New Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Coming to Detroit in January

by Matt Posky

November 29th, 2018 12:48 PM

new ford mustang shelby gt500 coming to detroit in january

Not to be outdone by Toyota’s announcement of an all-wheel drive Prius at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford issued a teaser promoting the most capable variant of one of its own iconic models — the Mustang Shelby GT500.

However, the car isn’t coming to LA. According to Ford’s social media accounts and a new display in California, the vehicle won’t be on display until January 14th of 2019. As you might have guessed, that’s in the midst of the North American International Auto Show.

Leading up to NAIAS 2018, Ford launched a teaser video claiming the new GT500 will arrive with over 700 horsepower. The automaker was less forthcoming at the actual event, though we at least learned the model was in the works. Since then, camouflaged test mules showed up everywhere and Ford’s marketing team issued a few teasers detailing the Mustang’s new look. But there wasn’t an official reveal date announced until this week.

Those teasers have already given us a pretty good idea of what the model will look like, but we’d be speculating if we told you what was under the hood. Whatever it is, Ford is supercharging it. That’s not much of a revelation, as Ford has been doing so for years. Our best guess is that the manufacturer plans to upgrade the 5.2-liter, flat-plane V8 currently found in the current Mustang GT350 and slap a snake on top.

The unit’s output is also up for debate. After promising at least 700 horsepower at the start of 2018, Ford scaled back its claim to “over” 650 hp. Unconfirmed leaks suggest Ford is still aiming for the moon, though. We’ve heard everything from 670 to 750 ponies and would imagine the truth will be somewhere in the middle. Those same leaks also claimed a hefty curb weight of 4,200 pounds and a top speed just shy of 200 mph. Info on the rest of the GT500’s hardware has been tougher to pin down. While a fully independent suspension is basically guaranteed, we don’t even know if Ford will offer a manual variant.

Fortunately, we should be able to find out in January, when The Blue Oval slaps us in the face with the model at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

[Images: Ford Motor Co.]

#Ford #FordMotorCo #FordMotorCompany #FordMustang #GT500 #Mustang #MustangShelbyGt500 #NAIAS #NorthAmericanInternationalAutoShow

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4 of 7 comments

Tele Vision on Nov 29, 2018

Who needs 200 MPH? I'd put 4.10:1s in the rear, should it come with that option. If not I'd have it done, shims and all, and never turn the T.C. off.

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- DenverMike on Nov 30, 2018
  
  What's the purpose of 4.10s (over 3.73s), even at the drag strip? On the street, you've got way too much wheel-spin (stock) already, but isn't that an extra shift before 1320'?
  
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- Tele Vision on Nov 30, 2018
  
  @DenverMike With a 7-speed DCT and plenty of electrons governing the traction, the lower axle ratio would get the engine out of the potatoes and into the meat a bit earlier.
  
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Dwford on Nov 29, 2018

5 years after this generation came out. About time...

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