Ford Shelby GT500: Aluminium thunder on video

Updated




Our transatlantic cousins have been salivating over the new Ford Shelby GT500 since the car emerged at the start of the week. Because the Mustang name doesn't have quite the same resonance on this side of the pond, we were content to smile, nod sagely and then return to more pressing matters.

That's before we heard the GT500's all-new aluminium-block 5.4-litre V8 heart coughed and spluttered into supercharged life.

Ford's low-key video took all of 7 seconds to remind us that when it comes to blue-collar muscle, no one does it like the blue oval. The new Shelby GT500 develops 550hp and 510lb ft of torque, but what it actually produces is cinematic noise and face-splitting grins.

Thanks to Ford's Special Vehicle Team engineers, the new car is significantly lighter than its predecessor and therefore should return better handling, fuel economy and acceleration. A Focus RS would make more sense day to day of course, but the Shelby's old fashioned drifting potential cannot be underestimated. America, consider our heads turned.

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