Road Test: 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Six hundred and sixty two! That’s really all one needs to know about the 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 — Ford says it is powered by the world’s most powerful production V8. The drive it delivers can be likened to the world’s wildest roller coaster. That, however, is what makes it so much fun and one of the most extreme drives — Viper schmiper!
I will be the first to admit that the GT500’s 5.8-litre supercharged V8 is intimidating, and it’s not so much the prodigious stallion count — the aforementioned 662 — but the torque that is available across such a broad range. The 631 pound-feet peaks at 4,250 rpm, which is exactly where the horsepower begins to build — it is pushing 500 hp at the this rpm and it just keeps rising to its peak at 6,200 rpm. Anyway, back to the torque — at 1,000 rpm, the GT500 is making more (400 lb-ft) than many so-called sports cars do at their peak. Now, that’s what you call impressive.
By way of reference, the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 and it 6.5L V12 makes slightly more power (700, but at a lofty 8,250 rpm), but comes up well shy in the torque department — it makes 507 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm, and this is Lamborghini’s most powerful engine ever.
This amount of power mandates adopting a slightly different driving style. Goosing the gas in first gear would melt a month’s worth of rubber were the traction control not doing its upmost to quell the wheelspin. This forced me to short shift into second gear almost as soon as the Shelby was moving and then dig deeply into the torque, hang on and grab third gear as soon at the tachometer neared redline. At this point, the Boys in Blue would be ready to confiscate the car and haul my sorry rear-end off to one of Her Majesty’s barred hotels. The adrenaline rush when something so ferocious is unleashed to its full potential has to be experienced to be believed.
It also saw drivers of souped-up, vroom and boom bean cans treat the Shelby with so much respect, not one dared challenge this monster, even when I was tooling around at 50 km/h in sixth gear — that’s how flexible this engine is across its entire operating range. For those with a diminished sense of self-esteem, this car is the perfect therapy.
At idle, the Shelby GT500’s quad tailpipes sang a mellifluous siren that sent shivers up my spine — it’s all the better with the convertible top dropped, as the sound seems to be piped directly to the brain’s pleasure centre. At around 3,000 rpm, the burble gives way to something far more purposeful. Then, as the revs continue to climb, a discrete whine begins to surface. It is now the supercharger is beginning to pack the cylinders with its intercooled air at 14-psi. That nonchalant whine also signals the GT500 is about to catch fire and blast forth as only a car with 662 hp can do.
And so to the numbers: The GT500 romps to 100 kilometres an hour in 4.1 seconds and it manages to turn the 80-to-120 km/h time with such alacrity it can only be described as world class — around three seconds. The GT500 also includes a launch control system that delivers optimal off-the-line performance. The penalty is found in the pain at the pump — the trip computer was showing an average of 15.8 litres per 100 kilometres. That stated, who really gives a darn?
In spite of the aforementioned tiptoeing off the line, once moving, the Shelby GT500 proved to be entirely manageable in terms of its handling. The SVT package amps up the GT’s ability by adding adjustable Bilstein shocks (comfort and sport modes), firmer rear springs and a Torsen limited-slip rear differential. The suspension is on the firm side, but it’s not uncomfortably so. The key is that it keeps the Mustang flat through a corner. Yes, there is a hint of cowl shake through a rough corner, but I was surprised by the body’s overall integrity. Throw in a connected steering setup (it, too, is adjustable to suit the tone of the drive) along with the enormous P265/40R19 front/P285/35R20 rear tires, and the GT500 goes exactly where pointed. Yes, it takes a little muscle, but talk about fun!
I did contemplate turning off the stability control, but it remained a very distant thought such is the driftability of the Shelby GT500’s backend. It is, as my Aussie mate opined, a car that loves to go walkabout.
Mercifully, the brakes are up to the task of dealing with the GT500’s alacrity. Up front, six-piston Brembo calipers clamp down of 14-inch vented rotors, while four-piston Brembos work with 11.8-inch vented rotors at the rear. Tromp on the brake pedal and the system scrubs off speed quickly, and without running headlong into the dreaded wall of fade when they are used the third or fourth time in succession.
As for the rest of, aside from the pumped up styling and stripes, the Shelby GT500 convertible is all Mustang — seating for two (four is you’re a sadist), a modest trunk (9.6 cubic feet) and an interior that’s oh-so familiar. The difference in the tester car was the Recaro seating. These seats should be considered a mandatory purchase given the lateral support they afford.
The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a truly outrageous ride. It is quick beyond belief and it has remarkably buttoned-down road manners when driven quickly. What is truly remarkable, however, is the bang for the buck factor — with an as-tested price of $72,099 for the convertible, nothing comes close to offering as much horsepower for one’s hard-earned dollar.
