Amidst the world going after SUVs and electric automobiles, Ford is still holding the baton for all car enthusiasts out there, as evidenced by the company's latest teaser. Behold the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
At NAIAS Dearborn, amidst a slew of commercial launches designed to earn revenue for the respective firms, Ford sent out a message that clearly showed how committed the company is to the enthusiast end of the automobile spectrum. The message was an image of an angrier looking Mustang. Not the horse of course, but a new beast Ford has been working on.
The face of the Shelby in the teaser is super aggressive with a large, wide grille taking up the front fascia, with huge air dams and flared fenders on both sides. The fenders suggest a set of wider tyres could be fitted up front, not unlikely considering the kind of power output the company is looking at. Interestingly, Ford has chosen the current silhouette for the Shelby instead of the refreshed Mustang with slimmer headlamps. We do not disapprove of the decision at all if the production GT500 is supposed to look like that.
Ford is gearing up to go all guns blazing in the horsepower wars because arch-rival Chevrolet already sells the Camaro ZL1 that pushes 650 hp. Then there is Dodge with the astounding 707-hp Challenger Hellcat and the unholy 840-hp Demon.This is why the company simply has to squeeze out in excess of 700 horsepower out of the Shelby Mustang. There are no details on the powertrain yet, but we expect the company to plonk in the GT350R's 5.2-liter V8 under the hood of the GT500. While the naturally aspirated mill produces a healthy 526 hp, the power is nowhere near the lofty figures of the Chevy and the Dodge. So perhaps the company will supercharge the engine for good measure? If that does happen (and chances are it will), the 2020 Shelby Mustang GT500 will be the most powerful car with the Blue Oval badge on it.
The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will likely go on sale in late 2019 as a 2020 model. That gives Chevy and Dodge time to come up with something of their own, eh?
Images: Auto Evolution
