Overview
As the most powerful and quickest factory Mustang ever, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 blends modern sports-car performance with iconic muscle-car presence. It builds on the same racetrack-capable chassis as the excellent Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, with an additional 234 horsepower that lends it credibility at the drag strip as well. The GT500 makes speed effortlessly with equal parts brains and brawn, including a supercharged V-8 that hammers out 760 horsepower, a quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and magnetorheological dampers. Optional carbon-fiber wheels, track tires, and aerodynamic aids are available for drivers looking to get the most out of this monster Mustang. The Shelby GT500 sits at the pinnacle of American muscle cars alongside the 650-hp Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the 797-hp Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye.

 What's New for 2020?
The Mustang Shelby GT500 is all new for 2020, reviving a nameplate originally introduced in 1967 and last used from 2013 to 2014. The 2020 Shelby GT500 is the best-performing Mustang to ever exit a Ford assembly plant.

 Pricing and Which One to Buy

  Shelby GT500: $73,995

 The 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 has a base price of $73,995, which can be inflated past $95,000 for a fully loaded model with the few options that are offered. The $1500 Handling package adds adjustable strut top mounts, an oil catch can, a Gurney flap on the rear spoiler, and splitter wickers with integrated dive planes on the front fascia. The $3000 Technology package includes navigation, blind-spot monitoring, SiriusXM satellite radio, heated mirrors with Shelby puddle lamps, and a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system. The big-ticket buy is the $18,500 Carbon Fiber Track pack, which is aimed at anyone planning to lap their Shelby on the track. It deletes the rear seats and adds carbon-fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track tires, Recaro seats, a larger rear wing, carbon-fiber interior trim, and the same oil catch can, splitter wickers, and adjustable strut top mounts as in the Handling package.

 Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Shelby GT500's single powertrain—a 760-hp supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 that revs to 7500 rpm with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic—is engineered for speed but trying to put the engine's full might through only the rear tires means this Shelby isn't as quick as you might expect. We anticipate the GT500 will be good for a 3.5-second rip to 60 mph and an 11.0-second quarter-mile once we run one through our testing protocol. Cars with significantly less power but more rear grip, such as the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette, will handily outrun that zero-to-60-mph time.

 Of course, it's not all about straight-line performance. On a racetrack, the GT500 snaps off raucous shifts and sounds every bit as menacing as it is. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are standard, but it's the optional Cup 2 tires that transform the GT500 into an apex-hunting machine. While it's heavy with an estimated curb weight of 4200 pounds, the GT500 corners with confidence and turns in without hesitation. We wish the brake pedal were firmer, but the massive Brembo brakes hold up nicely to track abuse, with no evidence of fade.

 Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
We've driven the Shelby GT500, but we haven't yet tested the car to know how its real-world fuel economy compares with its official fuel-economy figures. The EPA estimates the Shelby GT500's fuel economy at a thirsty 14 mpg combined, 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. Both the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat are rated at 16 mpg combined with highway figures in the low 20s.

 Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Mustang Shelby GT500 is palatial compared with the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. But if you want comfort with your tire-smoking burnouts and quarter-mile launches, you can't do better than the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. The GT500's cockpit is tighter than the Dodge's, and its suspension is firmer. That said, the Mustang is surprisingly livable for how laser-focused it is on performance. The magnetorheological dampers keep the body under tight control and yet still take the shock out of hard impacts. The optional Recaro seats ($1595 as a stand-alone option or part of the Track pack) will hug you tight at all times, so avoid them if you have personal-space issues. The Shelby's rear seats are crowded even for young children, particularly if they'll be sitting behind even a moderately tall adult. If you plan to actually use the rear seat, it's the Dodge you want. The GT500's trunk, at 14 cubic feet, is significantly larger than the Camaro's (9 cubic feet), but slightly smaller than the Challenger's (16 cubic feet).