Rear modifications are a bit...
Rear modifications are a bit more conservative, with a subtle rear wingprotruding from the trunk lid, and a rear air diffuser inspired by theunit on the Ford GT underneath the rear valance. Of course the faux gascap gains a Shelby GT 500 logo emblem complete with coiled snake, andthe magic Shelby letters on the driver-side trunk lid make this car thestuff of adjusted dealer markup dreams.
After getting used to the entertaining Cal Speedway course, I beganpressing a little harder and the car felt amazingly light on its feet.If you didn't set up the corners correctly it would plow like a farmtractor, but with even my modest competency the GT 500 did as it wastold. Even if I made a bad move, it cut me some slack to get my acttogether before giving up the traction. Perhaps even more impressivewere the brakes. The big Brembos did the trick without being obvious ornoisy. They were just right. And, unlike the brake setups at some driveevents I've attended, these cars reportedly did their thing with stockbrake pads, which were engineered for worry-free, open-track fun. Mucheffort was put into coming up with a pad that was quiet on the streetbut livable at a track event. We tip our hats to the braking engineerson this program, as they took what Ford learned on the FR500C Grand Amracers and made it streetable.
In short, the GT 500 was a good time on the road course, and I'm sureowners are going to have a blast at open-track events. But how was it onthe street? Well, after an afternoon of on-track bliss, Ford moved theGT 500 party to Northern California, where we'd finally get to driveamong the general public as the car was meant to be driven. Our routecontained a mixture of freeways and winding back roads. Cars werelimited, but we had more to choose from than just two. With the pressswarming to get into the Torch Red/Performance White and PerformanceWhite/Vista Blue coupes, I ended up sharing a Tungsten Gray convertiblewith old friend Tom Wilson who was there to do the deed for Road &Track.
Hey, it's those three letters...
Hey, it's those three letters again. Factory Mustang wheels have been acrapshoot over the years, but SVT always seems to find an attractiverim. These webbed wonders measure 18x9.5 inches and make room formassive, effective 14-inch Brembo brakes. They sound huge for stockstoppers, but when you're hauling nearly two tons and 500horsepower, big brakes are a necessity.
Initially, it was too cool to drop the top. Tom took the wheel first,and had me grabbing for the door handle and pressing the invisible brakepedal on the passenger side as we barreled down the still-wet windingroads. Again, the car just didn't feel as if it had 500, but theconvertible weighs 4,040 before adding two magazine writers who hadtaken advantage of all the food made available by FoMoCo. I had towrestle control of the car away from Tom somewhere near the midpoint ofthe drive. We swapped seats; I jumped in and immediately dropped thehammer and found the rev limiter--where I'm not sure, as I was busywatching the road. That was more like it. It's always better from thedriver seat, and that familiar surge of torque followed by a steadyswell to the top of the tach felt great. With the top down at thatpoint, the blower announced itself with a bit more authority.
Without having to pay strict attention to high-speed turns, I couldinspect the little details more closely. The shifter is still a dampnoodle, but when changing gears it's definitely more precise in itsactuation. Even when shifted in anger, it seemed to provide easy gearchanges. This new TR-6060 is not your Terminator's T56. In addition tobuilding a six-speed to fit the latest Mustang, the transmissionreceived numerous upgrades, such that Tremec considers it a next-gentransmission.
Six Is Enough
The six-speed transmission...
The six-speed transmission in the GT 500 is more than just a beefed-upT56. It's so much more that Tremec is considering it an all-newtransmission called the TR-6060.
So you might be wondering exactly how a Tremec TR-6060 compares with theT56 you know and love. In short, it's better in just about every way. Itcan handle more torque thanks to a move from a 10-spline input shaft toa 26-spline unit. Moreover, the new case is stronger, the countershaftsare one-piece units, and the gear faces are wider. All these changes add up tomuch greater strength, which we'll all appreciate after we start moddingthese cars. What we noticed while driving the car, however, was itseasy, precise shifting despite the factory shifter.
The prime movers in the better shifting are increased synchronizers onall the gears. Where the Terminator T56 had only two synchros on the 1-2and 3-4 shifts and single synchros on the remaining gears, the TR-6060offers triple synchros on the 1-2 and 3-4, and dual synchros on allremaining gears, including Reverse. Plus, the synchronizers have beenupgraded from a carbon-particle paper to a sintered-bronze material.
A larger input shaft, beefier...
A larger input shaft, beefier gears, more synchronizers, closer gearratios, and more make this six-speed one that should become a popularaftermarket upgrade.
So this transmission shifts easier, but it also offers a shorter shiftthrow. "The synchronizer hubs are much narrower, reducing fore and aftshift travel," Tremec's Jim Averill explained. "Additionally, the hubsystem uses three encapsulated ball-and-coil-spring struts that are muchmore precise than the old-style hoop-and-stamped strut. This also addsto a smoother fore, aft shift."
So the TR-6060 is smoother, stronger, and just better than itspredecessors. That's cool, but the better news for those who aren'tbuying GT 500s is that Tremec will be rolling a lot of this technologyinto its aftermarket transmissions, so you'll be able to put all thegood stuff in your Mustang soon.
Unlike the show car, the Shelby...
Unlike the show car, the Shelby lettering was corralled on one side ofthe trunklid, and the third brake light drops down from the rear wing tothe trunklid. If you want to replicate the look of the show car with itsspread-out Shelby lettering, don't fret. There are no holes behindproduction letters, as they're simply held on by adhesive. Cars optionedwith Sirius Satellite Radio have holes put in the trunk lid before paintis applied, so you may want to get this option even if you plan toinstall an aftermarket head unit or make the move to XM. Either way, youcan use the existing hole for your antenna.
Again, the clutch-pedal effort shined on the street, and the silver-facegauges proved far more readable than the stock GT fare. But one quandaryI had, mainly because I never got to drive the coupe on the street, wasthe car's ride quality. Unless the convertible was on glass-smoothasphalt, it communicated every little imperfection in the pavement, andthe rear axle seemed to get upset easily. I'll admit the letters I... R...S... briefly flashed through my mind before I quickly beat them back withthe words heavier, more expensive, and wheelhop. I was left to wonder ifthe chassis upset was due to flex introduced by the lack of a roof or ifthe higher spring rates in the coupe delivered the same result.Anecdotal reports from my colleagues confirmed the coupe was definitelyfaster and had better ride quality, so that just reaffirmed to me thatI'm not a convertible guy.
So what's the verdict? Should you still lust after a GT 500? Well, I do.Yes the car is heavy--the coupe is 254 pounds greater than its Terminatorpredecessor--but it handles and brakes well. It wasn't the out-and-outanimal that I had expected: I wanted to be scared, but SVT does"balanced," so power doesn't always come to the forefront when thesecars are stock. I attribute this partly to the weight, but also to thecar's sophistication. Exhaust rumble and blower whine are banished, andI can't help but feel as though the Silver Oak tuning softens whatshould be a greater hit of torque from the bottom to the midrange. The'07 Shelby GT 500 is still a Mustang, however, and the Mustang has longbeen the best basis for a project car that money can buy. Once the GT500 hits the streets and gets just a small taste of what the aftermarkethas to offer, it will regain the true snarl and grunt of a musclecar. Iplaced my order, have you?
 I've always found the Mustang...  I've always found the Mustang and Cobra pairing a bit odd, but you can'thelp but think this Cobra emblem is downright cool. When paired with theGT 500 decal (yeah, the side and Le Mans stripes are decals) the coiledsnake will inspire many to issue a stoplight challenge. |  I hope you like your musclecars...  I hope you like your musclecars quiet because the latest GT 500 is astealth fighter if there ever was one. With the slightest performanceburble under boost, the car is exceptionally quiet. Helping it cruisepast any noise requirements is an exhaust featuring a 2 1/2-inch exhaustwith an X-shape crossover and dual mufflers with characteristics similarto those found on the automatic-equipped S197 GT. Cast-iron manifoldslink the whole system to the engine, so we suspect headers will be worthbig power on this engine. As for the X-shape crossover, it's welded inshortly after the two cats, so if you want to stay in good with theFeds, you'll have to leave the stock X in place. |  It might not have "Cobra"...  It might not have "Cobra" in its name anymore, but the GT 500 makesliberal use of the coiled snake--not that there's anything wrong withthat. Other interior touches include a leather-wrapped steering wheelwith red stitching, a leather shift boot with red stitching, and aleather-wrapped parking brake handle. |
 Just like the steering wheel,...  Just like the steering wheel, the faux gas cap receives a Shelby GT 500emblem. Speaking of gas, Ford didn't have an official mileage number forus as they were still testing, but 19.5 in mixed driving sounded like arealistic number to the engineers. This emblem is also the only place wespotted the word "Ford." All other markings are "Shelby," "GT 500," or"SVT." |  If you step up to the GT 500...  If you step up to the GT 500 Performance Interior Upgrade package,you'll get a leather-covered dashpad, upgraded door panels, anelectrochromic rearview mirror with auto dimming, and aluminum pedalcovers. We'd say this is a must-have option. |  It looks as if the Romeo niche...  It looks as if the Romeo niche line is alive and well, producing GT 5005.4s. |