TriShield
05-21-2012, 01:15 PM
The Biggest Hammer Of Them All Is Sharper Than Ever
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
By Zach Bowman
Posted May 21st 2012 11:57AM
We would love to be able to look you square in the eye and say, "All you need to know about the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 can be summed up in one figure: 662." After all, that's the obscene amount of horsepower ripping at the rear tires courtesy of the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 under the hood. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. For the first time in its life, the GT500 has found itself lined up against a legitimate competitor in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The muscle car/supercar crossbreed from General Motors is stitched to conquer not only the quarter mile, but the nation's road courses as well.
In order to answer that threat, the engineers at Ford have laid a hand on nearly every mechanical and electrical system on board the GT500. While that means the blown V8 churns out a diabolical 112 more horsepower than the previous model, it also means the top-tier Mustang now comes with tricks like user-selectable Bilstein dampers, adjustable electronic power steering, larger brakes and an array of optional cooling systems. In fact, if this car came wrapped in a slightly different shade of sheetmetal, we'd be talking about an all-new model instead of a refresh.
From the outside looking in, there are only a few markers to distinguish the 2013 Shelby GT500 from the 2012 model. Those start with a new front fascia with a gaping, open maw of a grille. Ford has deleted the meshwork found in the old piece to optimize the amount of air pouring into the engine bay in the kind of the function-over-form move that turns us giggly. Clever ductwork also provides additional downforce and funnels air into a new radiator fan that incorporates an additional blade and passive vent flaps in the shroud designed to pull a maximum amount of air through the radiator when the vehicle is stopped. The flaps flip open to minimize resistance once the vehicle is in motion. Aesthetically, the new nose gives the coupe a set of catfish sucker lips, and the void looks as if it would be happy to draw in any wayward limbs foolish enough to stray too close.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead2-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead3-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead4-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
Like its more common siblings, the 2013 GT500 benefits from new headlight arrays trimmed with LED accents. Move to the coupe's side, and the changes are even more subtle. The uninitiated would be forgiven for missing the significantly upgraded brakes. A set of six-piston Brembo monoblock calipers clamp down on 15-inch rotors up front. The pizza pans do a smart job of filling up the 19-inch front wheels, and at more than an inch larger than the old stock, the rotors handle repeated road course abuse without so much as considering warpage. Likewise, Ford grew the rear discs to 13.8 inches from the previous iteration's 11.8. While those front calipers are loaded with the same pad material as the 2012 model, the rears now squeeze with a more aggressive compound.
On the street, the stoppers are a work of art. They provide perfect bite with initial pedal pressure and continue to bring the sizable coupe down from serious speed with ease in a nice linear fashion without excessive travel. We did find that the material started to fade after a few hard laps around Road Atlanta, where were fortunate enough to sample the machine's more athletic qualities. The reality is, there are only a handful of GT500 buyers who will ever take their purchase to a road course for hard abuse – let alone one as challenging as Road Atlanta – but those few who will should plan on upgrading to a more aggressive pad before taking their first apex.
Around back, the 2013 Shelby boasts the same sexy LED taillamps, sequential turn indicators and LED reverse lights as the standard Mustang, though a large spoiler and new quad exhaust outlets work to set the car apart not only from the rest of the Mustang family, but the machine's predecessor as well. Not that there's any danger of mistaking the GT500 for a V6 model. With extra aero work, iconic snake badges and retina-snatching stripes, this Shelby has no intention of being understated.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead8-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead7-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead6-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead5-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
As brash as the top-tier Mustang is outside, designers have created a surprisingly refined cabin inside. A handsome three-spoke steering wheel with brushed metal accents offers all the appropriate contours at nine and three as well as a combination of suede and good-quality leather. Look beyond the wheel, and the 2013 Shelby GT500 serves up a tweaked version of a familiar gauge cluster. The speedometer now reaches all the way to 220 miles per hour, and while that may seem like a bit of prideful boasting, the truth is this pony has the bones to sprint all the way to 200 mph given enough track. (Not that your eyes would be looking anywhere other than straight down the course at such velocities.)
Then there's the tachometer. Ford built the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 under the hood with an over-rev function that allows the engine to swing past its standard 6,250 rpm redline to a screaming 7,000 rpm for eight seconds at a time. Exceed that window and the ECU will pull the rpm back to more sane levels for a spell. The tach, meanwhile, features an SVT shift light that illuminates at the standard redline and stays bright all the way to seven grand.
As with other Mustang models, a 4.2-inch LCD screen nestled between both analog gauges handles a variety of vehicle systems, from trip meters and average fuel economy readings to more engaging functions like the much ballyhooed Track Apps and launch control configuration. Unique to the GT500, engineers have also programmed in a clever boost/vacuum gauge so the driver can keep an eye on exactly what that big supercharger is up to at all times.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead16-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead17-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead15-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead14-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
As nice as the steering wheel and gauges are, they aren't the stars of the interior show. Slightly reworked Recaro bucket seats with Alcantara accents in all the right places and stitching color-matched to the vehicle's stripe option provide excellent support, and the short-throw cue ball shifter feels like mechanized perfection in your hand. With stiff springs and a deliciously mechanical-feeling engagement, the shifter is all kinds of magical and makes for easy and precise shifts. That's the case when power-shifting down the quarter mile or dropping a gear while quickly approaching a turn. Other manufacturers, take heed: This is how you build a shifter. Throw in a set of well-positioned pedals that all but plead for fancy footwork, and the cabin quickly outs itself as a palace of hoonery.
Speaking of pedals, Ford says its engineers spent plenty of time fretting over the clutch in the GT500. With 662 horsepower to funnel to the rear wheels, the company needed a clutch that could effectively drop anchor in the flywheel and vaporize the Goodyear F1 Supercar tires on command. That required moving from a 250-mm piece to a new 260-mm dual-disc clutch with more aggressive facing material and clamp load characteristics than before. All of that translates to a fairly stiff pedal that requires around 30 pounds of force to stuff into the carpet. The stiff throw is a perfect reminder you're piloting a machine capable of reversing the Earth's polarity at whim, though we can imagine the gold chain and flat brim set may find the action a bit too laborious for stop-and-go service.
Of course, it's easy to forget all about pesky details like clutch pedal pressure the first time your right foot gets frisky with the accelerator. Bang from first to second and the GT500 will wiggle its haunches, crescendo into a feral bark and mark its territory with 60 feet worth of very expensive rubber. And that's with traction control on. The secret to why that's possible lies in the aforementioned supercharged V8. Ford engaged in a little no-stone-unturned engineering when it came time to craft the all-aluminum creation at the heart of the 2013 Shelby.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
By Zach Bowman
Posted May 21st 2012 11:57AM
We would love to be able to look you square in the eye and say, "All you need to know about the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 can be summed up in one figure: 662." After all, that's the obscene amount of horsepower ripping at the rear tires courtesy of the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 under the hood. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. For the first time in its life, the GT500 has found itself lined up against a legitimate competitor in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The muscle car/supercar crossbreed from General Motors is stitched to conquer not only the quarter mile, but the nation's road courses as well.
In order to answer that threat, the engineers at Ford have laid a hand on nearly every mechanical and electrical system on board the GT500. While that means the blown V8 churns out a diabolical 112 more horsepower than the previous model, it also means the top-tier Mustang now comes with tricks like user-selectable Bilstein dampers, adjustable electronic power steering, larger brakes and an array of optional cooling systems. In fact, if this car came wrapped in a slightly different shade of sheetmetal, we'd be talking about an all-new model instead of a refresh.
From the outside looking in, there are only a few markers to distinguish the 2013 Shelby GT500 from the 2012 model. Those start with a new front fascia with a gaping, open maw of a grille. Ford has deleted the meshwork found in the old piece to optimize the amount of air pouring into the engine bay in the kind of the function-over-form move that turns us giggly. Clever ductwork also provides additional downforce and funnels air into a new radiator fan that incorporates an additional blade and passive vent flaps in the shroud designed to pull a maximum amount of air through the radiator when the vehicle is stopped. The flaps flip open to minimize resistance once the vehicle is in motion. Aesthetically, the new nose gives the coupe a set of catfish sucker lips, and the void looks as if it would be happy to draw in any wayward limbs foolish enough to stray too close.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead2-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead3-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead4-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
Like its more common siblings, the 2013 GT500 benefits from new headlight arrays trimmed with LED accents. Move to the coupe's side, and the changes are even more subtle. The uninitiated would be forgiven for missing the significantly upgraded brakes. A set of six-piston Brembo monoblock calipers clamp down on 15-inch rotors up front. The pizza pans do a smart job of filling up the 19-inch front wheels, and at more than an inch larger than the old stock, the rotors handle repeated road course abuse without so much as considering warpage. Likewise, Ford grew the rear discs to 13.8 inches from the previous iteration's 11.8. While those front calipers are loaded with the same pad material as the 2012 model, the rears now squeeze with a more aggressive compound.
On the street, the stoppers are a work of art. They provide perfect bite with initial pedal pressure and continue to bring the sizable coupe down from serious speed with ease in a nice linear fashion without excessive travel. We did find that the material started to fade after a few hard laps around Road Atlanta, where were fortunate enough to sample the machine's more athletic qualities. The reality is, there are only a handful of GT500 buyers who will ever take their purchase to a road course for hard abuse – let alone one as challenging as Road Atlanta – but those few who will should plan on upgrading to a more aggressive pad before taking their first apex.
Around back, the 2013 Shelby boasts the same sexy LED taillamps, sequential turn indicators and LED reverse lights as the standard Mustang, though a large spoiler and new quad exhaust outlets work to set the car apart not only from the rest of the Mustang family, but the machine's predecessor as well. Not that there's any danger of mistaking the GT500 for a V6 model. With extra aero work, iconic snake badges and retina-snatching stripes, this Shelby has no intention of being understated.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead8-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead7-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead6-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead5-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
As brash as the top-tier Mustang is outside, designers have created a surprisingly refined cabin inside. A handsome three-spoke steering wheel with brushed metal accents offers all the appropriate contours at nine and three as well as a combination of suede and good-quality leather. Look beyond the wheel, and the 2013 Shelby GT500 serves up a tweaked version of a familiar gauge cluster. The speedometer now reaches all the way to 220 miles per hour, and while that may seem like a bit of prideful boasting, the truth is this pony has the bones to sprint all the way to 200 mph given enough track. (Not that your eyes would be looking anywhere other than straight down the course at such velocities.)
Then there's the tachometer. Ford built the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 under the hood with an over-rev function that allows the engine to swing past its standard 6,250 rpm redline to a screaming 7,000 rpm for eight seconds at a time. Exceed that window and the ECU will pull the rpm back to more sane levels for a spell. The tach, meanwhile, features an SVT shift light that illuminates at the standard redline and stays bright all the way to seven grand.
As with other Mustang models, a 4.2-inch LCD screen nestled between both analog gauges handles a variety of vehicle systems, from trip meters and average fuel economy readings to more engaging functions like the much ballyhooed Track Apps and launch control configuration. Unique to the GT500, engineers have also programmed in a clever boost/vacuum gauge so the driver can keep an eye on exactly what that big supercharger is up to at all times.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead16-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead17-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead15-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/lead14-2013-shelby-gt500-fd.jpg
As nice as the steering wheel and gauges are, they aren't the stars of the interior show. Slightly reworked Recaro bucket seats with Alcantara accents in all the right places and stitching color-matched to the vehicle's stripe option provide excellent support, and the short-throw cue ball shifter feels like mechanized perfection in your hand. With stiff springs and a deliciously mechanical-feeling engagement, the shifter is all kinds of magical and makes for easy and precise shifts. That's the case when power-shifting down the quarter mile or dropping a gear while quickly approaching a turn. Other manufacturers, take heed: This is how you build a shifter. Throw in a set of well-positioned pedals that all but plead for fancy footwork, and the cabin quickly outs itself as a palace of hoonery.
Speaking of pedals, Ford says its engineers spent plenty of time fretting over the clutch in the GT500. With 662 horsepower to funnel to the rear wheels, the company needed a clutch that could effectively drop anchor in the flywheel and vaporize the Goodyear F1 Supercar tires on command. That required moving from a 250-mm piece to a new 260-mm dual-disc clutch with more aggressive facing material and clamp load characteristics than before. All of that translates to a fairly stiff pedal that requires around 30 pounds of force to stuff into the carpet. The stiff throw is a perfect reminder you're piloting a machine capable of reversing the Earth's polarity at whim, though we can imagine the gold chain and flat brim set may find the action a bit too laborious for stop-and-go service.
Of course, it's easy to forget all about pesky details like clutch pedal pressure the first time your right foot gets frisky with the accelerator. Bang from first to second and the GT500 will wiggle its haunches, crescendo into a feral bark and mark its territory with 60 feet worth of very expensive rubber. And that's with traction control on. The secret to why that's possible lies in the aforementioned supercharged V8. Ford engaged in a little no-stone-unturned engineering when it came time to craft the all-aluminum creation at the heart of the 2013 Shelby.