Ford Sends Press Release About the GT500KR. Then Another. And Another. And Another. And Another.

Frank Williams
by Frank Williams

In a classic " pay no attention to that investor behind that curtain" diversion, Ford sent out not one, not two, but FIVE press releases about the debut of Shelby GT500KR in rapid-fire succession. The first piece of KR PR gives the uber-'Stang's specifications (330 cu. in./5,409 cc, 540 hp @ 6,250 rpm, 510 lb.-ft. torque @ 4500 rpm, 6,250 rpm redline and Roots-type supercharger, air-to-water intercooler with Ford Racing cold air intake, if you're curious). The second brags about its handling and aerodynamics ("Our computer model predicts a four-tenths-of-a-second zero-to-150 acceleration effect from the aero alone. That makes the horsepower go farther."). The third praises– I kid you not– how it sounds ("Hearing the new KR just gets your blood flowing. It's a rumble that true enthusiasts will love and competitors will dread."). The fourth waxes eloquent about the carbon fiber hood ("The hood is a sculpted work of art, with the right science under its skin to deliver real performance impact."). And the fifth points out it's "the most powerful production Mustang ever." None of them mentions the price or how much dealers will jack it up. Now, let's see what's happened with Tracinda…

Frank Williams
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  • Quasimondo Quasimondo on Apr 28, 2008

    Well, you can always get the overhyped and overproduced Dodge Charger SRT-8

  • Seldomawake Seldomawake on Apr 28, 2008

    I saw the GT-R at a carshow last week. I'd love to see those two at a stoplight. Shame about gas prices. I was really beginning to enjoy this.

  • Sajeev Mehta Sajeev Mehta on Apr 28, 2008

    That's funny, why not mention the price? Because its gonna be $80k-ish (more like 120k at the dealer) and isn't much different from the $17k loss leaders sold at the same dealers? Doesn't matter, rich guys eager for modern counterparts to their HEMI 'cudas make this ride an instant classic.

  • IDANECK IDANECK on Apr 28, 2008

    @ cjdumm : While I agree that this car is purely a marketing scheme. The rear suspension is more than competent for this kind of power. In fact, a solid rear axle would be more preferable for acceleration. Ford has done a fine job without the IRS on this car. And if you've driven one, on or off a track, you'd know that better. Not assuming you haven't, but I have...at least with the garden-variety GT and FRP bits (that are similiar to those found on the GT500). Both at Miller Motorsports Park and deep in the Wasatch Front. The car is very stable and the chassis does not flex at all. It's more of a brute in terms of how you drive the car than with a comparable European or Asian high-powered coupe. The platform is a great design that was modeled after the best that the Germans offered in the mid to late 90s when Jag and Lincoln introduced their varients of the DEW98 (correct?) platform. This is no Fox/SN95 chassis. Remember, you want a little flexibity in a chassis when cornering on roads that have bumps and dips. Helps absorb the surface inconsistencies and keeps the car better planted. Finally, how often can you test a car's HANDLING at 150mph? You usually have to slow down a bit for a turn, how fast are you going...and it's unlikely most (including a majority of TTAC readers) are testing the handling of a car on race tracks. Especially one bought for the power output and badges slapped on. I've always been a big Mustang fan, but out of all the current special editions, only the Bullitt looks the best. Why? Because it is even more unadorned than the regular GT. And even those seem more bulky than the 60's models. And, why so many press releases on such a limited car?

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