In this unsure economy you might not think of expensive or fast cars - but not all of us are thinking doom and gloom. I asked Jody Victor to tell us about one of Ford Motor Company's positive vehicles for next year.
Jody Victor: Ford’s 2010 Shelby GT500 might be an assembly line model, rather than one built by Shelby Automobiles, Las Vegas—the car is a collaboration between Carroll Shelby and the Special Vehicles Team at Ford, built in Flat Rock, MI at the Mustang factory—but that doesn’t make it any less a new generation muscle car. With its big mouth bass grills above and below the bumper, Pull-Me-Over-Red paint job, La Mans racing stripes, and rock n’ roll bravado coming from its pipes you’ll be immediately stunned and you ought to see a physician if you’re not.
Ford first recreated the high-end pony class classic in 2007. The 2010 model is a response to the Chevrolet Camaro SS and the Dodge Challenger SRT8 pony cars. For power and price one might also compare the GT500 to the Ferrari F430 Scuderia, the BMW M6, and the Nissan GT-R. Though you’ll double your sticker price to enter the realm of these champion models, the GT500 boasts the power to keep neck and neck with any of these rivals
For 2010 the GT500 features a 5.2 liter 32-valve super charged V8 that pushes out 100 horse power-per-liter. Ford upgrades the GT500 for the future with a new 3.55:1 top gear that gives you an additional 2 MPG on the highway and addition of Microsoft Sync voice commands and Bluetooth functionality.
With a base price of right around $47,000 and its overall performance and power, this is a car for someone looking for more than a fun-in-the-sun standard Mustang, and is worth the money for anyone looking for a neo-Muscle Car.
Thanks, Jody! Can't wait to see one of these!