That it would be powerful was no secret; that its output would be on the far side of 700 hp was also widely expected, as per the dozens of rumours that have floated around for the past year. Ford has now confirmed the output of its upcoming 2020 Shelby GT500.
In terms of power, the car will benefit from 760 hp, and a phenomenal 625 lb-ft of torque (maximal). It’s no surprise to learn that this makes next Shelby GT500 the most powerful street-legal production car ever produced by Ford.
The numbers don’t quite reach the heights of the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, which gets 797 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque from its powertrain. But it’s more than the Camaro, the ZL1 version which makes 650 hp.
As for top speed, Ford has set the upper limit at 180 mph, or around 4300 km/h. That comes down to a question of aerodynamics, according to reports, because the car’s design is intended more to provide support rather than raw speed.
In any event, the idea with a car like this is is not to deliver mind-blowing top speeds but rather jaw-dropping accelerations. Thus the 5.2L V8 engine allows for taking the GT500 from a stop to 100 km/h in all of 3.5 seconds, more or less. The expectation is that the quarter-mile can be covered in under 11 seconds.
Power of course runs to the back wheels, via a Tremec 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Managing that power on the ground is a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, or Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires if the buyer has opted for the track package with carbon fibre components.
The 2020 Shelby GT500 is expected at dealerships this coming fall; we expect pricing will be announced as launch date approaches.
