A critical point in the development of the new, all-conquering Shelby GT500 came when the development team realized that their monstrous-huge air intake had to be positioned on the right side of the grille. This meant that the Cobra snake emblem, which had been riding on the left side before, would need to slide over a bit. Such a radical change would require approval from the original snake charmer himself. This is how SVT’s very German director, Hermann Salenbach, remembers it.
“Vee said, ‘Carroll, vee vant to moof zee snake.”
Shelby asked if it would mean more power. They told him yes. So he said, “Well, OK.”
More power means that it now matches the 540-hp output of the Shelby GT500KR.
Thanks to that and numerous other engineering upgrades--many if not most of which Shelby himself approved--zee snake now moofs down zee quarter-mile in the low 12s at about 112 mph. We saw it trip those numbers at Infineon Raceway on the second day of the intro program. Estimated 0-to-60-mph times should be around 4.3 seconds, Ford said, half a second quicker than the 2009 Shelby GT500.
The 2010 Shelby GT500 incorporates many things learned from the KR model and adds some unique styling features of its own. Think of the 2010 Shelby GT500 as a KR for less money. The 2010 Shelby GT500 will start at $46,275 when it arrives in showrooms this spring.
The new car will get many of the same powertrain upgrades found in the KR, including intake and exhaust improvements and engine programming, that boost horsepower in the four-valve supercharged 5.4-liter V8 from a mere 500 hp in the previous Shelby GT500 to the same 540-hp output found in the KR.
The short-throw shifter operating the six-speed manual transmission is improved in the 2010 Shelby GT500 and the final drive ratio is now 3.55:1. While that helps drag-race launches, it doesn’t mean bad gas mileage, since taller fifth and sixth gears counter it out at the top end for 22 mpg EPA combined.
We spent a day driving the 2010 Shelby GT500 around winding Northern California roads, some of which were not clogged with Bay Area commuters and German tourists. The first impression is that this is one tied-down Mustang. The front springs are tightened up by 13 percent and the rears by 7 percent. Shocks are tuned specifically for this ride, too, with more damping. Engineers took out compliance in the steering for improved turn-in response and on-center feel. A specific Goodyear tire delivers more grip than the previous generation tire and also is quieter. The coupes get 19-inch by 9.5-inch forged fully machined rims with 255/40Z-19s front and 285/35Z-19s rear. The convertibles get 18-inchers with 255/45s and 285/40s.
On most of the roads we traversed, which weren’t all that crumbly, we found the ride mighty harsh, if not bone-rattling, on jounce. However, the force is absorbed in the springs and shocks and then damped out very nicely by the time rebound hits, so there is no residual shock wave rattling through the body.
On smooth roads, the stiff setup keeps roll, dive and squat to a minimum. But this car still sits pretty high up, 54.5 inches high, with a fairly high center of gravity, which takes it out of sports-car territory.
It feels heavy, too. At 3,942 pounds for the coupe--58 percent of which sits on the front axle--and 4,014 pounds for the convertible--57 percent of which is up front--it’s still a muscle car first and last, but a better-handling muscle car by far. So after our first day behind the wheel, we’d have to say it’s the best-handling Mustang ever.
On day two of our Mustang introduction we went to Infineon Raceway, a smooth surface if ever there was one. The 2010 Shelby GT500 felt at home drifting over Infineon’s blind rises and slotting through the esses of turns eight, nine and 10. The Shelby is stable and safely predictable around the track. As on the streets, steering response was quick and relatively precise. Not much understeer at high speeds. At the same time, we never felt any danger of oversteer anywhere on the track. You can balance it fairly easily using the throttle going around fast corners, a lot easier than around slow corners, where a little understeer reminded you of the car’s roots. It doesn’t rotate too easily nor does it yaw back and forth. It generally keeps going in the direction you’ve pointed it. It still feels tall for a track car and heavy, but the control of that mass is tight. You don’t turn the wheel and wait for it to lean over before it changes direction; you turn the wheel and the car turns pretty soon after, almost immediately.
Then it was off to the drags (Infineon has everything). The key to success there was to launch at 2,500 rpm with an even clutch take-up. So they said. Clutch take-up and engagement also is surprisingly smooth for a 540-hp muscle car. Pedal effort is easily manageable and engagement is smooth, once you try it out several times. If you really hammer it, you have to be deft with the pedal uptake or the car will do the axle tramp at launch in first gear. Do it too slowly at launch and the Valeo friction plates spin, followed by smoke and cursing. If you’re too quick on the 1-2 shift, it’ll lurch forward and bog on engagement.
However, by the time it was our turn on the drag strip, each car had suffered multiple hard launches and the clutches and 1-2 gear synchros were fried. The best we could get was low 13s in the quarter-mile at about 106 mph. Those who had fresher cars (and more talent) were in the 12s easily.
So what do you get for almost 50 grand? The best, most versatile Mustang ever. Most of these will go to drag racers, or at least to those who measure the value of a car by how quickly it does the quarter-mile. Those guys will be very happy with this beast. Since almost everyone who considers Mustangs is at least a stoplight drag racer and at most a full-fledged NHRA member, this car is already a success.
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