2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 impressive performance

At 86 years old, Carroll Shelby should consider appropriate his name to something better. Bags of plums, perhaps? But there mega-Mustang is priced on the rear part of a 540-hp, Corvette, inserted. The faithful rejoice.

The 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 goes on sale in May at a base price of $ 48,175 and will replace the 2007-2009 Shelby GT500, as well as the Limited Edition, $ 80,000 from 2008 to 2009 Shelby GT500KR.

All 2010 Mustangs get new, curvier sheet over larger shoulder pads. The Shelby GT500 is mostly the same, plus gouged a distinct face and an aluminum hood with a single large heat extraction. A trapezoidal grille cap completes the nose as a large flaring nostril. This cap "traps" the hood behind him, in industry parlance, helping seal to provide the front end better cold air to the radiator and engine intake. It also looks at the past reminds a lot of ponies than the base '10 Mustang with their "shingle" hood above the grid.

Big Ol 'engine, it should be faster?

Raised from the limited edition Shelby GT500KR, the 5.4-liter four-valve cam 32-V-8 with its Eaton 2300 intercooled supercharger turns a new two-plate clutch, which is easier on the left leg and smoother recording. A resonance chamber in the intake snorkel dampens wail loaders while letting pass more of the V-8 military bawl while 4.6-second blast to 60 mph.

Remember when 540 horses enough to win Indy or were set a Bonneville record? The Shelby lunges forward with a fearsome roar when you crush it, the acceleration to you startlingly heavy in the seat. Nevertheless, Ford thought our 12.9-second quarter-mile was slow by half a second, but after two test sessions in imperfect conditions and after-be Ford's accessory shoe to the tax could to improve the times. Ford figures should the car run 12.5-second quarter, maybe faster. Perhaps we expect the evidence. Meanwhile, it is not faster than a Chevy Camaro SS, the $ 17,000 cheaper.

We found modest periods of Shelby even more surprising considering the friction type limited slip differential has been reduced to a 3.55-ratio of a 3.31 in the previous GT500 for faster jack-rabbi. The 155-mph (electronically limited) sixth gear to Tremec TR6060 transmission is also greater. The resulting 22-mpg highway rating cuts $ 300 off federal guzzler penalty, now a mere $ 1,000.

A Shelby Ford Built

Actually Shelby not build this Shelby. The authors are interested in young engineers in Ford's 60-member Special Vehicle Team. Tall, slender, Nordstrom's dressed Jamal Hameedi, 39, led the GT500 project he was really his name on the trunk, but that could cause problems when crossing the border. And Shelby is the ol 'Shel, the ol' Snake, and this may be the last live-revelation of the Church of Shelby ancient deity, he is the main actor.

Sweat used to stiffen the steering and body control is paying off with a stronger directional stability, more natural weight and less body teeter in corners. In GT500 coupe (the more flexy Convertible comes with older, softer settings), increase the spring rate compared to the previous GT500 on rolling and pitching, but the front stabilizer has a thinner wall making it less stiff, the cut under quells, we are told , Steering Shaft Flex with a firmer clutch on the steering wheel tilt hinge and a new type of Tokico front strut coupled with new Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires reduces supplies graceful path control and sticky cornering grip if not the twitching, telegram steering a Honda (58 percent nearly £ 4,000 of them in the nose , it was all about?).

Confident in Corners

Considering it's basically a humble, blue-collar suspension of front struts and a rear live axle, the Shelby thunders confidently through corners without disturbing tail dance, we would load of as much horsepower as expected on a single chassis. The Dearborn Ironworks has learned how to behave their Mustangs.

Details: Hand applied body stripes echo by leather strips are deleted in the seats-either when you because they are only buying a GT500 from Tauruses. Twin four-inch tailpipes blowing the gases below a wide spoiler with a Gurney flap on rear lift cut. The retro gear knob consists of several small pieces of a company, billiard balls makes glued.

The GT500 promises the same linear performance as the limited edition KR for perhaps $ 30,000 less. Well, it would not be the ol 'Shel without a little snake oil on tap.