2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Review

Specifications

That Elusive Perfect Lap Seems More Possible than Ever

Ive never seen such a flat racecourse before. There arent any elevation changes or banked turns. Shannonville Motorsport Park, next to the thriving metropolis of Belleville, Ontario, is made up of six separate tracks; four road courses, one drag strip and another ancillary circuit for go-karts. A number of journalists and FoMoCo staffers are on hand to test out a car that has already received more press than most others, thanks to its outrageous engine output rating and expected low price point.

Standing next to a small grandstand, just below the tower in the abbreviated pits of the 1.4 mile Fabi Circuit, an ideal choice due to its fine mix of short straights and tight corners, I can see that its road surface quality wouldnt be able to match the pristine tarmac of Mont-Tremblant (where we tested the Mustang GT and a muscled-up Saleen version), Willow Springs or even Road Atlanta (hardly pristine but better than this). For todays purpose, mind you, which for the most part is to drive and analyze a car that will primarily be used by non-professionals in real world conditions, this is perfect.

Ford chose one color scheme to represent its newest model at this event, and whether the classic blue on white Shelby livery was all that was available for this test (a total of seven color schemes can now be had), or rather that a specific choice was made by those putting on the show to highlight the automakers racing heritage and long relationship with the car industrys favorite octogenarian, Carroll Shelby, hardly matters.

What does matter is that the two cars look fabulous lined up beside one another, each with its hood opened to expose a supercharged beast of a V8. A closer look reveals an all-business array of pulleys and hoses, cam covers and strut-braces; no stylish plastic engine shroud to pretty up the engine bay. And why would anyone bucking up for something as visceral as Fords new Shelby want anything but the pure, undefiled goods?

Initially, the Shelby GT500 was slated to make 475-horsepower from its supercharged 5.4-liter V8, an engine that incidentally is produced at Fords Romeo Engine Plant in Romeo, Michigan, but an increase of 25-hp makes all the psychological difference - its now in Viper territory. Torque is just shy of the Viper at 480 lb-ft, but ample nevertheless. Fords modular V8 shares components, such as four-valve cylinder heads, piston rings and bearings with the automakers supercar, the GT40 inspired mid-engine GT - two of which were on hand for test drives with a full review coming shortly. Its Roots-type supercharger makes nine pounds of pressure per square inch, resulting in its staggering 500-horsepower output. That rating, by the way, was third-party witnessed and is SAE compliant, if you question the good old boys from Dearborn.

When put side by side to legendary Shelby models of yesteryear, even the awe-inspiring GT500 KR, one of which I had the pleasure of driving a number of years back, the new 2007 model that bears the same name will outpace it in straight-line acceleration and decimate it in the corners (more on both subjects in a minute), as the early cars werent anywhere near as stable. And just to be clear, Ford hasnt upgraded the 2007 GT500 with an independent rear suspension, as was done with the previous generation SVT Mustang Cobra, being that the new live axle setup is already very capable and traditional Mustang fans demanded a solid rear axle - better at the drag strip, or so they say. Not fitting in what would have to be a more complicated independent rear suspension also keeps the car lighter, and even more importantly allows for a lower price point.

Id like to say that Im impressed with the cars base price point, but unfortunately Ford hasnt announced what it will cost yet, at least up until the time of this writing. Being at a Canadian driving event I found out, however, that it will sticker for $51,999 CAD up north, which isnt all that far off of what the old SVT Mustang Cobra sold for when new; $46,195 CAD in the 2003 model year guise and $47,130 CAD when fully decked out. Doing a little calculating from the U.S. MSRP of the old 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra, a car that started at $33,460 in 2003 and topped out at $34,155 with all options (not including the convertible), means that the new model should still come in at under $40K even when its road-rocking 9-speaker Shaker 1000 audio system with an in-dash 6CD stacker and MP3 capability is added in, which will make it reachable by most established new car buyers. Is it the auto industrys best performance car value? No doubt Ford would like me to tell you that its latest Stang is the clear winner, and without feeling any pressure from the blue oval gang to make such a claim I have to admit to a leaning in that direction. And its not just because the automakers regular PR staff and SVT team are such nice folk that I say this, but truly because of how the car drives.

Jumping into the well-bolstered drivers seat, twisting the column-mounted key and igniting the big V8, a delicious rumble follows a thunderous initial roar. OK, Im already loving this thing, but now that Im rolling down the pit lane I have to remember Ive got readers that expect me to report on the facts, and therefore my single purpose comes back to mind: to prove Ford should have spent the big bucks and installed a “modern” rear suspension system.

I already know that this 3,450 pound car is going to react well to throttle input, and with no surprises it accelerates out of the pits like its running on banned substances. Ford claims a 5.7 second sprint to 100 km/h, but my guess is that theyre being overly conservative, especially considering that the old SVT Mustang Cobra made only 390-horsepower, weighed slightly more than the new car and managed the sprint to 60 mph in only 4.7 seconds. Try a flat 5.0 seconds, at least? This is probably too high as well, but well leave it there so as not to sound overly optimistic. Sorry guys, but I cant get more precise than that as I didnt have time to test it against the stopwatch. Its seriously fast though, and as aiding its launch time is a six-speed manual that has just the right amount of click-click notchiness to satisfy, without being balky. It slips from gear to gear quite effortlessly, but all thats needed on this track is the occasional shift from second to third and back again, as its diminutive dimensions combine with 480 lb-ft of Shelby torque to make shifting a waste of time - literally.

More important than off-the-line performance when on a road course is how a drivetrain reacts to input when already underway. After rounding the first turn I lay into the throttle, progressively but nevertheless hard, and the Shelby charges forward with an insanely determined resolve. No doubt, some will categorize this car amongst motorized sociopaths, an overzealous muscle car as out of step with our hybrid-electric times as the Partridge Familys technicolor school bus, or at the very least label their owners as immature hooligans, and to tell you the truth I cant blame them. But in the same breath Im tackling another curve, a short straight and a sharper corner before hitting a longer straightway, all the while calculating payments on $40K plus taxes. Am I that immature? Well, while I can hear those that know me chiming in with a harmonized “YES!” chorus, I dare you to drive this thing and not fall all over yourself in a twitterpated frenzy, contemplating just how youre going to juggle your finances to own one.

As for me, Ive got to jump on the brakes and set the car up for the next apex. Whoa! Fords SVT engineers didnt take any chances with their coveted GT500 owners, as the four-piston Brembos (big, fat 14-inch vented rotors up front and 11.8-inchers in the rear) behind each 18-inch ten-spoke rim are spectacular, pulling the coupe down to a more reasonable speed with outrageous force. The sticky 255/45ZR high-performance front tires (285/40ZR in back) added to its grip, with almost overwhelming traction.

Ack! Im braking too hard for too long, unsettling the chassis and scrubbing off too much speed. Braking on a racetrack, a totally different exercise than what most of us are taught when prepping to get our drivers license, is the toughest bad driving habit to relearn. Instead of progressively pressing on the pedal harder as we come closer to a corner, you have to first brake firmly while still going in a relatively straight line, which transfers weight to the front wheels and therefore allows for more front-end grip, and then slowly, smoothly release pedal pressure as you enter the turn, getting on the throttle at precisely the right moment so that the transition to forward thrust is smooth and effortless, so as not to let the car get out of shape. Ill try that again next time around.

The track winds in a variety of nonsymmetrical esses before it takes a sharp right and veers onto the front straight, past a gaggle of journalists with raised cameras, the desire to get into the throttle more about keeping up appearances than any need to test its high-speed capabilities. Fortunately, either rationale results in a breathtaking experience of fully-blown V8 thrust in action, and with heart racing and the end of the straight coming up faster than initially expected I remember what I forgot after the previous straight, and get on the brakes firmly before the corner arrives. This one is a long sweeper, and therefore not as much effort is needed, allowing a fast pace as it bends to the right.

Whew! Fabulous! I cant believe how well this car holds to the road, and like I said previously, Shannonvilles Fabi Circuit isnt exactly glass-smooth. Numerous bumpy patches joined by irregular surface treatments give it a real-world feel, but the mismatched pavement still cant upset the GT500. Another left, short straight and then that troublesome right hander, and… ah… that was almost perfect! This is easily the best Mustang suspension Ive ever tested, bar none, way more manageable than the Saleen-tweaked setup that I tried out on Mont-Tremblant during spring of last year, and at least as good as the nicely sorted Steeda-tuned GT I drove this past summer. Actually, Id like to see how well it would do against similarly sized German cars, like BMWs M3. The Bimmer would probably edge it out on an especially tight course like this, but my guess is not by much.

Of course, I expected it to handle well. The unexpected side of the GT500s suspension equation is its overall refinement. I think its even more compliant than the regular GTs, or at least it does such a good job of damping out uneven surfaces and tracks so much more accurately that it just feels better overall. When in the corners, though, theres no comparison. While the GT is impressive, easily the best live axle car Ive ever driven previously, this Shelby is ruddy amazing. Part of me wants to try it with a Kenny Brown aftermarket independent setup, but then again theres another side of me that would be scared to mess with the suspensions stock factory tuning.

One thing I wouldnt mess with is the GT500s updated styling tweaks. The new taller hood, more aggressive front clip and menacing headlight clusters are sensational, looking more like the original Mustang GT concept that I fell in love with at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit when it debuted in 2003, than the friendlier looking production Mustang. Unlike the concept that was almost Germanic in its minimalist silver paint scheme, the new Shelbys twin centre stripes and lower side decals are requisite for announcing its arrival, and do so in the same fashion as its 60s predecessors… scorching hot stuff.

Equally important, Ford answered my previous Mustang criticism by stretching real cowhide over what would otherwise have been low-rent dash plastic, transforming the cabin from a $20-something entry-level high-schooler to a $40-something BMW fighter. There are still some questionable surface treatments here and there, but overall the GT500 is much more upscale. The seats are wonderfully form-fitting too, and easily capable of wooing the pampered butts of import buyers, while the majority of the cars buttons, knobs and switches are, like the regular version, better than any previous Mustang.

But thats enough about any premium aspirations, as in reality the new Shelby GT500 is attracting domestic and import buyers alike. After all, theres nothing in the sub-$40K range that comes close to 500-horsepower; few cars that handle the curves anywhere near as well; and fewer still that look half as good.

Now with my lunch over and the track still waiting below, the sun now shining more heartily than it did this morning, Im heading out for another attempt at the perfect lap. Maybe itll happen in the new GT500? It certainly is balanced well enough to make this advanced but hardly expert driver feel in total control. OK, twist my arm, Ill give it another shot.