2020 Ford Shelby GT500 – Finally An All-Around Sports Car

My passion for cars was ignited early when I encountered a family friend’s blue 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. While I’ve been a fan of the Mustang ever since, owing a couple of them, I am the first to admit that not all Mustangs are created equal. Even among those that are more equal than others, not every variant is right for every pony car fan. Enter the most powerful, street-legal factory Mustang ever, the 2020 Shelby GT500. 

Among the lesser Mustangs are the obvious examples like the 1970s Mustang II and the four-cylinder Fox bodies of the 1980s. Even these however had a place in the pantheon because if they did not exist, it’s very likely that the Mustang name would have died off decades ago. 

Gallery: 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang

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But for me personally, I haven’t been a huge fan of the 1960s big-block V8s like the Boss 429 or the more modern supercharged variants like the 2007+ Shelby GT500. Not that there’s anything wrong with them but my personal preferences run toward something a bit lighter and more nimble. These most powerful Mustangs were better suited to rapid acceleration in a straight line than turning corners. Back in 2008 when I was still writing for Autoblog, I had the opportunity to drive and review the then-current Bullitt and Shelby GT500 within a few weeks of each other. 

The differences between the two were stark. Sure the GT500 had almost 60% more power than the Bullitt, but it also carried around an extra 400-pounds, almost entirely on the front axle. The GT500 could easily outrun the Bullitt at the dragstrip, but frankly, the Bullitt was a lot more fun to drive on the street. A decade later, the amazing Shelby GT350 with its high-revving, flat-plane crank V8 is my favorite Mustang ever to drive.

Read about the technical details of the 2020 Ford Shelby GT500

When word started leaking out last year about a new GT500, I and many others assumed it would be another dragstrip monster. But when Mustang chief engineer Karl Widman gave us the lowdown on it earlier this year, he promised it would be anything but. This would be a GT500 that could outpace its little brother and run with many of the best sports cars in the world on the street and track.  

So does the 760-hp GT500 deliver? Oh my, does it ever. 

Starting with the aluminum 5.2-liter block used for the GT350, Widman and the engineering teams for the Mustang and Ford Performance changed almost everything else. The lubrication, cooling and breathing are all enhanced. The 2.65-liter Eaton supercharger has an integrated air to liquid charge cooler to keep things under control as it spins up to 17,500 rpm. 

Slowing down the fastest and heaviest Mustang to date also requires serious hardware. Reliably hauling down nearly 4,200-lbs is achieved with larger Brembo six-piston front calipers gripping 16.5-inch rotors while even the rear rotors are 14.56-inches across. 

A Mustang-first is the seven-speed dual clutch transmission from Tremec. While some enthusiasts will of course lament the absence of a three-pedal manual gearbox, the GT500 team wanted to build the fastest Mustang ever and the Tremec box executes shifts in 80 ms, faster than pretty much any human driver could achieve. 

The standard tire setup uses 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on aluminum wheels. The carbon fiber track package swaps them for Pilot Sport Cup 2 variants on carbon fiber wheels. Electronically controlled Magneride dampers are standard fitment across the board. 

We began the day with run up into the mountains northwest of Las Vegas. For a car with this much power, the GT500 is remarkably civilized with a level of engine growl in normal mode that would make it quite comfortable for an extended road trip although it’s thirst for premium gasoline will require regular pitstops. As with almost all applications of the Magneride dampers, the ride quality is surprisingly smooth, making this a reasonable daily driver. It even has the same exhaust quiet mode that other Mustangs have which is handy to prevent rattling your neighbors windows while leaving in the morning or coming back late at night. 

On the way up and down the mountain roads, the GT500 proved way more adept at changing direction than prior ponies to wear the badge. The steering was smooth and precise and the mass never really showed itself. 

Upon our return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, we split into two groups. We first went to the drag strip where the GT500 absolutely lived up to its straightline heritage. With its easy to use line-lock for burnouts, and launch control for getting off the line, anyone can get this beast moving quickly. My first experience with drag racing came 11 years ago when I had the opportunity to use the then current GT500 with a six-speed manual gearbox. It proved to be remarkably challenging to launch without excessive wheel spin or bogging down while at the same time trying to react quickly when the lights turned green. 

While the intervening years have not sharpened my reflexes, modern electronics have made the car work much better. Even with my slow reactions, the GT500 covered the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds at just over 130 mph. Younger, twitchier drivers were able to accomplish the same in as little as 10.97 seconds while running into a 30 mph headwind. At altitudes less than the 2,000 of LVMS and cooler temperatures, the GT500 can cover the distance in as little 10.7 seconds with the right driver. 

After lunch, we hit the 2.4 mile road course. The track is flat with almost no elevation change, but many of the corners are quite technical with a couple of decreasing radius corners and long sweepers as well as reasonably long straights. I maxed out at 135 mph on the front straight and 130 mph on the back straight and we were asked not to go all out. I wouldn’t consider myself an expert track driver but I do have a reasonable amount of skill and experience so that I don’t embarrass myself too much and stay on the pavement. 

In the past, nose heavy GT500s with solid rear axles would hopelessly understeer if pushed too hard through corners or spin wildly if you got on the gas too soon or too early. This new car feels much lighter than its two-plus tons and was extremely confidence inspiring. In track mode, it tightens the dampers and steering and loosens up the stability and traction control. After some tutelage on the track from Ford GT racer Billy Johnson, we were let loose. 

The roar that comes from the quad exhausts as you accelerate away from corners is the sort of soundtrack that warms the heart of any muscle car fan. It’s something you’ll never hear from a Porsche or Ferrari. One of the first challenges is the left-hand hairpin turn four. Johnson suggested we stay tight toward the curbing on left until about three quarters of the way around and then floor it. 

Older GT500s would have hopelessly understeered right off the track or spun depending on where you hit the accelerator while still turning. This new tracked right where I pointed it and steering beautifully as I continued to accelerate and turn toward the next braking point. Out of the follow-up right hand turn five, I accelerated hard down the back straight to 130 mph before braking hard. The GT500 dissipates speed with confidence and the more experienced Johnson could have easily gone deeper and hit 135 before turning into the right hand sweeper. 

Just as Widman has previously said about the GT350, the GT500 is confidence inspiring and never misbehaves. Clipping the curbs at apexes doesn’t upset the balance in the least. This GT500 is truly an outstanding sports car. It is equally at home on the drag strip, the road course or the street. 

From its earliest days, the Mustang was fast, fun and affordable. These days, it’s still fast and fun, but it’s not nearly as affordable as it used to be. The Shelby GT500 starts at $74,000. The carbon fiber track pack elevates that to almost $93,000. For those so inclined racing stripes that run the length of the body are available. Vinyl stripes are $1,000. However, you can also get painted stripes for $10,000. 

Mustang marketing manager Jim Owens explained that the painted stripes are so expensive because it’s extremely labor intensive. The body is removed from the paint-line at Ford’s Flat Rock, Mich. assembly plant after the base coat is applied. The body is masked and the stripes are sprayed by hand and finished. Then the body is inserted back into the paint line to complete the clear coat. When complete, you can run your hand across the stripes and not feel them at all and they have the protection of the clear coat which the vinyl stripes do not. 

If I had the financial resources, this 2020 Shelby GT500 is the first example the breed that I would actually be willing to live with. Personally, I think I’d still prefer the naturally aspirated GT350 and it’s rev-happy nature, but the supercharged edition truly is an achievement for this car.