World, Meet the 540 Horsepower Ford Shelby GT500

Ford's Special Vehicle Team, known as SVT, has just unveiled a high-performance 2010 Shelby GT500 which now develops a maximum power of 540 hp combined with a torque of 510 lb-ft. And because technical specifications are surely the most interesting facts of such a vehicle, let's review the most important.

First of all, the engine. The 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 is powered by a supercharged and intercooled 5.4-liter V8 engine limited at 6,250 rpm and producing the aforementioned power. The six-speed manual transmission and the twin-disc clutch have been upgraded to provide more power but, at the same time, to make the ride as smooth as possible.

Obviously, aerodynamics play a very important role for such a vehicle and engineers haven't neglected this aspect. The GT500 sports 19-inch Goodyear F1 Supercar tires with forged aluminum wheels. The redesigned splitter plus several other aerodynamics enhancements were especially implemented to “get as much downforce with as little drag as possible,” as Kerry Baldori, chief functional engineer for SVT, explained.

The upgraded model features an outstanding lineup of standard features, with high-end system such as SYNC (voice-activated hands-free system developed by Ford and Microsoft), 911 Assist, Vehicle Health Report and Ambient Lightning System with MyColor installed by default.

As expected, the companies involved in the development of the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 were extreme pleased with the car, so here are a few of their statements:

“The 2010 Shelby GT500 demonstrates Ford’s continuing commitment to high-performance vehicles,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “In addition to the numerous performance and refinement improvements inside and out, the 2010 Shelby GT500 is an estimated 2 miles per gallon more fuel efficient on the highway.”

“We’re proud of the many enhancements that were developed jointly by the Ford and Shelby Automobiles team last year that we’ve now incorporated into the new 2010 Shelby GT500,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. “Building on what we learned to create the Shelby GT500KR, this new car offers a great combination of power, handling and braking. It is truly a special car that is a great deal of fun to drive.”

“Working together on the KR, the Ford and Shelby teams developed new systems to continually improve the iconic Mustang,” stated Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles. “Those lessons learned are incorporated into the 2010 Shelby GT500. This approach will help maintain Mustang’s leadership position at the front of the pack and make the ownership experience even more enjoyable.”