SVT, and Carroll Shelby, get
back in the Mustang tuning business with the Shelby Cobra
GT500, which should arrive in showrooms next spring. In
place of the standard Mustang GT's 300-hp, 4.6-liter V-8,
the GT500 uses a 5.4-liter engine, supercharged for an
estimated 450 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, hooked up to a
six-speed manual gearbox. This powertrain originally dates
back to the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, although Ford claims
it has been modified since then. Chassis-wise, the new GT500
flies in the face of recent Mustang Cobra tradition by
retaining its live rear axle and shunning an independent
rear suspension. Compared to standard Mustangs, the GT500's
chassis changes are limited to springs, antiroll bars,
dampers, and bigger brakes (Brembo cross-drilled 14-inch
discs up front, 13-inchers at the rear). Inside, the GT500
backs off a bit from the Mustang's retro vibe, dropping the
'60s-look instruments in favor of a contemporary design and
swapping the positions of the speedo and tach. The tach is
now on the right, which SVT feels is the more prominent
position, less likely to be obscured because drivers' use
their right hand for shifting. The silver trim has been
toned down and but the leather factor has been turned up,
with leather now swathing the door panels, center armrest,
and dashboard cover. Outside, designers have layered some
Shelby Mustang cues over the top of the old SVT Cobra stuff.
The double white stripes, the reshaped upper and lower
grille, and the new aluminum hood with function dual air
extractors all nod to the Shelby Mustangs of old. More
modern touches include round fog lamps set into the corners
of the front fascia, a new rear bumper that extends down to
a rear air diffuser, a redesigned (and functional) rear
spoiler, and ten-spoke nineteen-inch wheels.
