Home - Automobile Reviews - 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Track Test


2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Track Test

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
Shannonville Motorsport Park was the ideal location for runlimited eal-world testing. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)
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
Lined up for inspection in all their glory. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)
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.
One supercharged beast of a V8, the GT500 mill boasts 500-hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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 classic 1970 Shelby GT500 that showed up trackside didnt visually inspire the new version, but spiritually its all there. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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
What a heritage; Shelbys name is once again next to the snake. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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
Nice looking wing, and it adds downforce too. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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
This tail end should disappear into the 100 km/h sunset in less than 5 seconds. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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
Out on the road course, the power amazes and handling wows. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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
Behind those 18-inch 10-spoke rims are some of the largest Brembos available. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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
Speed on the straight ramps up quickly... (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)?
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.
Page:  1  2

ADD TO:
Digg
Del.icio.us
Google
Blink
Furl
Simpy
Spurl
Y! MyWeb

Add to Technorati Favorites

Your Comments
Enter review title
 Choose a star rating
 Type in your review
Your Name (optional)
 Your Email (optional)


Relatd Vehicle Listings
User Tools
Discuss in our Forums
Photos of Ford Shelby GT500
Ford Shelby GT500 Specs
Print this Car Review
Email this Car Review
NEW Ford PRICE QUOTE
Get a FREE, No-Obligation Internet Price Quote for Ford !
Find Ford Dealer | Search Auto Listings for Ford



Acura   Audi   Bentley   BMW   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Chrysler   Daewoo   Dodge   Eagle   Ferrari   Ford   Geo   GMC   Honda   Hummer   Hyundai   Infiniti   Isuzu   Jaguar   Jeep   Kia   Lamborghini   Lexus   Lincoln   Lotus   Maserati   Mazda   Mercedes-Benz   Mercury   MINI   Mitsubishi   Nissan   Oldsmobile   Plymouth   Pontiac   Porsche   Saab   Saturn   Scion   Subaru   Suzuki   Toyota   Volkswagen   Volvo