2005 SHELBY COBRA GT500
March 22, 2005 - The most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang in history will take to the
street next year, following a unique collaboration between performance car
legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT).
Ford took the wraps off the 450-plus horsepower Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 show
car at the New Year International Auto Show March 23. Designed in the
unmistakable image of Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s, the Shelby Cobra GT500 melds
SVT's modern engineering with the big-block performance that made the original
GT500 the king of the road.
"The all-new 2005 Ford Mustang is one of the hottest cars in many years,"
says Phil Martens, Ford group vice president, Product Creation. "Its chassis was
engineered from the beginning to be the basis of a high-performance, world-class
sports car from SVT, and the Shelby Cobra GT500 is it."
Carroll Shelby lends his support to SVT, adapting his earlier role as a
senior advisor on the "Dream Team" that was assembled to develop and build the
2005 Ford GT.
"I've
worked with the SVT guys for several years now, and I know they have the guts,
the talent and the passion to deliver the best performance Mustangs ever," says
Shelby.
A production version of the GT500 will go on sale in 2006, continuing the
high-performance lineage of the SVT Mustang Cobra model line. It will be followed by a
steady stream of performance products developed by SVT, possibly including a version of
the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin, the industry's first performance sport-utility truck.
"SVT led the modern-day factory performance trend with the Mustang Cobra and
the industry's first high-performance truck, the F-150 Lightning," says Hau
Thai-Tang, director, Ford Advanced Product Creation and SVT. "Today, we're
building on that pioneering vision with vehicles like the Ford GT, Shelby Cobra
GT500 and Sport Trac Adrenalin great performance machines that connect with
enthusiasts in a way no other companies or vehicles can match."
The production GT500 will be the first in a string of specialty Mustangs that
SVT will help deliver. This will create Ford Motor Company's and one of the
industry's broadest product portfolio, stretching from under $20,000 for the
V-6 Mustang coupe to the 450-plus-horsepower GT500, each offering performance
and value.
The GT500 and the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin teaser accelerate
the wave of momentum at SVT since the launch of the 2005 Ford GT supercar. SVT
also now will develop non-SVT branded Ford Division performance vehicles
including heritage-based performance Mustangs in the spirit of the 2001 Bullitt
GT and 2003 Mach 1 as it becomes more directly integrated into Ford's
mainstream product development process.
Shelby Cobra GT500's supercharged 5.4-liter DOHC
V-8 produces over 450 hp
Just as the original Shelby GT500 was the "step up" to big-block power from
the GT350, the new Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 steps up to Ford's
5.4-liter "MOD" V-8. The result? The GT500 is the most powerful factory
Mustang ever. Its supercharged 5.4-liter, 32-valve V-8 evolves from SVT's
experience with supercharging the "MOD" engine to deliver more than 450
horsepower and 450 foot-pounds of torque.
The cast-iron-block, four-valve engine is force-fed an air-and-fuel mixture
via a screw-type supercharger at 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. Aluminum
cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings sourced from the Ford GT program bring
a high level of proven durability to the drivetrain, while upgraded cooling
components promise longevity. "Powered by SVT" camshaft covers are the finishing
touch to the engine.
"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."
The engine has been further tuned from its first application in a Mustang,
the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, a limited edition model of 300 units.
Helping to put the power of the GT500's supercharged V-8 to the pavement is a
T-56 six-speed manual gearbox. The evenly spaced gears mean less stirring is
needed to find the "sweet spot" in keeping the revs "on cam" for power to pass,
while at the same time making the most of the engine's broad torque curve. The
heavy-duty transmission has proven itself a willing companion to V-8 power in
Mustangs in both road and track environments, including the 2000 SVT Mustang
Cobra R, 2004 SVT Mustang Cobra and the new race-winning Ford Racing Mustang
FR500C.
(Again, rumors though. We'll know for sure tonight at Midnight. 
