2011 Ford Shelby GT500
A Ford Shelby GT500 convertible for many people a very emotional machine, an icon of American drivers, that the images required in the classic Detroit iron crosses Woodward Avenue or Jets Throwdown pull all muscle strips.
When you grow up in Detroit, the Ford Mustang is so much more than just another performance car. At the tippy top of the Mustang hierarchy sits the Shelby GT500 with its supercharged 5.4-liter V8, 550 horsepower and an exhaust note that will wake the neighbors. For 2011, Ford has tweaked the GT500's core, not to mention stiffening individual components of both the front and rear suspension setups. Unfortunately, Ford falls victim to this with all of its Mustangs, especially from the top-down side profile. Even with the soft top in place, the Shelby GT500 Convertible's interior is spacious and comfortable, though it should be when you consider the car's overall size. We love convertibles, but we also love stiffness and sharpness with our performance cars.
Ford has introduced a heavily revised version of its Shelby GT500 range-topper for its latest model year.
For the first time, Ford's Shelby GT500 is going to an all-aluminum version of the 5.4-liter supercharged V8 that was in the 2010 GT500. One piece of technology that helped to make this muscle car a little slimmer was the addition of a Plasma Transferred Wire Arc cylinder lining. The latest Shelby GT500 will be the first modern Shelby without a gas guzzler tax, thanks to the EPA-projected 15 mpg city, and 23 mpg highway ratings. Ford has also lowered the Shelby GT500 by 11 millimeters up front, and 8 millimeters out back for improved handling. SVT says it added slotted brake dust shields to help improve brake cooling and handling, as well as a new pedal box with is aimed at improving clutch and pedal efforts.
Ford also stiffened the chassis on the convertible by 12 percent over the outgoing model - allowing for improved lateral stiffness. Other features include AdvanceTrac stability control (which can be disabled), dual stage front air bags, side-impact air bags, Ford SYNC, 911 Assist, a constantly updated Vehicle Health Report (VHR), and an Ambient Lighting System with MyColor.
