2013 Shelby GT500
First unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2011, the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is the most potent Mustang ever. The 351 cubic inches (5.75 l) supercharged V8 engine produces 662 bhp and 631 lb-ft of torque, and a claimed top speed of 202 miles per hour (325 km/h). The new GT500 weighs 3,850 pounds (1,750 kg), and was available starting May 2012.
The 2013 models have various improvements and differences compared to the GT500 of 2012 including new front end sheet metal along with standard HID headlamps, along with a new LED tail light assembly. The new 2013 Shelby GT500 also has no grill, due to the massive amount of cooling required for the vehicle. Performance changes include twin fuel pumps (a Mustang GT’s single supply pump, twice over), larger fuel injectors, a grippier and larger-diameter clutch, a larger fan, a three-row intercooler (the previous car used a double-row unit), a beefed-up Tremec 6060 six-speed with an internal oil pump, and a single-piece carbon-fiber driveshaft. Larger Brembo front disc brakes with six-piston calipers, reinforced axle tubes, and aero tweaks to help the car reach 200+mph safely. Ford says the changes have resulted in a 14-percent reduction in drag and a 66-percent increase in front-end downforce. Also new for 2013 is a larger front anti-roll bar and retuned springs. An rpm-adjustable electronic launch-control function is standard, as is four-mode electronic stability control.
A Performance package is also offered, adding two-mode adjustable Bilstein dampers and a Torsen limited-slip rear differential. In addition to the Performance package, a Track package for road racing can be ordered bringing a transmission cooler, a nose-mounted differential cooler for the Torsen limited-slip unit, and an air-to-oil engine-oil cooler.
A Motor Trend magazine May 2012 road test provided a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and a quarter mile time of 11.6 seconds at over 125 miles per hour (201 km/h). By comparison, the '13 GT500 is faster than both the Camaro ZL1 and Corvette Z06.
In February 2012, at the Chicago Auto Show, Shelby officially announced that a convertible version of the 2013 GT500 will reach production. The convertible has a limited top speed of 155 miles per hour (249 km/h).
At the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2012, Shelby American announced the release of the GT500 Super Snake. The Super Snake boosts the already impressive 662 bhp to 862 bhp, an additional 200 hp. The first fifty vehicles sold were available in limited edition colors, either in black with a triple gold stripe or white with a triple gold stripe.
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