The Shelby GT500 Experience

When Ford invited us to their Dearborn proving grounds to try out their new lineup, there was one machine that we were looking forward to getting being the wheel of more than any other of the American automaker’s new products, the Shelby GT500. Now the last time that Top Speed had the chance to try out a Mustang GT, our editors absolutely fell in love with the rear wheel drive eight cylinder pony car, but that was last year’s model and for 2010 the thoroughbred has undergone a much improved restyling and the GT that we had in our test fleet didn’t have a supercharger strapped to the top of the engine and it didn’t make 540 HP.

It is common knowledge that the blown V8 is more than capable of propelling the nearly 4000 lb car run the 1320 somewhere in the 12’s making the Shelby a straight-line speed demon, but there was something different we wanted to find out; how this factory tuned Mustang handled. We were able to try out the new GT500 on Ford’s Steering and Handling course and the only thing we have to say is that the ride was too short.

Mustangs, especially the old Fox body 5.0, have the nasty stigma of having too much power and not enough weight over the rear wheels which makes for a very twitchy tail happy ride, however this is not he case with the 2010 Shelby. As we went into the first left/right complex we were amazed by the amount of grip that the 285 series Goodyear Eagle F1 super car rubber gave or blue and white GT500. As the Shelby began to turn in, we were waiting for the tires to start to squeal and the front end to start to show signs of under steer, which never happened. Admittedly, we pushed the GT500 a bit and would intentionally turn in a little harder than need especially over the whoops. No matter what this inquisitive driver threw at this Shelby Mustang trying to get a hint of slide, this lucky journalist was unsuccessful at breaking the back end loose. However the driver we rode with on our beforehand was able to to execute a gorgeous slide on the back side of the track, and during his time behind the wheel the modern day muscle car showed no signs of interfering electronically. If you can drive smooth, steady and with enough fortitude this Mustang can do some pretty amazing things that make the $46,000 price tag seem like more than a bargain.