25 Greatest Mustangs: 2013 Shelby GT500
The 2013 Shelby GT500 is the ultimate evolution of the fifth-gen Mustang, boasting the supercharged 5.8-liter Trinity V-8, which was good for 662 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 631 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. The engine features cylinder heads designed for better coolant flow, the camshafts from the 2005–06 Ford GT, and piston-cooling oil jets similar to those from the Coyote V-8.
Ford claimed a top speed of 202 mph, and six-piston Brembo brakes up front helped haul the GT500 down from such illicit speeds. A Tremec 6060 six-speed manual sent power rearward via a single-piece carbon-fiber driveshaft. Test numbers from the period included a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 11.6 seconds at 126 mph.
Interestingly, a number of reviews of the time professed the view that the Boss 302 was the better Mustang. Heresy, perhaps, but sometimes too much
of a good thing is simply too much.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared as part of the 25 Greatest Mustangs cover story in the July/August issue of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. You can find the other entries here.]
