2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: Ultimate Guide

It is the most powerful Ford production car ever.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Our Take

The 2020 Shelby GT 500 offers both looks and performance. Visually, this years Shelby comes in four new exterior colors; Grabber Lime, Iconic Silver, Red Hot Metallic Clearcoat and Twister Orange Metallic Tinted Clearcoat. The exterior colors are accented by either painted or vinyl over the top stripes, and/or vinyl side stripes. The body has an aggressive styled front splitter, and fascia with wire mesh grilles. There is a black rear splitter as well. The hood is equipped with self centering hood pins, a wide centered functional hood vent designed to extract hot engine compartment air and trap rain that enters. Tires are 20 inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires mounted on 20″ high gloss black aluminum wheels.

The interior has a 12 in LCD cluster and is blessed with MyColor lighting. The foot pedals are aluminum, not just black rubber. The center console is wrapped and has accent stitching. The sport front seats are Miko Suede with leather trim, and have built in heat/cooling capabilities. Recaro leather seats are available. For your traveling comfort the Shelby has s a dual-zone electronic controlled heating/AC unit. The steering wheel is leather/Alcantara wrapped with paddle shifters.

Power wise, the Shelby comes with a 5.2 Liter supercharged cross-plane crank V-8 engine with. over 700 horsepower. Behind the engine you will find a TREMEC 7 speed dual clutch manual transmission. The drive shaft is carbon fiber and connects to an independent rear suspension and a 3.73:1 rear axel. The whole purpose of the preceding equipment is to drive the wheels. But if you want to stop, that is achieved through the use of 6 piston Brembo brake calipers and two piece 420 mm smooth ventilated brake rotors on the front and 4 piston Brembo brake calipers and two piece 370 mm smooth ventilated brake rotors on the rear.

Press Release

The all-new Shelby GT500 – the pinnacle of any pony car ever engineered by Ford Performance – delivers on its heritage with more than 700 horsepower for the quickest street-legal acceleration and most high-performance technology to date ever offered in a Ford Mustang.

“Carroll was always working on the next faster Shelby, I think he would love this Mustang more than any other,” said Jim Farley, Ford president, global markets. “A takedown artist, the new Shelby GT500 will surprise supercar owners with its Ford Performance racing tech, supercharged engine and visceral swagger.”

Arriving this fall to join its Shelby GT350 stablemate, Shelby GT500 is engineered to attack on all fronts. At the drag strip, it’s set to produce a projected 700-plus horsepower via its first-in-class dual-clutch transmission. At the track, performance improves even more thanks to its race-bred chassis, custom Michelin tires and the largest front brake rotors ever available on an American sports coupe. On the street, its menacing aerodynamic design and Ford Performance driver control technologies make every moment behind the wheel even more exhilarating.

Most Powerful Ford Ever

In the process of making the all-new Shelby GT500 the quickest street-legal Mustang ever, Ford Performance created an exclusive powertrain to deliver new levels of power and torque.

“With its supercar-level powertrain, the all-new Shelby GT500 takes the sixth-generation Mustang to a performance level once reserved only for exotics,” said Hermann Salenbauch, global director, Ford Performance vehicle programs. “As a Mustang, it has to be attainable and punch above its weight. To that end, we’ve set a new standard among American performance cars with our most powerful street-legal V8 engine to date, plus the quickest-shifting transmission ever in a Mustang for all-out precision and speed.”

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 starts with a supercharged 5.2-liter aluminum alloy engine built by hand. To keep the intake air cooler and deliver a lower center of gravity, the team inverted a 2.65-liter roots-type supercharger with air-to-liquid intercooler tucked neatly in the V8 engine valley.

Like Shelby GT350, the aluminum alloy block features weight-saving wire-arc cylinder liners and high-flow aluminum cylinder heads, plus larger forged connecting rods, improved lubrication and cooling passages. Beneath that, a structural oil pan adds strength, reduces vibration, and features a patented active baffle system to keep oil where it’s needed.

To channel power and torque to the unique carbon fiber driveshaft, Ford Performance leveraged learnings from the tuning of its Ford GT supercar’s dual-clutch transmission. The team selected a TREMEC® 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is capable of shifts in under 100 milliseconds – markedly faster than any manual gearbox. This dual-clutch transmission is designed for a number of drive modes, including normal, weather, sport, drag and track, and activates features like line-lock and launch control through selectable Track Apps.

Next-evolution Mustang Performance

To harness the power and torque of the most powerful Mustang ever made for the street requires cutting-edge active chassis technology, track-bred Michelin tires and Brembo® brakes – all dialed in by Ford Performance.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 takes advantage of revised suspension geometry, a new electronic power steering unit and lighter-weight coil springs front and rear. Next-generation active MagneRide™ suspension is baked-in, along with the latest in advanced drive mode technologies from Ford Performance. The payoff is the highest-ever lateral acceleration from a Mustang for greater track performance and driver control.

Putting all this chassis hardware to the pavement, custom Ford Performance-spec Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and more aggressive Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires feature unique compounds and tread. To provide track-ready stopping power, massive 16-5-inch (420-millimeter) two-piece rotors are added – the largest of any domestic sports coupe – plus larger, stiffer Brembo six-piston calipers. With 20 percent more swept area than the Shelby GT350’s, these brakes have more than 30 percent additional thermal mass in the front corners.

Two handling packages with increasing levels capability are offered for the all-new Shelby GT500. An available Handling Package includes adjustable strut top mounts and spoiler with Gurney flap. For the truly hardcore, an available Carbon Fiber Track Package features exposed 20-inch carbon fiber wheels with 0.5-inch-wider rear wheels (11.5-inch), custom Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, adjustable exposed carbon fiber GT4 track wing and splitter wickers with integrated dive plane. The rear seat is deleted to reduce weight.

Menacing Design Tuned with Ford Performance

Thanks to a cross-functional team of designers, Ford Performance engineers and motorsports collaborators, the 2020 Shelby GT500 has functional track-hero looks to match its performance capabilities.

“With a double front grille opening and 50 percent more cooling pack airflow versus the Shelby GT350, along with the most advanced aero components and downforce we’ve ever offered, every millimeter of Shelby GT500’s fastback design is aimed at improving performance,” said Melvin Betancourt, Ford design manager.

Those large angular grille openings and muscular hood combine for a menacing, aerodynamic-led design inspired by modern fighter jet aircraft. The car’s wider front fenders and stance housing Shelby GT500-specific 20×11-inch wheels proportionally align to its rear fenders that hug up to 20×11.5-inch wheels. A standard new rear spoiler and updated composite materials in the rear diffuser result in added thermal management.

The team leveraged Ford’s motorsports technical center in North Carolina and its windshear rolling wind tunnel – where top-tier racing teams test – to perfect the design of the Shelby GT500. Front fascia openings are more than doubled versus the Shelby GT350, while six heat exchangers are stuffed in to increase cooling pack airflow by more than 50 percent. A massive 31×28-inch louvered hood vent features a removable aluminum rain tray for better air extraction and increased downforce.

Craftsmanship, Tech & Comfort

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500’s purpose-built cockpit boasts race-inspired premium materials and unique finishes worthy of its world-class power. Premium touchpoints include an available exposed carbon fiber instrument panel appliqué and new door panel inserts in Dark Slate Miko® suede with accent stitching. Available Recaro racing seats with firm side bolstering and pass-throughs for safety harnesses offer the highest level of performance. For those looking for even greater comfort, power-adjustable seating with Miko suede inserts is offered.

The all-new Shelby GT500 picks up a 12-inch full-color LCD instrument cluster, while a high-performance custom-tuned 12-speaker B&O® Play premium audio system is available. All of this is controlled via an 8-inch SYNC® 3 touch screen featuring SiriusXM and FordPass Connect™.

New colors for 2020 include Red Hot, Twister Orange and Iconic Silver. Painted stripes are available for the all-new Shelby GT500 too.

Legacy of Shelby performance

With a reputation for transforming Ford Mustang into dominant road racing machines, Carroll Shelby, American racer and entrepreneur, took his legendary Mustang GT350 model further in 1967 to craft the first-generation Shelby GT500 with a modified 428-cubic-inch V8 inspired by his team’s 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans.

Carroll Shelby called the original Shelby GT500 “the first real car I’m really proud of.” Now, that legacy continues with the third-generation 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 – the most powerful and most advanced Mustang ever.

Pictures

Reviews

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the most powerful and expensive Mustang to date. The car features a 5.2-liter V8 that puts out 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. The car can do a 0-60 mph time of just 3.5 seconds and can do a quarter-mile in under 11 seconds. The power from that massive engine goes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission. The transmission is made by Tremec, and is a dual-clutch unit. According to the various reviews, it does a fantastic job sorting the power and choosing the right gear.

It’s clear that the new GT500 is an impressive and amazing machine. The car might not be as quick and expensive as some other amazing supercars and hypercars, but it is one of the coolest high-performance cars of 2020. Ford recently had a bunch of journalists out to drive the new Mustang GT500. They were some of the biggest names in the business, and everyone seemed to be pretty impressed with the car.

We’ve rounded up five of the best video reviews of the Mustang GT500 below:

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – Jay Leno’s Garage

Ford’s New GT500 Is The Ultimate Mustang – Roadshow

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – KBB

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Is Much Better Than You Think – TFLCar

2020 Shelby GT500 – Doug DeMuro

Features & Options

Power and Handling

Power

Standard

  • 3.73 TORSEN® limited-slip rear axle
  • 5.2L Supercharged Cross Plane Crank V8
  • Differential Cooler
  • Dual Exhaust with Electronic Valves and quad tips
  • TREMEC® 7- Speed Dual Clutch Transmission

Handling

Standard

Red-Painted Brembo™ Brake Calipers
Electronic Line-Lock (track use only)
Independent Rear Suspension
Integrated Driver Control System
Launch Control (track use only)
Selectable Drive Modes
Selectable-effort Electric Power-Assist Steering (EPAS)
MagneRide® Damping System

Wheels & Tires

Standard

  • 20″ Flow-formed High-Gloss Black Aluminum
  • Four-piston Brembo® rear brake calipers and 15″ two-piece iron discs mounted to aluminum hats
  • Six-piston Brembo® front brake calipers and 15.5″ two-piece iron discs mounted to aluminum hats
  • Tire Inflator and Sealant kit
  • 420 mm (15.5”) front brake rotors with 6- piston Brembo™ Calipers

Optional

  • 20″ Exposed Carbon Fiber included in Carbon Fiber Track Package

Interior Features

Seating

Standard

  • 50/50 split-bench folding rear seat
  • 6-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar control
  • 6-way power front-passenger seat
  • Leather/Alcantara® -wrapped with paddle shifters
  • Leather-trimmed Miko® Suede Sport Seats

Optional

  • 4-way adjustable front head restraints
  • 4-way manual driver seat
  • RECARO® Leather-trimmed Seats

Climate

Standard

  • Cabin Particulate Air Filter
  • Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control

Entertainment Systems

Standard

  • 9-speaker sound system with amplifier
  • SiriusXM® Radio
  • SYNC® 3
  • FordPass Connect™
  • FordPass™ App
  • Two smart-charging USB ports

Optional

  • B&O Sound System by Bang and Olufsen with 12 speakers including CD player, HD Radio™ , and subwoofer in trunk
  • Voice-Activated Navigation System with pinch-to-zoom capability

Comfort and Convenience

Standard

  • Aluminum foot pedals
  • 12″ LCD Digital Instrument Cluster with MyColor®
  • Auto-dimming rearview mirror
  • Autolights (automatic on/off headlights) with wiper activation
  • Center console with full armrest
  • Center high-mounted dome lamp
  • Cupholders (2)
  • Driver footrest
  • Floor mats – carpeted, front
  • Illuminated glove box with lockable door and dedicated space for owner’s manual
  • Intelligent Access with push-button start
  • Interior trunk release
  • MyKey®
  • Windows, Power – Front one-touch up/down with Global Open
  • Powerpoints – 2
  • Soft Door Rollover
  • Rear view camera
  • Dual Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors
  • Track Apps™
  • Universal Garage Door Opener

Optional

  • Exposed carbon Fiber Instrument appliqué
  • Remote Start System (included when ordered with 10-speed automatic transmission – except 100A)

Interior Accessories

Standard

  • Instrument Cluster – grey accent gauge cluster and register vents
  • Premium door trim – Miko® Suede
  • Ford Performance scuff plates

Exterior Features

Appearance

Standard

  • Rear Spoiler
  • Dual Exhaust with Electronic Valves and quad tips
  • Easy Fuel® capless fuel filler
  • Daytime running lights
  • HID Headlights with LED Signature Lighting
  • Hood Vents
  • LED sequential taillights
  • Mirrors – Power glass, manual folding with integrated Blind Spot Mirror and Gloss Black Cap
  • Rear diffuser

Optional

  • Blind Spot Information System (BLIS® ) with Cross-Traffic Alert
  • Exposed Carbon Fiber GT4 Track Wing
  • Vinyl Over-the-top Racing Stripe
  • Painted Black Roof

Windows & Glass

Standard

  • Rear-window defroster

Safety

Safety

Standard

  • 3-point safety belt restraint system for all seating positions
  • Glove-Box-Door-Integrated Knee Airbag
  • AdvanceTrac® with Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  • Belt-Minder® front safety belt reminder
  • Driver’s knee airbag
  • Dual front airbags
  • Front-seat side-impact airbags
  • LATCH Lower Anchors and Tether Anchors for Children
  • Personal Safety System™ for driver and front passenger
  • Safety Canopy® side-curtain airbags
  • SOS Post-Crash Alert System

Security

Standard

  • Illuminated entry
  • Individual Tire Pressure Monitoring System
  • Perimeter Alarm
  • Remote keyless entry
  • SecuriLock® Passive Anti-Theft System

Packages

Packages

Optional

  • Carbon Fiber Track Pack
  • Technology Package
  • Handling Package

Specifications

Exterior

Exterior Dimensions Shelby GT500 (in)
Wheelbase 107
Length 190.2
Height 54.3
Width – Excluding Mirrors 76.6
Width – Including Mirrors 81.9
Width – Mirrors Folded 78.2
Front Track 63.3
Rear Track 63.6

Interior

Interior Dimensions Shelby GT500 (in)
Head Room – Front 37.6
Head Room – Rear 34.8
Leg Room – Front 44.5
Leg Room – Rear 29
Hip Room – Front 54.9
Hip Room – Rear 47.4
Shoulder Room – Front 56.3
Shoulder Room – Rear 51.9

Capacities

Capacities Shelby GT500 (cu.ft.)
Passenger Volume 82.6
Trunk Volume 13.5
Fuel Capacity
Curb Weights (lbs) – GT (manual/auto)
Maximum Seating Capacity 4

Engine Specifications

Engine Specifications Shelby® GT500®
Engine Type 5.2L Supercharged V-8 Engine
Engine Electronics PCM
Displacement 5.2L (315 cu.In.)
Horsepower (SAE net @ RPM) 760 @ 7,300 (93-octane fuel)
Torque (lb.-ft. @ RPM) 625 @ 5,000
Compression Ratio 9.5:1
Bore and Stroke 94.0 x 93.0 mm
Main Bearings 5
Valve Lifters
Fuel Delivery Port Fuel Injection (PFI)
Exhaust Dual Exhaust with Quad Tips
Fuel Economy (Manual)
Fuel Economy (Auto)
Transmission Type (Manual) TREMEC® 7-speed Dual Clutch
Transmission Type (Auto) N/A
Engine block material Aluminum
Cylinder head material Aluminum

Chassis

Chassis Specifications Shelby® GT500®
Front Suspension Double-ball-joint MacPherson strut and tubular stabilizer bar with MagneRide™ damping system
Rear Suspension Integral-link independent with coil springs, tubular stabilizer bar with MagneRide™ damping system
Rear Suspension More Independent integral-link rear suspension
Shocks Absorbers MagneRide™ Damping system
Shocks Absorbers (available)
Brakes Four-wheel power discs with four-sensor, four-channel antilock braking system and AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control 420mmx 40 mm Aluminum hat, floating-type vented discs, Brembo® six-piston fixed aluminum calipers
Stability Control AdvanceTrac® with unique ABS, ESC, EPAS
Steering Three-mode Electric Power Assisted rack-and-pinion steering (EPAS)