Thanks to the internet, it’s hard to keep industry secrets. This is especially true when a product has lots of eyes on it, as at least a few of them will be of the prying variety. Fresh leaks concerning the 2020 Shelby GT500 claim Ford has added serious horsepower and a hefty curb weight to the most muscular of Mustangs.
According to documents shared via the Mustang6G forums, the new Shelby receives a 5.2-liter, port-injected V8 that produces 720 horsepower (at 7,500 rpm) and 650 ft-lb of torque (at 4,500 rpm) with help from a supercharger. However, the claimed weight distribution ought to make it more of a straight-line bruiser than the first car you’d want to take into a tight corner with a decreasing radius.
With 56.2 percent of the load distribution hovering over the front axle, the GT500 would be the least balanced pony in Ford’s stable. However, it isn’t as if the Shelby’s supercharger could be placed into the trunk or that there’s a bunch of other Mustangs with a perfect 50/50 weight distribution. They’re front-heavy cars and always have been.
Speaking of hardware and heft, all of Ford’s go-fast parts seem to have resulted in a curb weight of 4,225 pounds. Assuming these figures are accurate, that’s pretty portly. But any Ford loyalist that’s seriously interested in flinging a coupe around a racetrack has probably purchased the much lighter GT350 already.
The GT500 appears to be aimed at other autos emphasizing brute force over agility, namely the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. At 4,492 pounds, the Redeye will definitely remain a few cheeseburgers ahead of the Ford. But the pair are more evenly matched than we’d have guessed. Dodge’s output will surpass the Stang’s proposed figures, although the added weight should help Ford make up the difference.
We’re presuming the GT500 uses the current flat-plane-crank engine found in other Shelby Mustangs, based on displacement and how high it seems willing to rev. Documents list the top speed at 190 mph with an axle ratio of 3.73:1. If everything we’re reading is true, we’d expect that aspect to the most subject to change. We’re under the assumption that the specs came from a test platform, meaning Ford could swap gearing (and a few other things) prior to production.
[Images: Ford Motor Co.]
The horsepower wars have passed ludicrous and gone to plaid.
I think I’ll wait until they get over 850HP, because 720 just isn’t enough to give me a concussion during the 0-60 run.
While manuals are dying out it seems massive HP is doing just fine… in fact its never been better. This leaves me a bit conflicted. Apparently there is still a large group of people with a strong desire to wrap vehicles around trees after leaving Cars and Coffee meets.
“5.2-liter, port-injected V8”
“emphasizing brute force over agility”
“an axle ratio of 3.73:1”
This is all very relevant to my interests.
My car’s boring 425 HP is positively plebeian in comparison!
I’m surprised such an under-powered pile of junk can get through an intersection before the light changes. ;)
Then give me plaid (got the EM reference).
Forget Toyota and Lexus with their gaping grille, that Cobra insignia is worth it. Damn, when are my kids going to be done with college?
Still selling my Ford stock.
If you think the ludicrous/plaid thing is an Elon Musk reference, you didn’t get it.
Musk completely ripped it off of Mel Brooks. Elon would have been 16 years old when Spaceballs was in theaters and thus would have been in the prime fan demographic.
4200+ lb is ludicrous (or plaid?). Almost a 400 lb penalty over a GT. The last GT500 was more like 100-200 lb heavier than the equivalent GT, makes me wonder why its so close to a Hellcat in weight despite being much smaller overall.
I don’t think The flat plane crank will be used ! if you remember Ford engineers commented on the vibrations that had to be quelled and dealt with in the GT 350, they said the motor won’t be used in any other car if I remember correctly I own a GT 350 you can feel the vibration in the clutch in the gearshift although it’s been damp down quite a bit and doesn’t bother me in fact I like it it’s difficult and expensive to continue to use that particular type of engine…..
Damn can cars become more bloated? That is almost 1000 pounds more than my Stingray. Think of a stack of 22 forty five pound weight plates…wow
Shelby has been milking Mustang mooks for decades now. It’s a tired show, IMHO. A bit like the Hellcat/Demon mess. It’s like an automotive reality show, without the culture and depth.
But I guess some guys need something to take their minds off an enlarged prostate. These cars are pointless and, to be honest, laughable. Yes, yes, I know…drag racing and all that. Which so many people do these days.
Yawn.
Though he was dead.
He is.
Remember when you made fun of Audi’s big mouth grill?
That is a strong dose of Cobra venom.
Enough to kill a Hellcat?
I am thrilled that 526HP in the GT350 now seems downright reasonable. Should make it a much easier sell for SWMBO.
That’s it? Not even announced yet and it’s already out classed.
Typical Ford.
Yeah, what a bunch of LOSERS! Might as well be an Escort GT compared to your 8,903 hp car.
Stay hard, bro.
Will you two just get a room already?