The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is one special breed that can't be tamed. But how will it behave on a no-speed limit sector of the German autobahn?
A Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 running free on the highway in a sector where there is no speed limit? The first question that pops to mind is: is that safe? We wouldn't bet on it and won't try to convince you to try it out for yourself. Better let those that have done it before do it again.
And that is AutoTopNL, a Dutch team that takes cars to the German highway to test their top speed. That is exactly what they did with the Mustang.
Max got his hands on the Shelby GT500 thanks to Blake, who imported the car from the United States to the Netherlands. Ford officially unveiled this car at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and it has been the enthusiasts' darling ever since.
But the carmaker had to keep this Mustang away from the European market, since its engine would not comply with the emissions regulations set by the European Union.
The car comes painted in Ford Performance Blue with the $10,000 optional stripes. The Shelby cobra grins from the radiator grille, flanked by the angry-looking LED headlights.
Also optional are the Carbon Revolution carbon fiber 20-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires, as part of the Track Pack, while the Brembo brakes come standard. The Track Pack also brings along an adjustable rear wing, and the rear diffuser integrates four massive tailpipes.
The hood hides the Predator supercharged aluminum alloy Cross-Plane Crank 5.2-liter V8 engine with a 2.65-liter roots-type supercharger, mated to a Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with a lot of responsibility. It has to deal with the whole 760 horsepower (771 PS) and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque. Top speed is 195 mph (314 kph) in the Middle East, but American customers have to resort to 180 mph (290 kph).
The sound of the Predator V8 is to die for. "It is louder than any car I think I have ever driven," Max labels the brutal V8 screaming behind the steering wheel so that he can hear himself.
But is it really 180 mph where the needle of the odometer stops? Alternating driving modes and getting to Track, AutoTopNL eventually shows us different, taking it all the way to 190 mph. For the Europeans, that would be 306 kph! The car gathers momentum like no other and flashes past all others on the highway.
Blake, the one who owns the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, is standing on top of a bridge during this test, watching his car going wild on the autobahn. He is planning on tuning it. So this Cobra is really getting venomous.
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