We had previously reported that the 2013 Shelby GT500 would make something like 650 horsepower and reach 200 miles an hour, but after sending the Shelby to the dyno, Ford found that the car actually makes 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque. That was enough to score the Shelby the title of the most powerful series production V-8 in the world.
To be honest, the 2013 GT500 is one of the most powerful production cars in the world, full stop. Take a look at the world of production hypercars and you’ll find only five that make more power than the GT500: the Pagani Huayra, Lamborghini Aventador, Bugatti Veyron, SSC Ultimate Aero, and the Koenigsegg Agera. For reference, the least expensive of those five cars is the Aventador, which starts at about $394,000. The GT500, meanwhile, will run you about $55,000.
Ford does say that the 2013 Shelby GT500 is at least a little bit responsible: it’s also been rated at 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway. That’s a full five mpg more than the GT500′s closest competitor, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
The company also assures us that the new car has improved aerodynamics to keep the car planted, even at ludicrous speeds. Ford says that the revised front fascia and splitter provides 33 percent more downforce, and the car also has six-piston Brembo brakes at all four corners to quickly bring the party to a stop.
With the existence of a 662-horse Ford, will there still be a reason to buy cars like the Ferrari 599? Of course there will be. As it happens, however, simple horsepower figures aren’t one of them.
