Test Drive: 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 - The Ultimate In American Muscle (The Weekend Drive)
With all the ballyhoo and hubbub over the naming of Ford’s all-electric crossover (Mustang Mach-E), one thing that can unite all muscle car enthusiasts and all Ford fans is the loud, visceral sound of a finely-tuned American-made V8 engine.
And in the 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 resides one the best engines to ever come out of Michigan. In both tune and performance it truly showcases what the internal combustion can do, and also conversely what today’s electric motors can’t do.
During the week I spent with the Shelby Cobra, I took many people on joy rides to showcase the raw power of this muscle car. I also drove it to a Mustang car show where it was the star of the show. The Mustang enthusiasts gathered around the car as I popped the hood to showcase the V8 engine. They asked me to fire it up and rev it. And I obliged, of course.
You would think a symphony was taking place as the roar of that engine hit their ears like beautiful music. And truth be told, that guttural, visceral roar of the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine never got old. In fact, if you ever tire of hearing it, perhaps there’s a Toyota Prius waiting for you to drive somewhere.
The Shelby Cobra emblem replaces the Mustang emblem on the aggressive grille. But make no mistake, this is as Mustang of a car as you’ll find today. The low-slung posture of the GT500 shows it means business. The dark antimatter blue paint coat gets complimented with white striping across the center of the hood and along the side of the Mustang. This is what a muscle car is supposed to look like. But the GT500 doesn’t just look the part, it acts the part with a high-performance engine.
The 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine is an engineering marvel. The late Carroll Shelby would be proud to have his name affiliated with this driving machine. It is rated at 760 horsepower and 625 lb./ft. of torque. Those numbers look impressive, but they’re made to feel even better thanks to the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
You may think a muscle car needs a manual transmission, but in this case you’d be wrong as this DCT is the best transmission I’ve ever experienced – hands down. Both the upshifting and downshifting are perfection and provide immediate acceleration and beautifully-timed revs. And of course each shift brings with it a harmonious sound that can be tuned up (or tuned down). But why would you want to tune it down? Change the exhaust throat to track mode and the GT500 is so effortlessly loud that it will surely make the hairs stand up on your arms.
(photo credit: Jimmy Dinsmore - The Weekend Drive)
