A $3,500 dollar option, it includes beefier (and better compounded) Goodyear Eagle supercar tires, a rear decklid spoiler, a 3.73 ratio limited slip axle, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear aluminum wheels, and a Shelby OTT (over the top) LeMans racing stripe. Word is Ford sought Carroll Shelby’s permission to move the Cobra from left to the right side of the grille in an effort to suck in more air.
The Shelby GT500’s interior features further refinement in materials and accessories that help to finish it off better than previous versions. Leather and Alcantara sport bucket seats kept us in place while hot footing at Leftlane’s test facility, Palm Beach International Raceway. Door panels, and console pieces just remind us the model cars of our youth, not pricey performance cars.
The new lighter block features improved cooling, six-bolt billet main bearing caps and improved intercooler design for cooler running, which help to bump overall horsepower and torque ratings.
The cast-iron cylinder liners from previous engines are now gone in favor of a cylinder liner coating process called Plasma Transferred Wire Arc. Ford’s electric power steering is very direct and one of the better power-assisted units we’ve driven. This package includes MacPherson struts with reverse-L lower control arms and a 34mm stabilizer bar in front.
The GT500 now offers a more ideal 56/44 (front/rear) weight distribution and during our test at Calabogie Motorsports Park, it proved surprisingly good. To be fair, our test car did come with the SVT Track Pack, which includes staggered 19-inch front and 20-inch rear forged aluminum wheels with grippier Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G: 2 tires, plus a stiffer and lower suspension.
Here the lowered suspension, (11mm up front and 8mm in the rear), makes a big difference.In the slower corners we were shocked at the lack of body lean, the new suspension really helping in this matter too, with front springs that are 20.5 percent stiffer and rear springs that are 9.5 percent stiffer.
Along with the reduced weight out front, traction in the corners gets added benefits from the SVT package thanks to even wider front tires. The 285/35/20s do a fine job, but with 80 percent of the car’s 510 ft-lbs of torque available from 1,750 rpm, the GT500 requires a feather-light foot. Sure the GT500 will haul to 60 (in a tick over 4 seconds) and burn down the quarter mile, but it’s obvious that Ford engineers have designed the GT500 for lapping days on a road course.
Further emphasizing that point are the car’s steering and brakes. While the throws are nice and short, for such a track-focused car , we’d like smoother shifts that take less effort.The current setup in the GT500 is more typical of American cars of yore. Supportive on the track with a decent amount of side bolstering, the GT500’s seats also make for a pleasant drive on the street. The weight and handling improvements made to the 2011 Shelby GT500 make for an incredibly capable track machine.
The following is a performance-capsule review of the 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a god among muscle cars. Engineered in partnership with the legendary Carroll Shelby, who created the first Ford Mustang Shelby GT in 1965 by modifying a regular Ford Mustang, the 550-horsepower 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a drag racer’s dream. The 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is available in two body styles: coupe and convertible.
