Thanks to capitalism, consumers have a ton of options when deciding which product to purchase. This extends through every aspect of an individuals life. From a preferred brand of toothpaste all the way to which automobile you buy; there's always an opportunity cost (Choosing one thing over another).
Next to getting a house and marriage, buying a car will be one of the most important value judgements you'll make in your life. As such, it's crucial to make sure that you scour all the possible options out there. For the purposes of this specific article, lets stick to sports cars and muscle cars more generally. After all, if you've got the dough, it's best to get one that won't incur buyer's remorse in the future.
Those of you who have been eyeing up a new addition to your sports car repertoire, STOP! Why? Well, there's a new kid in town. Actually, it's quite old, but a return to form at the same time. Of course, we're talking about the latest 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Although the 'GT500' name has been absent for a while, we here at HotCars believe that the new GT500 will be worth the money. Let us show you why...
4 A Return To Form
When Carroll Shelby sadly passed away in May of 2012, an air of uncertainty loomed over the Shelby brand. "Would they fade away afterwards, or never be the same as before?" This was the common concern circulating around the car community, however, none of them came to pass. Since Shelby's death, we've had some of the best Shelby Mustangs of the modern-era; including the GT350R.
What did, sort of, end after Shelby's passing was the GT500 name. The 2013 version was still produced, but only because it was virtually the same as the 2012 iteration. Shortly after that, the GT500 name went into hiatus; only having a 350R model rather than the common 500. Luckily for Shelby-lovers and muscle car enthusiasts around the world, Ford unveiled the upcoming 2020 Mustang GT500 in early-2019.
It wasn't just a comeback for a badge, but a return to form for Shelby's new cars. A lot of the newer GT500s drove/felt more like a slightly quicker GT, just with a higher price-tag and O.K. performance. The 2020 GT500, though, won't be like this. Similar to the GT350R, the GT500 was not built for quarter-mile runs, rather, improved lap times, actual aerodynamics, and much more.
Now, Shelby is no longer just a more costly version of a Mustang GT. Hopefully, Shelby would be proud of the progress and aims towards on-track success.
3 No Mere 'Muscle Car'
Contrary to the Mustang and Shelby stereotype, the upcoming 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 is no simple "muscle car." Calling it such would be the understatement of the decade, especially when you take into account its capabilities and the extensive engineering that went into the GT500's production.
Unlike what you'd probably expect from a monolith like Ford, the 2020 Mustang GT500's engine is actually hand-built. Each one is painstakingly put together piece by piece by highly skilled engineers and technicians trained on getting to utmost amount of power out of the 5.2-liter, supercharged, V8.
The care and attention-to-detail used to make the GT500 turns it from another basic gas-guzzler to a track beast and outright supercar competitor. With a 5.2-liter, supercharged cross plane crank V8, the 2020 GT500 makes over 760 horsepower. Combine that with a pseudo-lightweight body (~4,200 lbs) and a redefined aerodynamics package, you get a bona fide corner-straightener and European sports car-killer; Much more so than the GT350R.
Speaking of the GT350R, the 2020 GT500 is built off of the same chassis/frame, except with the obvious exterior changes and horsepower boosts. No wonder it can actually take a corner like a real race car and can accelerate to 60 M.P.H. in just 3.3-seconds!
2 The Competition
Like we've stated previously, the current-year market is ripe with choices for every category of car. The vast number of options segregate consumers through brand loyalty, perceptions of quality, and much more. In essence, this means that breaking away from the crowd is no simple feat, even for Ford. To do so, the Shelby name would have to do a lot.
Fortunately for Ford, they didn't just need the Shelby brand, as they had made sure to make the 2020 Mustang GT500 the best it could possibly be. However, they're still up against companies who are doing the exact same, which begs the question: Why get the 2020 GT500 over everything else out there (For the price-point)?
The answer is simple: Appearance and proficiency. Of course, liking the look of something is subjective, yet, can be tallied under a general consensus. So far, the consensus among the car community is very positive in regards to looks; saying that its aggressive and mimics the 'old days' a bit. In terms of proficiency, the new Shelby GT500 aims to be the best of the rest both on the road, the drag strip, and the circuit. For some reason, though, Ford refuses to test the GT500 on the Nürburgring; whether due to fears or thoughts of pointlessness.
In the lineup of the Dodge Challenger (And Charger) Hellcat/Demon, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Corvette C8, Dodge Viper and Ford GT, the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 sits comfortably towards the top. Now, we doubt the GT500 will surpass the Ford GT, but it will surely holds its own against the rest (Maybe even against European brands, too).
1 What Comes Next?
There's only one thing that can be done now: Wait. Because the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 is yet to be sold/available to the general public, most of the information attained is directly through Ford and their various media partners.
All in all, with everything that's been unveiled, it's not wild to believe that the Shelby GT500 will dominate (After all, we here at HotCars do). The sheer amount of power (760 horsepower) from the hand-built V8 and GT350R underbody are evidence enough to come to that logical conclusion. And, with an M.S.R.P. of $70,000 or so, the 2020 GT500 isn't exclusive to the one-percent, but for anybody in the middle-class, too!