The new Mustangs are great. All of them, even the V6. They all deliver incredible amounts of performance for very little cash. My tastes in cars trend towards the ridiculous rather than sensible, so imagine my anticipation when I was assigned the new Shelby GT500 to test.
Yes, it's a hoot. The Shelby GT500 will fry the rear tires with a tap of the throttle pedal. Big greasy powerslides and burnouts are the order of the day with this car, and it does it well. The problem for me is the optional SVT Performance package, which significantly stiffens up the suspension. It is so lacking in compliance that I can't even see it being a benefit on a racetrack, or at least the tracks I run on.
I drove the last GT500 I drove was wonderfully loose. It would lay down the most graceful powerslides this side of Ken Block. This one, with the suspension upgrade and new Goodyear Supercar tires tends to snap away from traction more abruptly. For my money, I'd pass on this option and save the money for the countless tires I'd blow through in a haze of white smoke.
SVT Performance package or not, I'm a big fan of the GT500's styling. That big ovoid grille reminds me of the original Shelby Cobra's. The wheel design is a nice heritage nod, as well.
By blueguydotcom
on September 16, 2010
07:43 AM
Seems like the GT is the performance bargain of the Mustangs - great acceleration and apparently really tight handling too..
By greenpony
on September 16, 2010
12:00 PM
If you ever want someone to take over the most burdensome, tedious part of your job -- testing vehicles like this -- look me up.