Shelby GT500 Takes on Dodge Challenger T/A 392 Over a 1/4 Mile, Total Obliteration Ensues

But first, a quick recap, starting with the mighty Shelby GT500. I like to call this the ultimate factory-spec Mustang, which to be fair is a safe assessment, seen as how that’s literally what it is.

Unveiled back in January of 2019 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the GT500 immediately became a beacon of hope for all Mustang fans sick and tired of their favorite Ford model always playing second fiddle to the formidable Challenger Hellcat.

The Blue Oval made sure that, at least on paper, this flagship Mustang could hold its head high no matter what opponent it faced. The GT500’s main weapon against its rivals is its hand-built 5.2-liter “Predator” V8 engine, working alongside a 2.65-liter supercharger. Together, they send 760 hp (771 ps) and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque to the rear wheels via a Tremec TR-9070 dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

We should note that several dyno tests have already shown the GT500 to be more powerful than advertised, at just over 800 hp.

As for its rival during this recent quarter mile dogfight, it’s not a Hellcat, but rather a T/A 392-spec Challenger, which means power comes from Dodge’s 392-cubic-inch HEMI V8 engine, good here for 485 hp (492 ps) and 475 lb-ft (644 Nm) of torque.

Let’s just say that Vegas would have given you monster odds on this Challenger, but in the end, betting on the Dodge would have been a fool’s errand. The two muscle cars raced twice, and each time the GT500 won convincingly, needing just 10.9 seconds to cover the quarter mile, whereas the Challenger could only do it in about 12 seconds.