1,300 HP Shelby GT500 “Code Red” Promises Code Brown Performance

Shelby American is pushing the Mustang GT500 into hypercar territory with the “Code Red”, a GT500 conversion package that delivers a massive 1,300 hp (1,318 PS).

Only 30 Code Reds will be built by modifying 10 GT500s from each of the 2020-22 production years with a comprehensive body, chassis and drivetrain upgrade kit that will set you back $209,995 – and that doesn’t include the cost of the donor.

The inspiration for the project, plus its Code Red name, comes from a 2008 experimental one-off GT500 whose 5.4-liter V8 had its superchargers replaced with a twin-turbo setup. That’s the same route Shelby has taken with the latest GT500’s 5.2-liter mill, and the resulting powertrain makes over 1,000 hp (1,014 PS) and 780 lb-ft (1,058 Nm) on 93 octane pump gas, and up to 1,300 hp (1,318 PS) and 1,000 lb-ft (1,356 Nm) on E85 Ethanol.

The Fathouse Performance twin-turbo kit includes Kona dual ball bearing turbos, stainless steel headers and 3-inch (76 mm) downpipes, while the engine itself gains custom Manley pistons and rods, ARP studs and heavy duty timing chains, upgraded injectors and a MoTec engine management system to ensure its capable of doing those blowers justice.

To make sure the GT500 has the right visual punch to match its accelerative abilities Shelby supplies a carbon fiber hood, carbon splitter, carbon rear diffuser and a carbon wing sitting above Shelby’s widebody fender package. And to keep everything on the pavement there’s a fully adjustable suspension setup including height adjustable springs, retuned MagneRide dampers and forged aluminium Shelby wheels. Inside, owners get new leather seat upholstery, a CSM numbered dash plate, embroidered floor mats, plus a rear roll cage in place of the rear seat. Cars built around 2022-model year GT500s also feature Shelby 60th Anniversary badges.

It sounds like an absolute monster, but before you get too excited about the idea of blowing away supercars at your local stoplight, you ought to know that Shelby is selling the Code Red for off-highway use only, and the upgrades obviously void all manufacturer warranties. Plus Shelby retains all the parts it takes off donor GT500s in the conversion process, though it will return the optional carbon wheels to customers at their own expense.

Would you spend supercar money on the Code Red GT500 or would you rather have a less powerful GT500 you could actually use on the street?