I wanted to take the time to post about my latest purchase, my 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. I know, I am late to the game, as always, Youtubers, bloggers, etc. already got their hands and reviews all over this car, but I wanted to share my experience.
It has been some time since I’ve had something to cruise to a car show with, for years I rolled my ’03 Corolla S, which was a fun little car, but I was missing something and felt that I needed something with a bit more power and I felt you cannot go wrong with American muscle. With several e-vehicles coming out, I’m not going to lie, I did consider an EV, but only for a split second. I have always enjoyed the sound of a V8.
My consideration for what type of vehicle was all over the map. Lexus RC-F at one time was a consideration, but I just got out of a Toyota and yes, while Lexus is not the same as a Corolla, I wanted something completely different away from Toyota and honestly, imports all together.
Cadillac’s have always caught my attention, CTS-V and now the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Something luxurious, but can occasionally make a pull or two, fit the family in and have the V8 muscle car sound. While keeping an eye on the car market, of course “all” markets at this point early in 2022 are insane. Prices are through the roof, the car market is selling way over MSRP and frankly, you have to pay to play. However, I am not getting any younger and my wife convinced me that we only live once, so the hunt began!
So here we are….a 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. How did I come to the conclusion that I was taking this vehicle home? Let’s just say a combination of a mid-life crises along with a bit of convincing from my wife and friend/salesman, Christian over at Ford.
Let The Search Begin…
My wife and I were running errands and decided to swing through the dealership on our way home. Christian just took ownership of his GT500, silver with the black racing stripes and wanted to show me his new ride. I have to admit, the styling with the splitter, splitter wickers, body lines, wing and ultimately the cold start and sound of the supercharger and stock exhaust is amazing! Of course I started to ask more questions, horsepower, cost, etc. and that’s when Christian said we have a 2020 with only 461 miles here at the dealership.
We walked down to the car and there it was, black on black, Brembo red calipers, a functional vented hood with hood pins, stylish wing and the handling package included the side canards/splitter wickers, which honestly gives it a real nice look and a gurney flap (extension for the rear wing to improve down force) and the oil catch can.
Aside from the look of the Shelby, how can you go wrong with purchasing a Shelby, in general?! It’s an iconic car and at least in my mind the justification for paying the insane price over MSRP, I knew I would be able to get my money back and then some when the time comes. How so, well, while I was sitting there doing the paper work, 4 others came into the dealership looking to purchase the black Shelby that was out front and willing to pay another 10K over the dealership price. Yes, the market is beginning to settle, but I am confident what I paid, I will get my return, plus.
Admittedly, this was an impulse purchase, I have not researched the Shelby GT500 at all, no idea how much insurance would cost, maintenance, etc. Yea, pretty dumb, I know, but thankfully a quick quote request to my insurance company and a couple of quick Google searches, I pretty much had all of the information I needed. Did that subside the bubble guts I had from making this large purchase, not at all, but here we are with no regrets.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – Test Drive
I drive a Expedition Max as my daily, so crawling into the Shelby was going to be interesting, but to my surprise it was rather easy and the seats and very comfortable, heated and cooled seats may I add, thankfully not the Recaro’s which some have mentioned are not as comfortable.
Cold start, yes, is amazing, a quick flick of the exhaust switch to “track” mode opening up the baffles completely, yeaaa, even more amazing. Alcantara steering wheel feels nice in your palms and we are off on to the streets for our first drive…
Took it easy for a bit, it was cold, tire shine on the tires and was raining days before so the roads still had some moisture. Giving the tires an opportunity to get a bit warm, it was time to do a couple of “spirited” pulls, doing the speed limit of course. A flick of the switch, setting the GT500 into track mode. A view of the digital display gauge with the RPMs and the ability to use the paddle shifters (also available in other modes), gave me the chance to open ‘er up. Yessir, smiles per gallon as Christian mentioned, an instant smile feeling the 625 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm of torque felt pretty awesome. Keep in mind, all of the vehicles I have owned have always been slow. Putting 760HP at my finger tips can prove to be a fun ride for anyone, but this was next level for me.
Check out the vehicle specs below…
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Specifications
Achieving 0-100-0 in 10.6 seconds, the Shelby GT500 sends drivers on a visceral driving experience typically reserved for exotic supercars thanks to its 760-horsepower engine, ultra-quick Tremec 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the largest front brakes of any domestic sports coupe.
Its first-in-class 7-speed dual-clutch transmission delivers more consistent power and torque compared to manual transmissions, while its computer-controlled mechanism can upshift as quick as 80 milliseconds – faster than a blink of an eye – making it the most capable Mustang powertrain ever.
Shelby GT500’s five drive modes fully optimize the capabilities of the dual-clutch transmission and active chassis systems – from ultra-smooth road shifts in normal mode to forceful powershifts in drag mode – providing a personality for every type of performance driving.
- Engine: supercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
- Power: 760 hp @ 7300 rpm
- Torque: 625 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
- Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
- Performance:
- 60 mph: 3.5 sec
- 100 mph: 7.0 sec
- ¼-mile: 10s sec (depending on conditions and set-up)
- Top speed: 180 mph
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Photos
Photography by Rob Walko Photography
[flickr_set id=”72177720297627254″]
Shelby GT500 Conclusion
My wife and I are looking forward to seeing you at a car event in the DMV area. We plan to head out as often as we can to enjoy this ride!
