2013 Ford Shelby GT500 debuts with 200+ mph

The new 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is one of those vehicles that everyone loves to read about, and a vehicle that anyone would love to get their hands on. In a new announcement yesterday on the 2013 Shelby GT500, Ford tells us that the car that is named after racing legend Carroll Shelby, will satisfy everyone from the road racer, weekend drag racer, and the everyday driver.

We’ve reported here that the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 5.8-liter supercharged V8 engine will pump out 662 horsepower and 631 lb. ft. of torque. That makes the car the most powerful production V8 engine in North America. Ford tells us that the 662 horses will propel the coupe to track speeds of more than 200 mph. In order to accomplish the increases in horsepower and top speeds, Ford has looked at every part of the powertrain in order to make the V8 more powerful and also efficient.

Nearly every vehicle system has been upgraded

Everything has been updated on the coupe and convertible models starting with a larger and more efficient supercharger which forces more air into the 5.8-liter V8. The supercharger design spins faster, the inlet volume has been increased, and the boost has been cranked up from 9 to 14 psi. Ford uses a new Twin Vortices Series 2300 blower that creates 2.3 liters of displacement and is a unique design to the engine.

Other improvements include new cross-drilled block and heads, an all-forged engine rotating assembly, updated camshaft profiles, upgraded head gaskets, a new carbon fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle. And with all that extra heat generated from the new supercharger, Ford has to increase the cooling capacity with a new higher-efficiency intercooler to cool the air going in.

The driveshaft and clutch also had to be upgraded to handle all that extra torque. The GT500 now uses a new single-piece carbon fiber driveshaft that is lighter and stiffer than the old two piece steel design. The new dual-disc design clutch has increased torque and rpm capacity and has a greater resistance to burst under extreme track conditions.

The transmission wasn’t left untouched and gets upgraded gears, bearings and housing to also handle the increased torque. The final drive gear ratio has been changed to 3.31:1 and every gear besides fourth has been optimized to increase performance. The new engine also continues to be exempt from the gas-guzzler tax, delivering an estimated 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway. Ford claims that it’s 5 mpg better than the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

In order to stop the 3,852-pound machine, Ford has upgraded the brakes with Brembo six-piston calipers and larger 380-millimeter rotors up front, and 350-millimeter rotors in the rear. New forged-aluminum wheels wrapped in Goodyear tires, suspension tuning and a user-adjustable launch control that works with the engine and chassis control systems have also been added.

The 2013 Shelby GT500 is more aerodynamic and features a new downforce-generating front grille, and an aggressive front splitter to better expose the radiator for maximized cooling. Ford says the larger splitter helps create downforce when the car hits top speeds.

Two new optional packages are available for the 2013 Shelby GT500

Also new for 2013 is an optional Performance Package with electronically adjustable dampers with a Normal and a Sport mode depending on if the driver needs street or track performance. A Torsen limited-slip differential is featured in this package when optimal traction on the track is needed.

A Track Package can be added for all-out racetrack performance. The optional package comes with an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler for increased fluid and component life. The extreme temperatures are reduced under high-speed conditions.

A new productivity screen offers menu options

Inside the new 2013 Shelby GT500, Ford has given drivers the ability to see important information related to vehicle performance. The dashboard menu screen shows vehicle status information such as launch control, AdvanceTrac, selectable steering or the Bilstein damper setting. A shift light is also featured that appears as the SVT logo that illuminates and chimes when the rpm shift is reached.

Drivers can also see the g-force the car is pulling from left to right with a accelerometer. At the drag strip, drivers can track their fastest times with the acceleration timer screen, which offers options including 0-30 mph, 0-60 mph, 0-100 mph, eighth-mile and quarter-mile times. A brake performance screen is another feature that indicates stopping time and distance for speeds of 60-0 or 100-0 with top times and all-time best.

The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is a vehicle that offers a complete package for street and track and the high-performance car is available now.