Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Dodge should worry about Ford’s next-gen Mustang GT500

Ronan Glon
By

Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Intentionally or not, Dodge started a horsepower war when it introduced its 707-horsepower Hellcat engine a couple of years ago. Ford is in the final stages of developing the next-generation Shelby GT500, and industry whisperings indicate that the Blue Oval is looking to one-up its crosstown rival.

Recent rumors reported by website Horsepower Kings claim that the 2018 Mustang Shelby GT500 will have no less than 740 horsepower on tap, 33 more than Dodge’s Hellcat-powered models and 214 more than the GT350R (pictured), the next model down in the Mustang hierarchy. It will eschew the GT350’s naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8 and instead use a brand new 5.0-liter V8 engine equipped with a pair of turbochargers and direct fuel-injection. The eight-cylinder’s output will be channeled to the rear wheels only, but transmission options remain unconfirmed at this point.

Recommended Videos

The GT500 is also set to benefit from Ford’s sizable investment in lightweight materials such as carbon fiber and aluminum. Putting the super-‘Stang on a diet will boost performance, while making it more efficient and more dynamic to drive. Brembo brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires will help drivers make the most of the eight-cylinder’s prodigious amount of power.

Related

Visually, the GT500 will boast a more muscular look characterized by a specific front fascia with a deep bumper and a fixed wing mounted on the trunk lid. The cabin will receive track-oriented bits and pieces such as bucket seats for the front passengers and a GT500-specific instrument cluster.

Read more: Hennessey celebrates 25 years with a Ford Mustang that hunts Hellcats

Ford is keeping its lips sealed about the next Mustang Shelby GT500, so enthusiasts will need to be patient to find out how much power — and what kind of engine — it will land with. We might not have to wait for very long, however, because the GT500 is tentatively scheduled to make its official debut either this fall during the Los Angeles Auto Show, or early next year at the Detroit Auto Show. Regardless, it will go on sale in time for the 2018 model year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon
Contributor
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Waymo’s next-gen self-driving tech can see what’s happening 500 meters ahead
Waymo One

Waymo has pulled the wraps off the latest version of Driver, the hardware/software combo that enables its autonomous vehicles to safely navigate the streets.

The unveiling comes in the same week that the Alphabet-owned company announced it had secured a whopping $2.25 billion in its first-ever round of external funding.

Read more
Mechanics will use Bosch’s VR tech to learn how to fix the Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford Mustang Mach E front view

The electric Mustang Mach-E due out by the end of 2020 is Ford's most high-tech car to date, and the mechanics who will work on it will undergo a suitably futuristic training process. The company teamed up with Bosch to create a virtual reality-based training course to teach technicians how to keep the crossover in tip-top condition.

Instead of traveling to a workshop, mechanics will learn how the Mach-E's electric powertrain is put together using an Oculus Quest headset programmed with instructions. Bosch and Ford placed a major focus on the high-voltage electrical system, which was developed specifically for the model and isn't currently found in other cars. VR will teach technicians how to remove, diagnose, repair, and reinstall the lithium-ion battery pack, for example.

Read more
Most Ford Mustang Mach-E reservation holders go for extended-range battery
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E and 2020 Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is one of the most anticipated new cars of the upcoming year. Treated to a glitzy unveiling at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, the First Edition of the new electric car sold out in a matter of days. Now we have more information on what the first production cars will look like, and when they will arrive.

The Mach-E First Edition was listed as sold out on Ford's website by the end of November -- shortly after order books opened November 18. Ford finally confirmed that reservations for the First Edition are full, without saying how many First Edition cars it plans to build. Customers can still place reservations for other models. However, as the name implies, First Edition models will roll off the assembly line and into customers' driveways first.

Read more