Mustang Shelby GT500 is still likely to be one of the most memorable Mustangs of all time. Endless, tire-roasting personality is certainly this car's biggest strength.
ProsThere are certain sounds that will make a driving enthusiast drool like one of Pavlov's famous dogs. Firing up a 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, for example, elicits a throaty rumble so intoxicating that every car fan in the neighborhood is liable to show up in your driveway.
Lest anyone think it's some mere poser, this over-the-top Mustang variant has the bite to back up that bark. The Shelby GT500's supercharged V8 cranks out an astonishing 662 horsepower, making it the most powerful V8 ever squeezed beneath the hood of a production car. In practical terms, that translates to a 0-60 mph time of just 4 seconds and a top speed of more than 200 mph, numbers that put it on par with exotic supercars with six-figure price tags.
To complement all that power, the Ford GT500 gets a lightweight carbon-fiber driveshaft, upgraded brakes, beefed-up suspension bits and the latest Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires. Adding the available SVT Performance and Track option packages helps boost the car's abilities with electronically adjustable shock absorbers, firmer springs and enhanced cooling for the engine and transmission.
At times, though, the GT500, as good as it is, can seem as if it's hampered by the limitations of the basic Mustang platform architecture. It's a capable handling car, but with its low-tech, solid rear axle suspension design, the Shelby GT500 can't match the handling confidence you'd get with the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 ) and its fully independent suspension. As far as everyday annoyances are concerned, there's the 'Stang's underwhelming interior design (which is much more of an issue at the GT500's higher starting price) as well as tall rear-end gearing that can make smoothly pulling away from a stop tricky.
The 2014 Ford Shelby GT500 isn't the only max-attack muscle car vying for your attention, either. Topping that list is the Camaro ZL1, which isn't as quick in a straight line but did best the Mustang in a recent Edmunds comparison test. The 2013 Dodge Challenger SRT8 can't match either the Ford or Chevy in terms of horsepower numbers or raw acceleration, but it's certainly their equal when it comes to good, clean hooligan fun and old-school muscle car cool.
Although we wish the Shelby GT500 had a nicer cabin and felt more composed going around corners, in the end, these big-power muscle cars are all about your gut reaction. And if you want a very fast coupe or convertible with a beefcake V8 and styling to match, the 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is hard to beat
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