Apr 9th, 2009 Much the same way the 2010 Ford Mustang GT is a sort of evolution of the outgoing Mustang Bullitt, the new GT500 is similarly an evolution of the outgoing GT500KR. Only this snake has more bite.
“The new Shelby GT500 demonstrates Ford’s continuing commitment to high-performance vehicles,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “In addition to the numerous performance and refinement improvements inside and out, it’s also two miles per gallon more fuel efficient on the highway.”
The 2010 Mustang has been routinely hounded for carrying only 315 hp from the 4.6L engine. There aren’t likely to be any such complaints following the GT500, though, thanks to its 540-hp supercharged and intercooled 5.4L DOHC V-8, which lays down 510 lb-ft of torque. According to Ford, all that power is good for a 0 to 100 kmh time of just 4.3 seconds.
Ford didn’t just stuff a big engine in this monster though, SVT engineers weeded out every aerodynamic trouble spot they could find, as well as improved the car’s handling and performance. Along with the engine, SVT borrowed the front suspension set-up from the GT500KR with its increased spring and shock rates and worked on improving the steering feel and general refinement of the car. A stiffer chassis and lowered ride height both contribute to the car’s performance and Ford’s hypersensitivity to noise, vibration and harshness will hopefully make the GT500 a very pleasant drive even in non-ideal conditions.“All our changes were about making the car respond as fast and as predictable as possible,” said Jamal Hameedi, chief nameplate engineer for SVT. “The 2010 Shelby GT500 conveys an athletic, confident feel. The shifter, clutch pedal, brake-pedal efforts and overall steering efforts are easier now. We wanted to make sure we had a nice, crisp short-throw shifter that was easy to go from gear to gear.” Ford claims that the GT500 will not only perform better, but will be more efficient as well. The GT500 also picks up a 3.55 rear-end and revised fifth and sixth gears in its manual transmission that contribute to an extra 2 mpg on the highway. For the performance-minded, the new rear spoiler features a “Gurney Flap” that can be adjusted to alter how much downforce the spoiler creates, optimizing it for either fuel efficiency or rear-end grip.The GT500 is an evolution of the new 2010 body style. The fog lights are gone in favor of a single Cobra badge, which has switched sides to make room for the cold air intake. Gaping upper and lower grilles and a new front splitter give the car a mean look, enhanced by its aggressive stance and 19-in forged aluminum wheels (convertible models will wear 18-in wheels) wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 tires that have been redesigned for better NVH characteristics.
On the inside, the GT500 features the updated 2010 interior enhanced with features like Sync, 911 Assist, Vehicle Health Report and a seven-color ambient lighting system, which users can modify to create up to 125 different colors to light-up their interiors. A voice-activated navigation system with Sirius Travel Link is optional. Also included standard is Ford’s AdvanceTrac stability control system with normal and sport modes, which can be defeated for extra fun.