![]() Naturally, the Mustang’s “track apps” also make an appearance in the GT500. With a few flicks of a switch, the Shelby is in track mode, primed and ready to brawl. Normal mode loosens and softens things up as much as possible while the track modes stiffen everything for performance and opens up throttle response while the gearbox trades smoother shifts for faster ones, while also allowing the driver to dial in as much torque as they need.Ĭlimbing into the GT500’s cabin is a familiar affair, as not much differs from the other Mustangs of this current, post-2015 generation. These, along with the electronic-assisted steering, transmission and stability controls are tied into the different dive modes that influence the car’s behavior. The Shelby rides on the same independent suspension underpinning the regular Mustangs, though the optional Magneride adaptive dampers are standard. There are also launch modes with similarly precise reflexes but there’s also the line lock, meant for splashy burnouts at the drag strip. The GT500 eschews a traditional manual transmission for a dual-clutch automatic that can shift faster than any human. Committing to a dual-clutch with an 80-millisecond upshift speaks to Ford’s dedication to putting out the most competitive car possible, even if that means excluding the slowest component-human drivers-to shave precious half-seconds off a lap time. Throughout that time, a manual gearbox was always an option on the Mustang and in terms of its Shelby variants, the default transmission. Mustang enthusiasts are doggedly traditional, which is why, barring the disco-era Mustang II and the recent all-electric Mach-E, Ford’s famous pony car hasn’t often deviated far from its core composition in more than 55 years of continuous production. ![]() It’s at this quasi-controversial junction where Shelby loudly declares the GT500’s intentions far louder than any supercharger whine or bark of exhaust. ![]() Ford calls this special variation of its modular V8 the “Predator” just as the earlier 2020 Shelby GT350R used an engine called the “Voodoo.” The GT500 channels all that power through a Tremec-developed 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. My testing ground du jour for the latest Shelby was New Jersey Motorsports Park’s 2-mile “Lightning course.” On an initial sighting lap, it becomes clear how “big” the GT500 can go this 10-turn course is a light snack for this supercharged powerhouse.Īt the heart of this snake-bitten Mustang is a 5.2-liter V8 affixed with a 2.65-liter Eaton supercharger capable of churning out 760 horsepower and sending 625 pound-feet of torque. If this car were a reality show contestant, it would surely tell you that it’s “not here to make friends.” Its vast power, immersive driving experience and controlled nature are guaranteed to make drivers smile, however. It’s a showcase of brute strength wrapped in a sophisticated package designed to be the best, despite whomever is behind the wheel. By all accounts, this Shelby pushes the current generation Mustang and Ford’s modular V8 to their absolute limits. It’s both the fastest production Mustang ever built and the most powerful street legal Ford product ever. When it comes to the latest GT500, driver enjoyment is secondary. Carroll’s ethos comes through in the latest car to wear the Shelby badge, the 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a ‘Stang that’s all business and here to win.
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