It had been a while since a GT500 had rolled through our test fleet, and it just so happened that we we’re scheduled to test a Roush Stage 3 BlackJack during the very same week. Having the two cars back to back made us realize how much of a total brute the GT500 can be, though there’s no arguing that the $47,995 price tag of our fully-loaded test car makes for one hell of a performance bargain.
Click through the post to read our full comments on the Shelby GT500.
Reilly Brennan
General Manager
There’s little use trying to remain calm and composed when behind the wheel of anything with a Shelby badge on it. I don’t care if it’s an old Dodge Omni. You’re just simply not supposed to drive it in a responsible manner.
You. Do. Smoky. Burnouts.
Apparently this sort of behavior tends to run amok. After 8000 or so miles, our GT500 was quite different from the sorts of GT500s we originally tested in 2006. What we before described as a refined sense of hooliganism has been, let’s say, loosened up a bit in the miles since. To put it plainly: a GT500 that’s been run through the trough of heavy-foot journalists doesn’t really wear well. Squeeks, rattles, oinks, tha-thumps, ga-gunks and the like. Hey, we’re not complaining—we’re just pointing out that we’re not driving a certified pre-owned Lexus.
Getting a few yanks on the supercharged V-8 after 8000 miles does give us a pretty good insight into what this car might feel like after nine months of heavy use (how we’d drive it anyway, we suppose). The clutch engagement point is damn near non-existent—we’re almost completely at the top of its travel before we feel it start to catch on. But the meat of the matter is still how we like it: red, bloody, and dripping from our chin.
That sense of “small” Mustang steering is really quite a beautiful experience. And the rise of the entire vehicle on power delivery is nothing if not interesting—just make sure you have it pointed in the direction you want to go. This is the type of vehicle that few people will ever drive—let alone understand—but for those kindred spirits, there’s nothing quite like it.
Steven J. Ewing
If we can steal a quote from a popular chain of owl-themed restaurants, we would sum it up this way: Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined.
Production and Test Fleet Manager
The best thing about the Shelby GT500 is its starting price—just over $43,000 for a 500-horsepower supercharged Mustang. If that’s not enough to make enthusiasts look at this car as a serious bargain, remember that all of the parts come with the factory’s warranty. However, driving this back-to-back with the Roush Stage 3 Mustang (430 horsepower) really started to bring out some of the Shelby’s flaws.
Perhaps it was just this specific test car, but the clutch pedal is way too stiff and heavy for everyday use. Each time I drove the GT500, I dreaded the possibility of being stuck in a traffic jam on the highway. Even extended stints of around-town driving proved to be growingly painful for my left leg. More so, the six-speed manual gearbox wasn’t nearly as pleasant to use as the Roush Stage 3’s short shift kit. Having six speeds is nice from a fuel economy standpoint, but it’s not terribly necessary from my perspective. The interior is quite pleasant, with nice leather upholstery, a decent sound system, and all of the modern amenities that anyone could ask for—a step up from the cabin in our Stage 3.
Seyth Miersma
The GT500 is a lot of car to handle, what with its rear-drive layout and live axle, but it’s a surprisingly smooth ride and there’s always more than enough power lurking under your right foot. It’s somewhat of a baffling idea; a 500-horsepower coupe with a price point comparable to that of a BMW 335i (even though the two cars are drastically different). In the fun-per-dollar category, the Shelby takes top honors, but for everyday drivability, my money is best spent elsewhere.
Senior Editor
Brutal, primal, dangerous; there are a lot of ways to describe the Shelby GT500, though you’ll probably never find anything like “subtle” on the list. Cast in the mold of so many hotted-up Mustangs before it, the GT500 follows in the proud tradition of huge power, rear-drive, a hope, and a prayer.
Which isn’t to say that the 500 horsepower monster is really all that intimidating to drive, with the exception of the occasional accidental wheel spin at a red light, the car is actual pretty easy to hustle around town, steer, and park. But pushed to anywhere near the edge of its performance envelope, the Shelby seems to transform into a much, much more intense proposition. With the supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 doing its worst to the rear tires, grip can come at somewhat of a premium in fast, tight corners. Add any amount of water to the road surface and things become pretty dicey, pretty fast. All that said, I think it would be quite some time before I tired of this hooligan behavior.
2008 FORD SHELBY GT500 COUPE
Engine: Supercharged V-8, 5.4 liters, 32v
Output: 500 hp/480 lb-ft
0-60 MPH: 4.5 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)
Weight: 3920 lb
Price as Tested: $47,995
