Shelby GT500 FBO Goes at Tuned McLaren 765LT in Epic 9-Sec Quarter-Mile Showdown

We also know that Ford may not have been entirely honest about the GT500’s power output as advertised, with multiple independent dyno tests showing that hand-built 5.2-liter “Predator” cross-plane crank V8 unit produces in excess of 800 hp, instead of its factory-standard 760 hp (771 PS) and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm).

Add full bolt-on modifications, and you’ll end up with far greater numbers, which in turn results in a much quicker car over a quarter-mile.

Against a McLaren 765LT, you’ll need all the help you can get, especially with the Macca running a 93 tune for good measure. When stock, the British land missile has its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine putting down 755 hp (765 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. Of course, McLaren is quite “fond” of underselling its cars when it comes to raw horsepower.

Even so, the carmaker says that a stock 765LT will cover a quarter-mile in just 9.9 seconds, which on paper confirms that a GT500 with no mods would stand no chance of keeping up. But again, we’re not dealing with a stock GT500 here, and while we don’t have any exact figures, we can tell you that these cars are extremely close in terms of performance.

In the end, this is a good old-fashioned drag race, meaning it takes place at a drag strip and not on public roads. We also have timers on both sides of the track, showing us who was quickest and by how much. Both during the race and independently, the McLaren did manage to post slightly better times than the Mustang, but honestly, there was very little between them.