Ford Mustang FAQs

Produced by Carrol Shelby, the 2007 Shelby GT500 is one of the most hyped Ford Mustangs every produced. Produced on a phenominal chassis (Ford redesigned the chassis in 2005) with every ounce of horsepower Ford could squeeze out of an engine (and retain the full factory warrantly), this car handles and accellerates like a dream. This is the most powerful factory built Ford Mustang every produced.

It all starts with a 5.4-liter DOHC (dual overhead cam) V8 engine made of cast iron, a powerplant first used in the limited edition Mustang Cobra R. A screw-type supercharger with an air-to-water intercooler, generating 9 pounds of boost, forces air into the cylinders, each of which has four valves. Many of the engine components, such as the aluminum piston heads and bearings, came from the development of the Ford GT.

“This version of the 5.4-liter V-8 has a higher horsepower rating than any other factory Mustang in history,” says Jay O’Connell, SVT chief vehicle engineer. “It really delivers on the essence of two great names in Ford performance – a mix of SVT’s modern-day experience with supercharging and the Shelby GT500’s heritage of big-block power.”

This piece of American muscle boasts 500 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm, mind you this is with just 9 pounds of boost. The potential for even greater power numbers is there, just a pulley change and re-tune away.

A T56 six-speed manual transmission is also part of the GT500’s powertrain, but there’s no technological innovation here. The T56 is a tried-and-true, race-proven transmission that is very capable of handling the V8’s horsepower. The gearing is evenly spaced to allow the engine to use all of its torque to drive the rear wheels.

Shelby GT500 Specifications

Type: Supercharged V8
Configuration: Iron block and aluminum heads
Intake manifold: Cast-aluminum with screw-type supercharger and air-to-water intercooler
Exhaust manifold: Cast iron
Crankshaft: Forged steel
Throttle body: Dual 55 mm, electronic
Valvetrain: DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Displacement: 330 cubic inches (5,409 cc)
Horsepower: 500 hp
Torque: 480 lb-ft
Transmission: T56 six-speed manual
Driven wheels: Rear-wheel drive

Suspension
Front: Reverse-L independent MacPherson strut, 34-mm tubular stabilizer bar
Rear: Three-link solid axle with coil springs, Panhard rod, 24-mm solid stabilizer bar

Brakes
Type: Four-wheel power disc
Front: Brembo 14-inch vented and cross-drilled disc, four-piston aluminum calipers
Rear: Brembo 11.8-inch vented and cross-drilled disc, single-piston calipers

Wheels
Type: 18×9.5-inch aluminum wheels
Tires: P255/45ZR-18 up front and P285/40ZR-18 on the rear

Size
Wheelbase: 107.1 inches (272.0 cm)
Length: 187.6 inches (476.5 cm)
Width: 73.9 inches (187.7 cm)
Height: coupe 54.5 inches (138.4 cm) convertible 55.7 inches (141.5 cm)
Track width, front/rear: 61.9 inches / 62.5 inches (157.2 cm / 158.8 cm)
Ground clearance: 5.71 inches (14.5 cm)
Cargo Volume: 9.7 cubic feet (27 L)

“SVT has been and will remain the leader in performance vehicle engineering and marketing,” says Martens. “SVT remains unique in offering the total performance experience. The return of Carroll Shelby to our performance family only strengthens our firepower.”