Fox Body Mustang vs. Shelby GT500 Is a 1/4-Mile Family Feud With an Unpredictable Outcome

But the discontinued Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 from the previous generation is still a dream car, albeit one that commands a hefty price on the used car market. Should you be fortunate enough to land one, then you will enjoy some supercar-rivaling power and straight-line performance.

Speaking of its neck-snapping credentials, as long as the nose keeps pointing forward, there have been some notable wins against blue-blooded exotics. Nonetheless, that should be expected from a vehicle that takes only three seconds from naught to sixty (97 kph) aided by the 760 hp (771 ps/567 kW) and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque produced by the 5.2-liter supercharged V8.

You will need perfect ambient and a very skilled driver holding the wheel who's not afraid of unleashing this fast muscle car down the quarter mile to score big. Nail everything, and the Shelby GT500 will complete it in around ten seconds. Mind you, that's easier said than done, and we've all seen a multitude of drag racing fails involving the Dearborn company's muscle car.

Are you curious why we're dedicating an entire story to a model that left the assembly line for good? Probably not, as the answer lies in the title (and the gallery). Yep, you're about to witness a head-to-head battle down the quarter mile between the fabulous Shelby GT500 and a Fox body Mustang. The latter is part of the third generation made from 1978 to 1993, which came with a generous choice of engines, including a pair of small-block V8s.

Now, we know what you might be thinking: that there's no possible way that a Fox body Mustang can beat the mighty Shelby GT500 in a quarter-mile duel. But as you may have noticed, the old-timer looks like it's been seriously modified. As a result, it is one spry machine that wants to make a name for itself. Thus, it challenged the GT500 to a battle recorded at the Island Dragway in New Jersey, presumably not long ago.

These vehicles are not record-breakers, as one of them was clocked at 12.7 seconds at the end of the run, whereas the other did it in 13.3 seconds, at 107 and 108 mph (172-174 kph), respectively. So, can you spot the winner just by looking at the two cars? Here's a hint: sometimes the underdog wins. But you'd better head down and watch the clip to see which of the two was victorious that day.