850 HP, 2500 mile 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby Super Snake Prototype Up For Grabs
A 2500-mile 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake prototype is currently up for grabs at RM Sotheby’s online-only Open Roads sale. This unique pony car could be one of the most affordable ways to get behind the wheel of a ridiculously powerful, unmistakably American ride. It may well be the ultimate expression of live-axle Mustang performance.
Each 2014 Super Snake began with the already potent Shelby GT500 as its base. From there, Ford dropped in its “Trinity” V-8, the largest displacement V-8 in the Modular family. Based on the tall deck architecture of the 5.4-liter, it increased both bore and stroke (3.68×4.18 inches, respectively) to land at 5.8 liters. Topped with impressive cylinder heads and a 2.3-liter Magnuson supercharger, the Trinity churned out 662 hp to make it the meanest factory pony car on the market until the dawn of the Hellcat.
Of course, Shelby wasn’t satisfied with 662 hp, so it brought GT500s to Las Vegas to create an even more brutal version. Swapping in Wilwood brakes, forged aluminum wheels, and upgraded cooling — plus, replacing the 2.3-liter Magnuson supercharger with a 3.6-liter Kenne Bell unit — added $40,000 to the base price of the GT500 and resulted in 850 hp. The Michelin Pilot rubber did its best to put the power to the ground, but it was a lot to ask. The Super Snake was — and still is — simply an animal.
(photo credit: Jasen Delgado - courtesy of RM Auctions)
