2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Review (Motor Trend)
It’s A World-Class Supercar-Killer.
"My gawd," was the first thing, the only thing I could say after hot-lapping the 760-horsepower 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 on a track. "What a thing!" (C'mon, Walton, pull yourself together, use proper descriptors.) "I mean, a helluva thing, a monster!"
I was literally a few words shy of speechless, the Shelby GT500 was such a revelation. Like the mid-engine 2020 Corvette does, this American icon pushes the limits, and the Europeans, to the edge of what we once thought possible. I don't write glibly when I say it is both a sobering and enthusiastic realization.
The car had such explosive power, controlled and exploitable through the brilliantly tuned Tremec twin-clutch seven-speed automated manual transmission and Torsen limited-slip differential. Think Porsche GT2 RS. Yes, I just wrote that. It also provided so much mechanical and aero grip that it attacked racetrack curb hopping and wide-open sweepers with equal poise and confidence. Think Jaguar XE SV Project 8. The seatbelt-straining brakes and fingertip controllable steering produced nearly equal 1.3 g loads in their respective directions. Think Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4Matic+.
This isn't the best Mustang ever, nor even the best Shelby GT ever. It's one of the best sports cars in the world right now, ready and willing to go wheel to wheel for lap times and pinks. Brrrring it.