The face-lifted Ford Mustang was displayed at the Los Angeles motor show in November. An ‘evolutionary’ model it has updated styling, more on-board technology and a 320 km/h Shelby GT500 variant.
The front has a more aggressive look and LED signature lighting is joined at the front by fog lights while at the rear restyled smoked tail-light clusters also employ LED technology.
Shelby GT500 Mustang
The update has new alloy wheel designs including polished and painted aluminum finishes in sizes ranging from 17 inch to 20 inch.
For those who want to know just how they are doing behind the wheel there is an instrument panel display featuring a ‘track apps’ function that measures G-forces, acceleration and braking times.
The optional six-speed automatic transmission now features a manual mode to make it even more of a performance machine.
However, the real muscle car is the Shelby GT500, with a claimed top speed in excess of 320 km/h.
Ford claims the title of the world’s most powerful production V8 for the 485 kW/812 Nm supercharged 5.8 liter engine. This features a more efficient supercharger, cross-drilled engine block and cylinder heads, updated camshafts and a new carbon-fiber driveshaft from the upgraded dual-disc clutch and transmission to the revised rear axle.
With cooling obviously a worry for the Ford engineers, a larger cooling fan plus a 36 percent bigger heat exchanger volume and high-flow coolant pump for the supercharger are used.
Braking is provided by six-piston Brembo front brake calipers and larger rotors all round, while 19 inch front and 20 inch rear alloy wheels with Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres.
Ford’s performance division, SVT, revised the electronic stability control and traction control systems, which can be tailored to the conditions and level of driver skill.
SVT chief engineer Jamal Hameedi said a “completely different” approach was taken with the new car. “Nearly every system the driver interacts with can be tailored to his or her situation, including the Bilstein electronic adjustable suspension, launch control, AdvanceTrac and steering assist levels.”
This new Shelby Mustang is one any performance enthusiast would want in his garage. I’d even leave the Daihatsu Mira outside if I had a Shelby!
