2010 Shelby GT500 unveiled!

[r0tor]

i wonders if ford will once again this year sell try to sell the car as a "limited edition" piece and the mustang faithful will gobble it up even though they produce it ever year and in numbers large enough that anyone that wants one can get one

-sigh-

[MX793]

i wonders if ford will once again this year sell try to sell the car as a "limited edition" piece and the mustang faithful will gobble it up even though they produce it ever year and in numbers large enough that anyone that wants one can get one

-sigh-

I thought the KR was the one that was in super limited numbers.  It better be for what they charge for it.

[SVT666]

i wonders if ford will once again this year sell try to sell the car as a "limited edition" piece and the mustang faithful will gobble it up even though they produce it ever year and in numbers large enough that anyone that wants one can get one

-sigh-

They build 10,000 GT500's every year.  They only built 1000 GT500KR's for 2008 and 776 +/- for 2009.  The KR is the limited edition.  Still with 10,000 GT500's built each year, a lot of people were left on waiting lists.

[GoCougs]

This looks much more holistically designed. The previous GT500, via a combination of the dowdy wheels, hood, stripes and ground affects looked just too much like a teenager's after thought.

[r0tor]

I thought the KR was the one that was in super limited numbers.  It better be for what they charge for it.

the original stories about the first GT500 said "limited"... then the KR became "limited"... and then they made it more years under "limited"

blah blah blah

[SVT666]

the original stories about the first GT500 said "limited"... then the KR became "limited"... and then they made it more years under "limited"

blah blah blah

Actually that's not true.  The GT500 was always planned to be a 10,000 unit a year car.  It was never planned to be a one or two year car either.  The KR was always planned as a 1000 unit first year and 776 unit second year car.  That was always the plan and it was never stated by Ford in any other way.

[sportyaccordy]

Car looks good, but doesn't make a compelling case against the Genesis coupe

[SVT666]

Car looks good, but doesn't make a compelling case against the Genesis coupe

Are you kidding me?  I fucking hope so.

[2o6]

Car looks good, but doesn't make a compelling case against the Genesis coupe

Apples to oranges.

[sportyaccordy]

Sorry I meant the regular Mustang

First GT500 was a real disappointment. Hopefully this car will be able to turn and accelerate simultaneously

[Raza]

That actually looks good.

[SVT666]

[Submariner]

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

Infiniti used freeform (reflectors) for xenons in their cars, as did Volvo, Lincoln, Cadillac and a few other brands.  Most companies use projectors for xenon lighting AFAIK.

[Submariner]

Car looks good, but doesn't make a compelling case against the Genesis coupe

Why not?

[SVT666]

Why not?

Because the GT500's 540 hp Supercharged V8 is not a Turbo 4 banger.

[the Teuton]

This car strikes me as more retro than the last one in some ways.

[Submariner]

Because the GT500's 540 hp Supercharged V8 is not a Turbo 4 banger.

When you put it that way...it makes perfect sense!

To be fair, the old Mustang wasn't exactly praised for it's suspension setup, but I've heard a great deal of improvement has been done for the new model, so I guess we will have to wait and see.

[Catman]

Gawd that blue with red stripes is hideous.

[Raza]

Gawd that blue with red stripes is hideous.

Yes, it is.  Besides, everyone knows you're not supposed to wear red and blue together.  They clash.

[Nethead]

i wonders if ford will once again this year sell try to sell the car as a "limited edition" piece and the mustang faithful will gobble it up even though they produce it ever year and in numbers large enough that anyone that wants one can get one

-sigh-

It's "limited" in the sense that the GT500 assembly line can only produce around 9-10,000 units per year (maybe fewer now that Ford has reduced its headcount in keeping with the times), and the GT500 availability was always publicly presented as such.  It is revisionist thinking--revisionist whining, actually--to claim the car was given an artificial numeric limit to keep it "exclusive".  The Mustang faithful--as well as many others--have "gobbled them up" because the GT500 is the most affordable 540 HP car you can buy. 

And yes, the idea is to make one for everyone that wants to get one, within the understandable limits that the production line dedicated to GT500s can only produce so many each year.  A lot of hand assembly is required to produce GT500s, so production volumes are probably only around 180-200 units per week--ordering early makes serious sense.  If you don't order yours before the number of orders ahead of yours meets or exceeds the total that can be produced on the GT500 assembly line in the current model year, you will have to come up with a Plan B if you want a GT500 of the current model year--buying one from a dealer's stock or from an individual, hotwiring in the middle of the night, carjacking, buying lotsa tickets in a GT500 charity raffle, bidding big at Barrett Jackson, or whatever...

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Yes, it is.  Besides, everyone knows you're not supposed to wear red and blue together.  They clash.

Crips  and Bloods?         

[TBR]

Looks fabulous, too bad it seems to pretty much be the same old GT500.

[SVT666]

Looks fabulous, too bad it seems to pretty much be the same old GT500.

Well, it's not.  This is basically the last gen GT500KR...only better, and the last gen GT500KR was substantially better then the standard GT500.

[TBR]

I hope.

When the previous GT500 first came out I really wanted to like it. I absolutely loved the way it looked, particularly the convertible, but when the reviews came out it was pretty clear that style was it's best trait by a considerable margin.

[Nethead]

I hope.

When the previous GT500 first came out I really wanted to like it. I absolutely loved the way it looked, particularly the convertible, but when the reviews came out it was pretty clear that style was it's best trait by a considerable margin.

TBR:  TooberDude, the GT500's best trait by a considerable margin was a smidgen over 500 horsepower for $40,930--eating alive in all categories of  accleration, braking, and handling  the Charger SRT8, the GTO, and the Monte Carlo SS.  The Monte Carlo SS () was so outclassed that no magazine bothered to ask Chevy for a Monte Carlo SS to compete in those comparos .   

Such a morbid loss of short term memory should be checked out by your physician...

[TBR]

I don't really give a damn about straight line performance when the car handles like a pig.

[SVT666]

I don't really give a damn about straight line performance when the car handles like a pig.

Since it doesn't handle like a pig, I don't know how to answer that.  Is it as good as it could have been?  No, but many publications commented on how well it handled for such a heavy car.  Since the new one is much better then the last one, I imagine the car will actually receive praise this time around.

[TBR]

Since it doesn't handle like a pig, I don't know how to answer that.  Is it as good as it could have been?  No, but many publications commented on how well it handled for such a heavy car.  Since the new one is much better then the last one, I imagine the car will actually receive praise this time around.

Actually, reviewing reviews indicates that comment was a little over the top. However, I don't think the current GT500 is as good as it should be.

[Nethead]

Actually, reviewing reviews indicates that comment was a little over the top. However, I don't think the current GT500 is as good as it should be.

TBR: No vehicle is ever as good as it should be, TooberDude, and every single one of them could be improved.  Which is why the 2010 GT500 has been developed further, and offers more performance than the $40,930 original:

"The 2010 Shelby GT500 is powered by a supercharged and intercooled 5.4-liter dual overhead cam V-8 engine expected to produce 540 horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque. The redline is 6,250 rpm. The car's aluminum 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. The discs on the 2010 Shelby GT500 are larger -- 250 mm in diameter compared with 215 mm in diameter on the outgoing model -- and made of copper and fiberglass to make them more robust.

A unique component of the twin-disc system is the control of the intermediate disc. Rather than floating, it instead has six straps that control the engagement of the clutch, improving drivability.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 offers customers improved straight-line acceleration, plus fuel savings when cruising on the highway in the top gears. Gears 1-4 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 fuel efficiency. The new final drive ratio, from 3.31 to 3.55, enables the improved acceleration in lower gears while complementing the revised fifth and sixth gear ratios.

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 patented resonator placed between the air filter and engine throttle body helps keep unwanted noise in check.

'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.

'We spent a lot of time getting the right sound quality out of the exhaust so you get that nice, crisp Shelby sound outside and a pleasant sound inside the cabin. It's a nice balance; one isn't overpowering the other.'

Driving dynamics also are improved, thanks to SVT's signature chassis tuning as well as new 19-inch Goodyear F1 Supercar tires and forged aluminum wheels on the 2010 Shelby GT500 coupe and 18s on the convertible.

Spring and dampers have been optimized for better roll control, giving customers 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.

'All our changes were about making the car to respond as fast and as predictable as possible,' Hameedi said. 'The 2010 Shelby GT500 conveys an athletic, confident feel. The shifter, clutch pedal, brake-pedal efforts and overall steering efforts are easier now. We wanted to make sure we had a nice, crisp short-throw shifter that was easy to go from gear to gear.'

The Goodyear F1 Supercar 19-inch tires have been upgraded, too. SVT members developed a 'recipe' for the attributes and characteristics they wanted in the tire, which Goodyear's team of engineers, designers and manufacturers brought to life. The result is better grip, better handling and better NVH properties, leading to a better customer experience.

The wheels themselves complement the high-performance nature of the 2010 Shelby GT500. The 19-inch wheels are forged aluminum wheels milled on both sides. The extra machining process creates 'blade' spokes with very thin, yet strong, cross-sections. The spokes have a specific curve from the rim to the hub, not only for strength, but also to accentuate the offset and width of the tires.

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.

Numerous aerodynamic upgrades, including a redesigned splitter, were made to the front end of the 2010 Shelby GT500.

'We worked hard to get as much downforce with as little drag as possible,' Baldori said. 'We worked to seal off the air that comes in the front so it can't go underneath the car. We spent a lot time sealing components such as the radiator and intercooler to get rid of all the leak paths.'

'The result of this evolution of aerodynamics is we've increased downforce, reduced drag and improved the overall efficiency of the 2010 Shelby GT500.'

Directing the air so it's used most efficiently was a painstaking process that ultimately will be rewarding to customers. 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."

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

TBR:   The Monte Carlo SS () was so outclassed that no magazine bothered to ask Chevy for a Monte Carlo SS to compete in those comparos .   

Did you just compare a Monte Carlo SS to a GT500?     How about using the Corvette (closer in price and horsepower) as an example? We all know what happened when ANY magazine put the Vette up agaisnt the GT500.