2010 Shelby GT500 unveiled!

[SVT666]

2010 Ford Shelby GT500 unveiled

Following the introduction of the 2010 Ford Mustang at the LA Auto Show in November, Ford today official revealed the more potent Shelby GT500 edition, ahead of its expected debut at the Detroit auto show next month. Powered by a 540 horsepower 5.4-liter V8, the new Shelby is more powerful than its predecessor by 40 horses.

Ford says its Special Vehicle Team (SVT) division carried over the gains made with the special edition Shelby GT500KR to the more widely produced Shelby model. The new GT500 also gains the GT500KR?s whopping 510 pound-feet of torque.

?Working together on the KR, the Ford and Shelby teams developed new systems to continually improve the iconic Mustang,? stated Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles. ?Those lessons learned are incorporated into the 2010 Shelby GT500. This approach will help maintain Mustang?s leadership position at the front of the pack and make the ownership experience even more enjoyable.?

New gearbox enhancements, plus a standard 3.55:1 rear axle ratio, decreased drag, and increased downforce mean the 2010 Shelby GT500 will deliver improved acceleration, while providing 2 mpg of additional highway fuel efficiency.

?The muscle car segment is becoming even more competitive,? said Jamal Hameedi, chief nameplate engineer for SVT. ?We need to uphold the Mustang badge with honor, the Shelby badge with honor and most importantly the Ford badge with honor. The 2010 GT500 is the car that will do all of that.?

The supercharged and intercooled V8, featuring dual overhead cams, redlines at 6,250 rpm.

The twin-disc clutch on the six-speed manual transmission has been upgraded, yielding better performance. The clutch discs are larger ? 250 mm in diameter compared with 215 mm ? and made of copper and fiberglass for increased strength.

Revised gear ratios promise better acceleration and economy. Gears 1 through 4 remain the same, but fifth gear changes from .80 to .74 while sixth gear goes from .63 to .50, meaning that the 2010 Shelby GT500 will turn lower engine RPMs in those gears and deliver improved efficiency. The new final drive ratio, from 3.31 to 3.55, enables the improved acceleration in lower gears.

Engineers reportedly paid extra attention to improving cabin noise. ?You still hear the supercharger but not so that it?s intrusive,? said Kerry Baldori, chief functional engineer for SVT. ?It?s the same with the exhaust. You want people to know you?re driving something special, but you don?t want an exhaust note that overpowers the whole interior.?

New lightweight wheels, optimized springs and dampers, Goodyear F1 Supercar tires, and a stiffer steering shaft all promise to enhance handling.

Other features include AdvanceTrac stability control (which can be disabled), dual stage front air bags, side-impact air bags, Ford SYNC, 911 Assist, a constantly updated Vehicle Health Report (VHR), and an Ambient Lighting System with MyColor.? Voice-activated navigation with Sirius Travel Link is optional.

[MX793]

In the first shot, it looks a little like a distorted Chrysler 300.

[Onslaught]

I like the dark blue one the most.

[93JC]

Solid rear axle?

[MX793]

Solid rear axle?

Of course!

[93JC]

[Catman]

Looks nice!

[Cookie Monster]

I like it!

But why no pics of the back?

[CJ]

The coupe looks like a cartoon...or maybe that's just the color.  The dark blue looks nice.  I think the convertible looks the best.

[Rich]

I just noticed it has different headlights than any previous S197, even the '10 GT/V6

I'm not sure what to call them but it looks like it has Xenon/HID headlights.  The GT has HID headlights available that have the color of Xenons, but don't look like these...

[hotrodalex]

The hood looks cheap with that plastic scoop thing.

[MX793]

I just noticed it has different headlights than any previous S197, even the '10 GT/V6

I'm not sure what to call them but it looks like it has Xenon/HID headlights.  The GT has HID headlights available that have the color of Xenons, but don't look like these...

Maybe the color is a result of the photos being "touched"?  Though you're right that they're a different headlight.  On other '10s, the turn signals are inboard of the main lamp.  The main lamp is inboard of the blinkers on these lamps... except on the dark blue one pictured which has headlamps similar to the regular '10 models.

EDIT:  BTW, all automotive HIDs are Xenon headlamps.  There's no distinction between an HID and a Xenon headlamp.

[Rich]

Maybe the color is a result of the photos being "touched"?  Though you're right that they're a different headlight.  On other '10s, the turn signals are inboard of the main lamp.  The main lamp is inboard of the blinkers on these lamps... except on the dark blue one pictured which has headlamps similar to the regular '10 models.

EDIT:  BTW, all automotive HIDs are Xenon headlamps.  There's no distinction between an HID and a Xenon headlamp.

What is this style of headlight on the GTO called?


They aren't Xenons, but don't look like typical halogens

[MX793]

What makes a headlight HID is the use of Xenon gas (as opposed to Argon which is used in stationary HIDs like stadium lighting).  Hence, all HID headlamps are Xenon headlamps.  I'm guessing the GTO did not utilize bi-Xenon lamps, so you've got one halogen lamp (high beam) and one Xenon (low beam) per headlight assembly.

[CJ]

What makes a headlight HID is the use of Xenon gas (as opposed to Argon which is used in stationary HIDs like stadium lighting).  Hence, all HID headlamps are Xenon headlamps.  I'm guessing the GTO did not utilize bi-Xenon lamps, so you've got one halogen lamp (high beam) and one Xenon (low beam) per headlight assembly.

They're just projector headlights in the GTO that use a standard halogen bulb.

[MX793]

They're just projector headlights in the GTO that use a standard halogen bulb.

I was under the assumption that the GTO had HIDs.

A number of newer halogens don't look like the traditional projector lamp.  This is what the halogen assembly in a Mazda3 looks like:



Low beam has sort of a weird fisheye lens on it, but still uses a halogen bulb.  High beam looks like your typical projector lamp.

[CJ]

It's the same on out Integra.  No HIDs, but that projector.

[Rich]

Hm, I guess they are just called projector lights, as CJ said..


So you can have:
-halogen reflector
-halogen projector
-xenon reflector
-xenon projector

I always thought a headlight had to be in the projector style to be compatible with xenon lighting...

[heelntoe]

Hm, I guess they are just called projector lights, as CJ said..


So you can have:
-halogen reflector
-halogen projector
-xenon reflector
-xenon projector

I always thought a headlight had to be in the projector style to be compatible with xenon lighting...

i don't think there are any xenon reflector lights. the ones that advertise that are usually the cheap knock-offs.

[Rich]

i don't think there are any xenon reflector lights. the ones that advertise that are usually the cheap knock-offs.

HIDs on the '06 (I think)-'09 Mustang

[SVT666]

The hood looks cheap with that plastic scoop thing.

I agree. The scoops should have been made as part of the hood using sheetmetal.  It would have looked much better.  Overall I think it pretty awesome, but if I ever got my hands on one, I would have that plastic painted to match the car.

[Sigma Projects]

In the first shot, it looks a little like a distorted Chrysler 300.

I looked back and you're right!


The hood reminds me of when I took a pass at making the last GT500 look more agressive as I still think these mustangs look too happy.


Are the projectors optional? Since I don't see them on the dark blue one.

[the Teuton]

The car looks like a Mustang with 47 chromosomes, if you catch what I'm saying.

[Sigma Projects]

LMAO, that's what I thought about the last mustang, I think this one looks better since they at least reduced the head lamp size so it doesn't come off as looking too much like down syndrome.

[the Teuton]

LMAO, that's what I thought about the last mustang, I think this one looks better since they at least reduced the head lamp size so it doesn't come off as looking too much like down syndrome.

Way to spell it out...

[Submariner]

What is this style of headlight on the GTO called?


They aren't Xenons, but don't look like typical halogens

The lowbeams (the outer lights, are projectors) while the highbeams (the inner lights) are reflectors (or freeform) HID refers to Xenon lighting, except  for the rare LED lighting system, while regular lamps use halogen bulbs.  Sometimes, halogen bulbs in projector style lamps can appear to be blue when the light reflects off of the cutoff in the assembly (what gives projectors such a sharp light cutoff)

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The hood looks cheap with that plastic scoop thing.

How much would cost Ford to paint the damn thing?

[Eye of the Tiger]

How much would cost Ford to paint the damn thing?

Paint just adds weight, and plastic doesn't neet paint. It's all about performance, d00d. 

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Paint just adds weight, and plastic doesn't neet paint. It's all about performance, d00d. 

Oh silly me! What was I thinking!

[omicron]

That interior is a nicer place to be indeed - full credit to Ford, because last year's model was far too much of a shiny cornflakes box. Something about the exterior doesn't quite sit right with me, though, and I still don't know what it is. I get the feeling that this car looks better in person than it does in photos, when I can better appreciate the stance and overall proportions.