The Sleuth’s operatives confirm that Ford is upping the Mustang’s ante with the return of the Shelby GT500 model. The car will come with its own front and rear styling (including large air intakes in the hood and below the grille) and the fenders will be flared to contain the extra-wide low-profile tires. And to better compete with the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Dodge Challenger Hellcat on the horsepower front, the GT500 will reportedly run with a twin-turbocharged version of Ford’s 5.2-liter ‘Voodoo’ V-8 found in the 526-horse GT350. The Camaro and Challenger use superchargers that are driven by the crankshaft via a belt. With the Voodoo’s incredibly high-flowing cylinder heads, expect at least 675 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission will also be standard. The GT500 is expected to arrive for the 2018 model year.
2017 Ford Shelby GT350 in Grabber Blue
A new GT500 that uses a twin-turbocharged version of the 5.2-liter V-8 in the GT350, pictured, is expected to arrive for the 2018 model year. (PHOTO: FORD)