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New Report Suggests 2026 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 May Get Convertible Option

Every Mustang since the first generation followed a very clear life cycle, with the lesser engine choices launching in the first year of series production. The mid-range thriller follows suit, after which the Blue Oval introduces a top-of-the-line macho with ridiculous horsepower and torque on tap. The muscled-up variant in question is – clearly – the Mustang Shelby GT500.
S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 79 photos
Photo: Ford / edited
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Previously developed by the Special Vehicle Team within the Ford Motor Company, the Shelby GT500 has been a Ford Performance product since 2015 with the merging of three divisions: SVT, RS, and Ford Racing. The sixth-generation Mustang received the coveted high-performance variant in 2019 for the 2020 model year.

The Dearborn-based automaker pulled the plug after 2022, leaving the Mach 1 as the top dog. Part of the reason for this discontinuation is the F-150 Raptor R, which is the only other series-production Ford vehicle to feature the supercharged V8 marketed as the Predator.

Redesigned for the 2024 model year, the Mustang is currently available with the well-known EcoBoost and Coyote mills. The Dark Horse serves as the highest-performing variant for the time being thanks to 500 horsepower and 418 pound-feet (567 Nm), as opposed to 486 and 418 for the GT with the fancy exhaust system.

There is no concrete information whatsoever in regard to the return of the GT350 for the seventh-generation Mustang, but we do know that the GT500 is coming back with a vengeance in 2025 for the 2026 model year from the peeps at Ford Authority. Although there is no photographic evidence of the S650 generation in Shelby GT500 attire, the cited publication reports that two mules are currently being tested. Both reportedly feature wider tracks to accommodate wider tires wrapped around carbon-fiber wheels, both reportedly sit lower to the ground, and both reportedly sound pretty darn fine.

Ford Authority isn't sure if the Predator will carry over with minor upgrades, but on the flip side, the cited publication reveals that one of the mules is a convertible. The S550 wasn't offered as a convertible, though. The second-largest American automaker didn't bother with a convertible because the S550 was designed from the outset to be as stiff as possible for a road-going car, and – therefore – capable in the corners.

The 2013 to 2014 model year Shelby GT500 was available with a soft top, and the same applies to the Shelby GT500 before it. The Dearborn-based automaker is expected to reimagine the Mustang with all-electric propulsion for the S750 generation, which means that the internal combustion-engined Mustang needs to go out with a bang. If this hypothesis turns out to be correct, it may go both ways. The GT500 will either surpass the corner-carving and quarter-mile credentials of the S550, or it will be designed to appeal to as many people as possible with the addition of a soft-topped sibling.

That said, what's your take on Ford Authority's report?
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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