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DRIVEN: Shelby GT500 Ups the Performance Ante
Written by: Bob Golfen   
04/06/2009
San Francisco, CA
 
The latest Shelby GT500 brings together high performance, drivability and sleek styling. (Photo: Peter Bleakney) » More Photos
The coastal highway north of San Francisco is an enjoyable romp of twisting road and lavish scenery, the legendary Highway 1 so often seen in movie clips and video road tests.

So here we were, flogging a mighty hunk of muscle car, with the rising green hills to the right, the sweep of glowing ocean far below, and the booming V-8 roaring in our ears.

This was a prime piece of Shelby magic, an all-new 2010 GT500 that further defines the enduring appeal of the top-drawer Ford Mustang. With 540 supercharged horsepower on tap, a newly refined suspension and an attitude that begs, “Race me,” the Shelby was an incredible companion on this very special day.

Lining up at Infineon Raceway's drag strip, the Shelby showed how it could hit mid-12s on street tires. (Photo: Bob Golfen) » More Photos
The tight curves of the shoreline road were not truly the element for the GT500, which lacks some in handling finesse, but when the road straightened out or swept through broad turns, the Shelby would lunge forward with a rewarding, high-speed blast of explosive power.

Not that the Shelby ever feels unstable. For a heavy sports coupe with a solid rear axle, the Ford shows remarkable poise in the corners, with excellent steering turn in, powerful brakes and electronically enhanced suspension control. The understeer that has plagued high-performance Mustangs in the past
has been pretty much dialed out, so response is more immediate and satisfying.

For most of our trip, the winding roads were smooth, showing off the Shelby’s tight suspension and overall balance. But there were some rough surfaces, too, where the coupe showed off its warts.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2010 Shelby GT500 - (Photos: Golfen, Bleakney and Ford Motor Co.)

The ride on anything but near-perfect pavement is harsh and buffeting, the rear stepping out in turns and the drivability deteriorating into a serious of sharp jounces. The body is admirably tight, though, with nary a rattle or squeak, and the suspension settles down immediately after impacts.

But this is the price for the GT500’s classic Mustang layout. The following day on the road course at Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point, we learned to appreciate the firm ride, and the solid rear was certainly not an issue.

On the drag strip, where the GT500 turned mid-12s for the most experienced racers (not me), the Shelby demonstrated the benefits of its design, including electronic launch control.

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