The 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 delivers the most power and refinement ever for a Mustang.
Ford's Special Vehicle Team used the gains made on the 40th anniversary edition Shelby GT500KR "King of the Road" Mustangs as the performance starting point and built from there. The design team, with a nod to the original Shelby Cobras from the 1960s, takes those design cues even further with nuanced improvements in both the coupe and convertible, each of which boasts a more-refined interior.
But, more importantly for a muscle car, the 2010 Shelby GT500 delivers more horsepower and more torque than the outgoing model, thanks in part to advancements pioneered on the GT500KR.
The 2010 Shelby GT500 is powered by a supercharged and intercooled 5.4-litre dual overhead cam V8 engine expected to produce 540 horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque. The redline is 6250 rpm. The car's aluminium power dome hood not only adds to the Shelby's appearance, it helps cool the engine through a hood extractor.
The Shelby's open-element air induction system features a conical air filter instead of a flat-panel closed system to reduce air restriction. This approach allows more air to be pumped through the engine, producing more power and increasing the engine's efficiency.
A cold-air intake feeds the coolest air possible directly into the air box, helping further increase horsepower. The intake necessitated moving the Cobra snake badge to the other side of the grille to enable maximum airflow.
The twin-disc clutch on the six-speed manual transmission has been significantly upgraded, improving drivability and NVH, while the car offers improved straight-line acceleration, plus fuel savings when cruising on the highway in the top gears.
The Shelby's distinct sounds will be apparent as always, though with new refinements, thanks to the work of the Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) team. A resonator placed between the air filter and engine throttle body helps keep unwanted noise in check.
Driving dynamics also are improved, thanks to SVT's chassis tuning as well as new 19-inch Goodyear F1 Supercar tyres and forged aluminium wheels.
Spring and dampers have been optimised for better roll control, giving drivers more confidence when braking, accelerating or turning. The new chassis tuning takes its philosophy from the KR program, with a greater emphasis placed on primary body control.
The team also stiffened the steering shaft.
The 2010 Shelby GT500 features AdvanceTrac, Ford's stability control system with several options for performance. The default "on" mode accommodates every-day driving, and a Sport mode delivers for those wanting to put the Shelby GT500 through its paces on the track. The system also can be turned completely off, although the anti-lock brake system and other active safety systems remain in place. Standard safety equipment includes: dual stage front air bags, side-impact air bags and Ford's Personal Safety System.
More safety allows for more performance: numerous aerodynamic upgrades, including a redesigned splitter, were made to the front end. The design of the front fascia and the car's "flush" hood helps focus air flow. The top grille focuses air into the radiator, with a rubber flap inside the engine compartment helping to seal the system. The lower grille helps cool the intercooler. SVT engineers also went as far to block off specific diamonds in the front of the 2010 Shelby GT500's distinctive grille to help maintain the correct cooling and aerodynamic balance.
A meaner, reskinned snake
The design team took a cue from the Shelby AC Cobra 427 with respect to the front grilles, which are gaping and appear ready to swallow the road.
Another obvious difference for the Shelby is the addition of racing stripes, which made their mark on 1960s-era Ford performance vehicles,
Rounding out the Shelby's exterior modifications are the unique signature coiled Cobra badges on the front grille and front fenders, a more aggressive front splitter and lower-drag rear spoiler, which added to those improved aerodynamic features, round out the exterior modifications.
Inside there's genuine materials such as real leather in all seats, real aluminium on the instrument panel and Alcantara inserts on the seats and steering wheel.
The genuine aluminium finish panels have a unique-to-GT500 three-dimensional dimpled texture pattern inspired by racing clutch plates, braided hoses and cross-drilled racing brake rotors. The pattern has been tuned to compensate for the compound curvature of the instrument panels. In addition, the "GT500" logo has been discretely engraved into the aluminium in front of the passenger as a nod to classic Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s.
This unique aluminium finish panel is fully encapsulated by a soft seamless TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) instrument panel with a shape that resonates with Mustang's heritage. The centre stack flows into the console and features a sub-flush shifter trim ring, flush cup holder door and lockable console stowage featuring the word "SHELBY" engraved in its Satin Liquid Chrome release button.
All 2010 Mustangs and Shelbys feature bright 360-degree rings surrounding the gauge cluster, uninterrupted by the steering column. These rings come in chrome for the Mustang and a Satin Liquid Chrome finish for the GT500. This finish is featured throughout the interior. An intricate cobra is etched into the centre of the aluminium steering wheel badge. The Shelby Cobra appears at startup on the navigation screen, and the familiar red "SVT" logo utilises new ambient lighting to illuminate the door scuffplate.
Even the classic white shift knob – an icon of Shelby Mustang DNA from years past – received special attention. First, it had to be the traditional white. It also had to be specific to the Shelby. The answer was to combine the racing-stripes theme with the traditional "H" pattern found on shifters to create a one-of-a-kind knob. Like the exterior, the racing stripes wrap from end to end, encircling the knob.
