Ford Shelby GT500
 

www.nthimage.com --> photoshoots 20 hi-res photos

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/7698_GT500_8.jpg

Introduction :
It started back in late 2004 with the introduction of the first all new Mustang in over 20 years, and immediate thoughts floating around in enthusiasts heads about what the next SVT Cobra might be. Roumors abound by its engine, its power, its displacement for two full years before we were told the realities about it. Now, just a few months away from consumer availability, we know the truth about this car.

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/11227_GT500_2.jpg
Exterior:
The shape cannot be mistaken for anything else on the street, save another Mustang. But, a second glance shows this is no tuner body kitted pony car; but something much more sinister, with its more aggressive, and aerodynamically functional front facia, the aluminum hood, and the rear spoiler.

The whole car is so extremely solid, one might think this car is more atune to the stiffness of Keanu Reeves, rather then the loose and often face-lifted whacko-Jacko.... In fact, this might actually be a stolen German chassis! It is that solid.

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/5235_GT500_14.jpg
Interior :
When comparing the interior against the Mustang GT, these two cars couldn't be more different then everso, and RC45. The 05+ GT holds a cirtain nastalgia about its design; yet is not as accute as what might be expected of a modern car. For example, the dials are easy to read on the new Cobra.

The color schemes seem to work well, I particularly like the red on black style, with the visible red stitching giving a higher quality feel. The seats are compfortable, and work much better in keeping your ass in place then the GT does.

The rear seats are just as compfortable as the front; but when standing at 6'2", I have a slight issue with being compfortable for a long haul.

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/7879_GT500_10.jpg
How does it drive?
How do you think? Raw speed isn't that much further ahead of the 03/04 SVT Cobras, but usable power is even higher, thanks to the FGT Aluminum heads, and the extra displacement of the 5.4 Liter engine. What does this mean? You don't have to downshift to eat your local Civics, and Trans Ams alive, kicking and screaming :)

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/31677_GT500_11.jpg
The steering is much more direct then the 03/04 Cobra and also much more immediate. I take this down to both good geometries, as well as having more then 3x as much chassis regidity as the previous generation.

Handling is eons above the 03/04 IRS Cobra... In fact, its suprising how much so, mid corner speeds are much higher. It is suprising that Ford could make this car handle as good as it does for being a 3900 lb. car. Well done!.

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/21794_GT500_16.jpg
What are the most positive features of the car?
Handling, Power, Solid feel, and the sound! OH the sound!

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/22940_GT500_5.jpg


What are the most negative features of the car?
You cannot buy one yet. It is a heavy car.

How do you think this car compares to its direct competition?
Nothing touches the Mustang Shelby GT500. Perhaps in a year, others will be close (a roumoured SRT-8 Challenger, and the roumored Camaro SS) As much as everybody knows that the number one reason why people buy the GT500/Cobra is because they couldn't get a Corvette... this car isn't the same as one. But... on the street, where everything counts, the better driver will win.

http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/22926_GT500_6.jpg
Conclusion
The car that will be the fastest from Ford for the interim without a supercar for sale.... the most accessible 500 hp you will find anywhere.

Specifications
500 hp/ 475 ft. lbs.
3900 or so lbs.
T 56 6 speed
5.4 liter supercharged DOHC V8
157 mph top speed

© 2006 ~Isaac
photos:



http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/5322_GT500_7.jpg






http://Serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/5952_GT500_13.jpg

www.nthimage.com --> photoshoots 20 hi-res photos

So - hows the heater work then? ;) :P

I like it a lot, and it's a bargain for the performances :D

A C6 Corvette can be had for a couple (literally) grand more, which doesn't pig out on gas, and isn't a complete tank. The GT500 may have 500hp to the C6's 400, but the GT500 just weighs so bloody much that the extra power is completely negated in terms of performance, with the C6 equaling or beating the GT500 in basically every performance catagory. Sure the C6 doesn't have back seats, but it's not like you'd be buying a GT500 for an everyday soccer-mom mobile anyways.

Bottom line: I find it to be a huge disappointment.

have you driven both?

and why wouldn't you drive the GT500 every day?

Well - chicks and hairdressers buy the C6 Coupe anyway... while manly men on a budget would get the GT500... :P

Men on a budget that have no brains maybe. Yay for buying a glorified Mustang that weighs 3,900lbs and can't beat a car (even in a straight line) with 100hp less for essentially the same price.

I've seen more than a few 'chicks' driving Mustangs, hell, even a leading female on 'The OC' had a Mustang GT.

If taking a C6 Coupe over the GT500 makes me a chick or a hairdresser, well, good luck seeing how much I care because the only thing you'd be seeing in a GT500, is a standard Mustang interior, and my rear licence plate.

shows how much you know about mustangs, nearly nothing... and shows you didnt' read the review either

the interiors are vastly different

So - you are more concerned about interior than anything else then? :P

Interesting - but a badly driven C6 Coupe would be struggling to keep up with a badly driven GT500.

That 100hp is a big difference... just ask all those C5 Coupe guys in the 350bhp cars that got their arse handed to them by 450bhp SVT's ;)

Haha shows how much I know about Mustangs? The only thing different in the GT500's interior are the seats, the steering wheel, and some SVT gauges. The rest is standard fare.

And no I haven't driven both, but I've read up on both quite a bit, have seen reviews etc. Enough that I feel I can formulate a reasonably educated opinion on the matter.

I know for a fact that the C6 is faster in a straight line, and around a track, I know the C6 has more cargo space, I know the C6 drinks less fuel, I know the C6 doesn't have an irritating blower whine, the C6 doesn't understeer like the front-heavy GT500, and reportedly, the Corvette has a lighter clutch than the GT500, making everyday driving a lot less of a chore.

So yea, based on those facts, and probably others that I haven't bothered to get into, I would gladly take the C6 over the GT500. If I were to get a Ford, I would just get an '04 Cobra instead. It's cheaper, it makes a crapload of power, its lighter, it has IRS, and it's pretty much just as quick as this new GT500.

Don't know anything...Sure.

contradicting statements here, mate.

so, when you drive both, then make an educated opinion.

oh, and I've driven the 03/04 Cobra at some lenght, and the 07 is MILES better in most regards, and on the street, the GT500 is faster by a lot... but in the 1/4 with a pro driver, the GT500 will only be slightly faster...

the difference comes from the torque delivery.

the C6 doesn't feel as fast on throttle as the GT500... its in a different segment.

How is that contradictive? I don't have to drive both to have an opinion on it, because it's just that, an opinion. You don't have to agree with my opinion, or take anything I'm saying as fact, so no, I'm just fine and dandy using the knowledge I have to make an opinion on the matter.

Car and Driver agrees with me anyways haha, and I'll take their view over yours any day of the week.

Is it possible to have a stripped out mustang with 500hp? C'mon.. even the last Cobra SVT R was a fat pig..but sure looked mean as hell!

Mustangs were oringially pony cars.. the lighter quicker of the muscle car era right?

Either way, AMAZING pics nfinity.. you sure are improving quite drastically with all these amazing indepth photoshoots.

For this shot:
http://serv3.imagehigh.com/imgs/04/31677_GT500_11.jpg

Did you mount the camera on the car?

Hehehe - so whats the point of a 'Members Review" if people are just going come in and quote car & driver etc etc and CLAIM that they know which is better.

JabbasWorld has a rule... Pics or STFU.

So - untill you HAVE driven both, perhaps you shoudl keep the "opions" to the regular Car Chat forum.. as this one is about ACtual Member Reviews - where counterpoints need to be validated by test drives.

Which again, is why I say there should be at least some rudimentary test data recorded to back up what the reviewer says.

:)

I can tell you this much, in my opinionthe C6 Coupe is a slow turning, bad handling, numb, dog slow, poser chick car :P ;)

But without some test data for me to back up my opinion - it's just my biased, subjective opinion.

And here I thought that "we trust the opinions of a fellow enthusiast more than a magazine tester".. Apparently not..

Why would I trust his opinion more than that of a professional reviewer? You think the people who make a living out of driving and writing about cars aren't 'fellow enthusiasts'?

Jeez you people sure can be stuck up around here.

thankyou :)

and, yes... it was mounted to the car via a suction mount.

how do you think i drove a 2007 car :?:

Well whether or not you're making your living out of reviewing cars, that's still no reason to take your opinion (because that's all a review really is anyways outside of hard statistical facts) over that of anyone else.

Well - since this is the entire POINT of the members review seciton is to get an "enthusiasts view point" lets continue this discusison - I am surenth won't mind.

What makes you think they are all "profesisonal reviewers"?

And for that matter, what makes a "profesisonal reviwer"?

Requoted for emphasis:
DAMN STRAIGHT

Very few "professional reviewers" are autoenthusiasts... in fact that is the MAIN PROBLEM!!!! Most of them are JOURNALISTS first.. then Car Magazine staffers 2nd... then a distant 3rd... MIGHT have a true interests and enthusiasm in cars.

After all - what you are falling in love with is not ehir "review" - but rather what they "wrote" abou tthe review.. :P ;)

I mean, serioauly, if the idea of "member reviews" is so repulsive to you - why did you bother reading the thread/seciton?

Just so you could say "your review sucks cause C&D says different to what you say"??
:)

Haha fuck you guys are pathetic. I give my thoughts, and just because you think otherwise, I'm autotmatically not supposed to post here. I bet if I had come in here and said "goddamn the GT500 is awesome, great review, I agree on all points!", there would have been absolutely no fuss given, or even question whether I had first hand experience with the car to come up with that opinion.

Get over yourselves, this is still just a message board on the internet.

so why did you register if its just a message board? ;)

oh, you posted w/out reading the review. That is why i jumped and provided evidence of your misconceptions.

while posting here, you have changed your reasons why you dont like it... what stays the same is that you dont like it. I am happy to provide you custom content that isn't out anywhere else.... does anybody have a black striped GT500 out there? ;) :) 8)

Being that I am more an expert on the car then 90% of the people out there, I take pleasure in helping people revise thier opinions.... what suprises me is how much bias you take without really knowing much about the products you like/loath.

Why did I register if it's a message board? How does a question like that even make sense to you? I registered because it's a site primarily about cars, and I get bored, thus I post and kill time. You must have really strained your brain trying to work that one out.

As for changing my reasons for not liking the GT500, I sure haven't.

And bias, sure I have bias, it'd be stupid to deny that. Everyone has preferences, and very very rarely, if at all, will you get an entirely unbiased opinion on something.

Even if you are a self-proclaimed expert on the car, it's still just words from another person, just like every other word that I've read about this car. Just because you wrote a review does not make your opinion the concrete fact on the matter.

10% still leaves a lot of people who know a lot more about the car then I.... lets see.... just in the US, that is 27 million people who likely know more then I do :p

if that makes me an Expert then fine....

but, in context, i am more an expert then the other 243 million people here.

Sure thing.

But you gave your "thoughts" in the MEMBERS REVIEW seciton.

If REVIEWERS are required to drive the car before they can post a review, I say the COUNTER POINT can only come from someone else who has ALSO reviewed the car.

If not, then your opinion belongs in Car Chat.. :)

No - he doesn't think otherwise.. he KNOWS otherwise - based on the fact he has driven both cars in quesiton :)

Agai, the entire POINT of the Members Review section.

Well - you would only be agreeing with what your IMPRSSION is based on what you read.. and hopefully what you read was also based on ACTUAL TEST DRIVEs, not some other opinionated yahoo.. ;)

So since he is offering a counter point to Car & Driver - based on an actual test drive his opinion at this time carries the most weight of all - right? ;)

Yep - not unlike Edmunds.com. Car&Driver.com etc.

:P

p.s.

Goddamn nt, the GT500 is awesome, great review, I agree on all points!

Dang nick, stop it!
Did you ever know that different ppl can also have different opinions on the same car?

It's not because a journo say something that everybody else should think the same. It also come down to what other cars you can compare the given car...

no more stupid arguing now, back on topic: thanks for the review dude, well done and brillant pics! I was asked to mount the camera with a suction mount but will never dare to :!:

BTW, I find it a bit messy to have two topics running about the same car here and in WYST.. IMO we should post it just once, either here, or in WYST and then move it after a week or so :bah:

hmm....

I understand what you are saying... i guess i just put the hi-res photos in the normal area, and the the smaller pics and associated with the review here.

BTW, the mounts never faultered, even with the video recorders hooked up. ;)

What is the likely MSRP?

Nice review nth! I like the suction cup shot .. very well done!

I believe $42,000 is the MSRP

Well, it depends ;) in this case, especially for the picture freaks (you, me , nth...), the picture part is in the end at as least as important as the review, if not more ;) so IMO the topic qualify to both sections. But as moving them around would be a mess, and having two topics already proved complicated, at least IMO, we better post them here and only here.

$42,000? Do you have the performance stats of this car?

Do the Members Review seciton rules allow for measuring performance numbers? ;) :P

Obviously I haven't taken a look at the rules.. This member reviews section showed up out of no where.. And I ccheck this site every half hour!

But I can pretty much understand the point of this section.. I just don't why you want to limit discussion on this topic and tell me to post about this in a another section..

I think we need vids to make a complete review :P

Damn - that's cheap! That's like 23, 000 GBP. For that money over here, you could get a boggo 3-series/TT etc...

I know i whinge, but i cannot believe that you can buy such a car for such little money :shock:

BTW - nice review. :good: That Nick should STFU, with his "Car and Driver is gospel" bullshit. Its nice to read what your impressions were.

And, to anser the question put forward before, just how the hell did you manage to drive an 07 car?

performance data ought to be coming in over the next week or two... as the second GT500 appointment looks to be "go"

I'm told that the big 3 magazines 0-60 and 1/4 time wern't very good...
and that a low 12 second 1/4 is possible with the GT500.

how do i get ahold of such cars?

why cant anybody :P :idea: :arrow: :wink:

huh? something must have been lost in the translation? what was told to youabout whom and when?

ok NOW i'm confused.

But back to the topic, the GT500 looks damn sexy ;)