The Shelby GT500 is the big-block branch of the Shelby Mustang family. It first appeared in 1967, alongside the smaller GT350, and the name was revived in 2007 on the fifth-generation Mustang. The KR version, the GT500KR, became the most powerful Shelby Mustang of its time.
Shelby GT500 at a glance
| Maker | Shelby American, later Ford |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1967 |
| 1967 engine | 7.0 L (428 cu in) big-block V8 |
| 1967 power | 335 hp (246 kW) |
| 1967 torque | 510 N·m |
| 1967 0–100 km/h | 6.7 seconds |
| 1967 body details | Thunderbird tail lights, flip-up spoiler, bonnet scoops, roll bar |
| Revival | 2007 model year |
| 2007 engine | 5.4 L supercharged V8, 450–500 hp |
| 2007 gearbox | Tremec six-speed manual |
| 2009 power | 540 hp |
| 2013 power | 662 hp from a 5.8 L supercharged V8 |
History of the Shelby GT500
1967: the big-block arrives
The 1967 Shelby was designed from scratch on the new Mustang, and for the first time the GT350 was joined by a GT500. The GT500 used a 7.0-litre big-block V8 rated at 335 hp and 510 N·m, enough for 0–100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, although period tests often measured considerably more power. The 1967 body brought Thunderbird tail lights, a flip-up spoiler, two bonnet scoops and air intakes on each side for brake cooling, and it was the first American car to have a roll bar as standard. The car later became familiar from films and television, including a famous chase in ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’.
1968–1970: Ford takes over
Shelby lost the lease on its Los Angeles airport factory at the end of 1967, and from 1968 the Shelby Mustangs were built under Ford control at Ionia, Michigan. As the years went on the cars became larger and more luxurious, and by 1969 the GT500 was largely a styling package on a standard Mustang. The original run ended in 1970.
2007: the name returns
Ford revived the GT500 for the 2007 model year, showing it at the New York International Auto Show in 2005. The new car had a 5.4-litre supercharged V8 rated at 450–500 hp and 610 N·m, a Tremec six-speed manual, a tuned chassis, 18-inch wheels and Brembo brakes. A GT500KR version followed, and in 2009 the standard GT500 was raised to 540 hp, the same figure as the KR. For 2013 a new 5.8-litre supercharged V8 took output to 662 hp, making it the most powerful production V8 in the world at the time and ahead of the Corvette ZR1’s 647 hp. In Germany the car cost around €65,000.
Design and features
- Big-block power: the 428 V8 of 1967 and the supercharged 5.4 and 5.8 units of the modern cars.
- Standard roll bar: the 1967 car was the first American model to have one fitted as standard.
- GT500KR: the ‘King of the Road’ version, later famous as KITT in Knight Rider.
- Modern chassis: Tremec six-speed, Brembo brakes and 18-inch wheels on the 2007 car.
Shelby GT500 versions
- GT500 (1967–1970): the original big-block Shelby Mustang.
- GT500KR: the later high-output version of the nameplate.
- GT500 (2007–2009): the supercharged revival, 500–540 hp.
- GT500 (2013): the 662 hp 5.8-litre car.
The GT500 sits above the Shelby GT350 in the range, and the whole family is described in the Shelby Mustang article. The original V8 roadster is the Shelby Cobra, and the rest of the range is in the Shelby collection.
Sources
- Shelby Mustang, English Wikipedia: 1967 introduction and later history
- Shelby Mustang, German Wikipedia: 1967 specification, 2007-2013 models and prices
