Ford Provides Mustang Mugshot for 2020 Shelby GT500
Kudos to Ford for doing the shadowy teaser image correctly this week. While the auto industry has decided darkened teasers are compulsory for all upcoming models, some automakers provide photographs resembling Spın̈al Tap’s Smell the Glove album — so comedicaly dark, they become unintentional parodies of the now popular trend.
But Ford’s photo makes us feel like we’ve seen more of the 2020 Shelby GT500 than we actually have without giving up the goods, allowing us to feel simultaneously satiated and hungry.
It’s the clearest look yet of the forthcoming Mustang model, and our first impression is that it seems really angry about something. The grille is expansive, seemingly occupying frontal real estate from the vehicle’s nose all the way down to the aggressive frontal lip.
The coupe retains the headlights of the current-generation Mustang before the 2018 model-year refresh. While it presumably retains the new model’s upgraded tech and interior, exterior styling may have more in common with the older version of the car. Spy shots have even shown the Shelby sporting the straight taillights. (Those could have easily have been swapped — later test prototypes show an uncamouflaged rear end.)
Official details on the GT500 are understandably limited. Ford wants to hit the public with numbers when it’s ready (fingers crossed for the New York Auto Show this month) but there are leaks to give credence to its bestial nature. The motor, which has been given the Predator codename, is expected to be a 5.2-liter V8 making a rumored 700 horsepower — if not more. While the block is expected to be sourced from the GT350, the GT500 is all but guaranteed to ditch the flat-plane crankshaft for a conventional one and some forced induction.
Supercharging is the most likely outcome. American pony cars have — for the most part — eschewed turbochargers when working with larger displacement engines. Tradition also mandates that the meanest Mustangs have supercharger whine instead of the jet-like whistle of a spooling turbo. Regardless, the Shelby will be well positioned to meet or mangle the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
[Image: Ford]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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That's an Audi shaped grille if I've ever seen one.
Supercharged cross plane 5.2 V8 has-pretty much been confirmed along with the GT350 carrying on until 2019 when the GT500 arrives. Ford seems to be teasing 770+ horsepower and if that is true and curb weight is-under 4000 pounds the GT500 will be demon fast or faster which is pretty cool but I'm more interested in what kind of numbers it will put up against the ZL1 and how close it will come to chasing the ZL1-1LE ( I doubt the GT500 will be as sharp as track star Camaro especially with what looks like over 100 more horsepower on tap. Every chassis has it's limits and I suspect the Mustang doesn't tolerate more than the 526 it has now ever well ).