler with Gurney flap.
For the true hardcore performance vehicle enthusiast, Ford offers an available Carbon Fiber Track Package which features:
- Exposed 20-inch carbon fiber wheels with 0.5-inch-wider rear wheels (11.5-inch)
- Custom Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires
- Adjustable exposed carbon fiber GT4 track wing and splitter wickers with integrated dive plane
- Rear seat delete to reduce weight
Design, Comfort & Technology
The purpose-built cockpit of the GT500 boasts race-inspired premium materials and unique finishes worthy of its world-class power. Premium touchpoints include an available exposed carbon fiber instrument panel appliqué and new door panel inserts in Dark Slate Miko® suede with accent stitching.
Performance shouldn’t mean sacrificing comfort. Ford offers two available seating flavors. Recaro racing seats with firm side bolstering and pass-throughs for safety harnesses offer the highest level of performance, while those looking for even greater comfort, power-adjustable seating with Miko suede inserts is offered.
Ford puts a lot of emphasis on technology, which is why the all-new Shelby GT500 picks up a 12-inch full-color LCD instrument cluster, first introduced on the Mustang GT and Ecoboost packages. The GT500 also gets an available high performance custom-tuned 12-speaker B&O® Play premium audio system. All of this is controlled via an 8-inch SYNC® 3 touch screen featuring SiriusXM and FordPass Connect™. And if you haven’t heard of what all FordPass Connect™ can do, you can learn about it here.
New Shelby, new colors. For 2020, the GT500 introduces Red Hot, Twister Orange and Iconic Silver. Painted stripes are available too.
Excitement, joy, elation. Words can’t really do how we feel, as well as how we know you’re feeling too. The 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 is as iconic as it is beautiful. And wow is it beautiful.
If you’re ready to find the sports car of your dreams and take it home, Randall Reed’s Planet Ford is your Ford dealership. We can help you place an order and fill you in with updates as we learn more about release dates, etc. Come in to Planet Ford in Humble, Texas (serving greater Houston, Atascocita, Kingwood, Katy, Conroe) off Hwy. 59 today or make an appointment here.
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