What would you call a 21st century chariot powered by 662 horses, blasting along the highway at a breathtaking speed in excess of 322 km/h? True, a rocket would be the first thing that comes to mind, though in this particular case we were referring to Shelby’s all-new Ford Mustang GT500.
The mean machine bolts from 0-60 mph in about 3 seconds flat, and Ford claims the super powered 5.8 liter V-8 engine is the most powerful one ever manufactured for a production car in North America.
The muscle car stands at 16 feet long, 6 feet wide and nearly 5 feet tall. It has a mean and lean exterior, complete with black racing stripes and a rear suspension design. Drivers beware because its aluminum-alloy wheels spin easy in first, second and third gears.
But no need to fret, there’s no danger of over-heating for the nearly 1800 Kg monster; its Special Vehicle Team (SVT) has gone through great pains to modify its intercooler heat exchanger to cater to its improved performance, and they’ve also added an extra blade to the cooling fan. Its 6-speed manual transmission has been strengthened too and surprisingly, the car doesn’t guzzle as much fuel as one would expect from most American muscle cars.
Equipped with an eight-speaker Shaker audio system, drivers have the option of cruising in one of three modes: Standard, Sport or Comfort. Plus, if paired with a Smartphone the car’s SYNC AppLink system offers directions via the phones Bluetooth technology.
The price for the base model of Shelby’s new ‘baby’ starts at $54,000 but, if you can find a way to chip in an extra $11,000 you can get it home-delivered with the added bonus of the SVT Performance Package which includes an upgraded electronics with navigation and Recaro front racing seats.
Still, even if you can handle the price make sure you can handle the sheer power!