Ford’s SVT division was responsible for creating such beasts as the Ford GT and the F-150 SVT Raptor, and now added to this list is the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500! Banging out a whopping 662-horsepower, this ride goes from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of over 200 mph. When you add in the cost at $54,995.00 it makes this a complete package. What other car can you get for this price that can pull off the quarter-mile pass in 11.8 seconds?
What’s inside the GT500
What we have here is a 5.8-liter, supercharged V-8 engine with a car body wrapped around it. With cylinder bore balloons being upsized from the previous 90.2 mm to 93.5, for said that the block is at its limit and cannot be stretched any larger. The Eaton supercharger displaces 2.3 liters, cranks out 14.0 psi max – 5.0 more than the previous – and also spins faster than the last GT500;s blower.
A giant fuel pump, which is basically two of the Mustang GT’s singly supply pumps put together, larger fuel injectors, a three-row intercooler, a larger fan, a single-piece carbon-fiber driveshaft, and a beefed-up Tremec 6060 six-speed with an internal oil pump also come crammed under the hood along with the massive engine.
Speed and Economy?
Floor the gas, don’t watch the speedometer and next thing you know you’re hitting 140 mph and are only in 3rd gear and have no idea how you’re going that fast without feeling it. The GT500 is a lot faster than it feels, and without realizing it you can end up hitting that 200 mph mark.
Somehow, with all that power and speed, Ford was able to add economic value to this ride. Sixth gear was made for fuel economy, and can offer 24 mpg while still going 80 mph on the highway. The GT500 looks to have been made for both ripping up the pavement, and also having a soothing Sunday drive and getting decent mpg on it. Sure, it’s no hybrid but no hybrid is the GT500!
This is the kind of car to cruise down the highway with while blasting “Radar Love” while shifting gears! If you’re like me, you’ll accidentally hit 200 before the song is over and be almost home 30 minutes before you’d intended.
Durability
Ford has managed to extend brake life significantly by eliminating the tendency to go into heat-soak limp mode, which they say was a priority during development. The brakes seem to offer all day stopping power with the highly responsive pedal too.
The new GT500 is also better balanced than its predecessor, but taking corners can still be a waiting game. At least with the new horsepower you can make up for the slowdown quickly!
