2020 Ford Shelby GT500 Is The Fastest, Most Powerful Mustang Ever

Ever since Ford came out with the Shelby GT350 and the GT350R, fans of hardcore Mustangs knew that the real prize would be the all-new GT500 version, which is here to push the limits of what is street legal with a 5.2-liter V8 that happens to have a giant supercharger bolted to it.

Ford didn’t reveal however all the details of the new GT500, saying it produces “over 700hp”, making it capable of 0-60mph in mid-three seconds and a quarter mile score of under 11 seconds.

The supercharged 5.2-liter V8 uses the same block with the GT350 but unlike previous reports, it won’t be a flat-plane crank unit. The supercharger attached to it is simply massive, at 2.65 liters of capacity. That’s bigger than the ones found in the Hellcat and Camaro ZL1 and slightly smaller than the one in the Demon.

It’s no wonder then why Ford is claiming “the quickest street-legal acceleration and most high-performance technology to date ever offered in a Ford Mustang”.

Ford Performance opted for a Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which sends power to the rear through a unique carbon fiber driveshaft. The gearbox itself can manage shifts in under 100 milliseconds, according to Ford, and comes with a number of modes; these include normal, sport, drag and track. Customer-favorite features like line-lock and launch control are also present.

To successfully harness the colossal power, the chassis of the new Mustang GT500 comes with revised suspension geometry, lighter coil springs, next-gen MagneRide dampers and a new electronic power steering unit. A set of massive 420mm two-piece rotors up front with six-pot Brembo calipers provide the necessary braking power.

Ford will offer the new Mustang GT500 with a choice of two handling packs: the first, simply called the Handling Package, includes adjustable strut top mounts and a spoiler with Gurney flap. The most hardcore choice is the so-called Carbon Fiber Track Package, which includes 20-inch carbon wheels that are half-an-inch wider at the back (11.5 inches), custom Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, an adjustable GT4 wing and splitter wickers with dive planes made out of carbon fiber and no rear seat.

The Ford Shelby Mustang GT500’s angry bodywork was created in collaboration with Ford Performance’s engineers, allowing the front end to suck 50 percent more air when compared to the GT350.

“With a double front grille opening and 50 percent more cooling pack airflow versus the Shelby GT350, along with the most advanced aero components and downforce we’ve ever offered, every millimeter of Shelby GT500’s fastback design is aimed at improving performance,” said Melvin Betancourt, Ford design manager.

The interior gets its own special touches, including the exposed carbon fiber instrument panel appliqué and new door panel inserts in dark suede with accent stitching. A set of Recaro racing seats is optional while Ford is also offering a more comfortable set of power-adjustable seats with suede inserts.

Sales of the new 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 will begin this fall, with Ford to reveal the final figures in the coming months.

*Article updated with live images from Detroit