Originally Posted by Fenderaddict2
So too the Shelby?
"We spent a few abbreviated laps around Road Atlanta with the Shelby and found ourselves stunned at not only the machine's drivability, but its trackability. Here's a big coupe that tips the scales at over 3,800 pounds with 662 horsepower routed to two wheels. We expected to find ourselves listing port and starboard as the big boat bobbed its way around the track and plowed past apexes as it tried its best to swap ass for nose. This couldn't have been farther from the case.
Ford worked with the suspension gurus at Bilstein to come up with a new driver-adjustable damping system. Push a button on the dash and a solenoid in each damper physically switches the valving inside. The engineers at SVT specifically focused on making the adjustable features in the GT500 as easy to access and utilize as possible, which is also why buyers don't have to fumble through a maze of menus to nix traction control or adjust the electronic power steering from comfort to sport. All very handy. With everything set to sport, the GT500 is remarkably sharp and poised. Come into an apex, dig deep in the brakes, set up your line, pour on the throttle and the car simply heeds your commands with surprisingly little drama. This is a car that's happy to woo you into thinking, "Yeah, I can absolutely handle the world's most powerful production V8." Ford designed the GT500 with a four-stage traction control system, from full on to full off, with Sport mode allowing a little more tail-happy shenanigans without leaving you alone in the room with all that torque. Needless to say, we preferred Sport mode, and found the system to be more than forgiving enough. When we did brush up against the electronic overlords, the gadgetry didn't fully pull the wind from the car's sails. As far as traction control goes, this setup is about as lovable as it gets.
It clearly has the brawn to put our inadequacies on it shoulders and carry us to glory.
The vast expanse of torque from the big V8 is as addicting as it is forgiving. This car doesn't need you to know exactly which gear you need to be in for every apex. It clearly has the brawn to put our inadequacies on it shoulders and carry us to glory. First gear will bolt all the to 60 mph. Second? Well past 100. Third? Well, let's just say we never felt the need to sample fourth during our abbreviated runs around Road Atlanta even with the speedometer licking at 133 mph half-way down the back straight."
And before anyone says it... "lolz, solid axle FTL, lolz" reader comments washing our way. We've said it over, and over, and over again. The Ford suspension crew has worked some sort of miracle with the ox-cart gear in the Mustang, and that magic continues to be present in the GT500. It's almost as if the team delights in flipping conventional wisdom the bird. After flogging the hide from this machine, we're squarely on their side on this one. Why bother changing the recipe when what they have tastes so damn good?
Best bit of the review though is giving props to both the ZL1 and the Shelby for giving Porsche, M and AMG guys something American to cross shop.
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