This Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Is More Exotic Than You Think

The Stellantis-owned brand is on the verge of bringing back its muscle car for the electric era. And it won't be a pure EV machine, supposedly. The next-gen Dodge Charger (name unconfirmed) is expected at the end of the year with internal combustion engines in addition to the zero-emission assemblies that are believed to make up most of the powertrain family.

Over in Chevy's stable, things are blurry. In fact, this is too big a word to describe the muscle car situation after the sixth-gen Camaro drove off into the sunset last month. The GM-owned marque says the nameplate will return, though it remains to be seen in what way. The logical move would be to keep it around as a Charger and Mustang rival and give it ICE and EV power, yet no one outside the company knows what the future holds for the Camaro.

The Blue Oval has played it safe when it comes to the Mustang. The new one looks like an evolution of the S550 and comes with a familiar engine lineup. The base models get a 2.3L four-banger with 315 hp (320 ps/235 kW). The GT and Dark Horse feature a naturally aspirated V8, rated at 480 and 500 hp (487-507 ps/358-373 kW), respectively. Ford also has the ultra-hot GTD in the pipeline, and the next-gen Shelby GT500 is rumored to launch sometime next year, perhaps as a 2026 model, or that's what the rumor mill states, anyway, as the auto firm has chosen to keep the details close to its chest for now.

Mind you, it's not only the future that looks bright for the Dearborn company’s muscle car, as so does its past. And by that, we mean the recent past (not that the older iterations are not exciting, obviously), dominated by the mighty Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. This was a model that could take a swing at the fabulous Hellcat range from Dodge and one that could eat Camaro ZL1s for breakfast. Heck, with that much oomph on tap, it was (and still is) capable of taking a swing at the previous-generation supercar establishment.

The official numbers Ford quotes are 760 hp (771 ps/567 kW) when it comes to the output, 627 pound-feet (847 Nm) of torque, a naught to sixty in three seconds, and a ten-second quarter mile time. A 5.2-liter V8 engine with supercharging supplies the firepower, and it is one of the highlights of the pictured example, albeit not the only one. A 2020 car, it has a Grabber Lime paint finish, a limited-edition heritage color that was available for this model year only.

Making it instantly visible alongside the black racing stripes, the paint finish is one of the reasons behind the exotic reference in the title. The other one revolves around where it usually drives, and that is New Zealand. Yep, it's a right-hand drive machine and one that its owner has properly maintained since they took delivery. The oil was changed every 3,000 km (1,865 miles) or so, meaning that it's been in the shop at least four times. It has 14,200 km (miles) under its belt, and it is a very interesting ride.

Some would argue that its exterior color would be suitable for something truly exotic, like a Lamborghini, with blue blood running through its veins, but we think this color suits it. It is anything but brash, as the owner chose to keep it relatively simple, so it certainly deserves a cozy home. Advertised by Collecting Cars here, this Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is for sale, and it looks just as fresh today as it did when it rolled off the assembly line a few years ago. Touches of lime green can be seen on the inside, too, next to the black leather upholstery and carbon fiber trim.

At the time of writing, the vendor was willing to let it go for NZ$179,990. Don't search for a currency converter, as we already did, and it comes out to $112,241 at the current exchange rates. Is it a good deal? You be the judge of that, yet if this Shelby GT500 was in the United States, we reckon it would have a higher asking price. After all, such models have started becoming more expensive since Ford dropped the S550 Mustang in favor of the S650 generation, and despite being dead and buried, it is still capable of some very fast quarter mile times to the point where it sends shivers down the spines of certain supercars.