04. 2013 Ford Shelby GT500
The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is an intimidating beast of a car, 3,871 lbs of American muscle that can blaze through the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds and reach 60-mph in 3.5 seconds thanks to its 5.8-liter, supercharged V-8 engine. This unit produces 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque, and Ford claims that it is the most powerful production engine ever offered by a Detroit-based automaker.
In addition to the considerable bump in power when compared against the previous model year, the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 also features a host aerodynamic upgrades, it’s own take on the revised styling that has visited every member of the Mustang lineup, a carbon fiber driveshaft, and the new Track Apps feature. Also available with the Ford Mustang Boss 302, this software package can measure acceleration, braking distance, and even offers a digital drag strip 'tree' to help owners master the vehicle's launch control system.
Like every other Mustang, the Shelby GT500 is built around a live rear axle, which makes for interesting behavior when the full force of its 662 horsepower is unleashed in a track environment. The GT500 was a complete force of nature when accelerating down Calabogie's long straightaway, and its 15-inch front and 13.8-inch rear disc brakes did an excellent job of hauling the automobile down from triple-digit speeds when a bend in the course presented itself far more quickly than one was used to after having driven lesser Mustangs on the same circuit.
Cornering, however, was an exercise in restraint and a test of the reflexes. Lifting off the throttle prior to turn in introduced a heart-fluttering lightness at the rear of the Shelby, induced in no small part by the incredibly high speeds it was capable of reaching before the appearance of each braking zone. Getting back on the throttle after a corner meant carefully monitoring wheel spin and torque delivery so that you found yourself pinned to the coupe's comfortable Recaro seats by forward acceleration and not a tail-sliding, rubber-incinerating drift maneuver. The Shelby GT500 came across as a very point-and-shoot type of car, an explosive automobile that can close the distance between one corner and another in an astonishingly short amount of time before it must be carefully aimed at the next waypoint on the track by an expert driver who is respectful, but unphased by the exceptional power that rests underneath their right foot.