The current Shelby Mustang GT500 is the fastest production Mustang ever made. It’s also the most powerful street-legal Ford ever. In all of its almost 60 years of production, this is the pinnacle of Ford’s performance and power. The Ford GT held up as Ford’s best high-performance machine but pales in comparison. We’ll tell you why.

Obviously, it all comes down to power. The GT500 features a 5.2-liter V8 huffed with supercharging cranking out 760 hp with 625 lb-ft of torque. While it may lack the panache of the GT350R’s flat-plane crank throb, it makes up for with almost 50 more horsepower. That’s as much as you can ever expect from Ford’s mod motor.

But it’s not. To that point, for 2022 Ford offers the GT500KR which stands for “King of the Road.” These limited-edition Mustangs boast 900 hp. Sometimes, things do get better with age.

A seven-speed dual-clutch Tremec automatic transmission spins the rear end. A manual transmission has been available on all Shelby variants. But Ford opted for precision over our hand dragger capabilities. And with 80-millisecond upshifts, who are we to argue? But it sure would add some extra zing to the GT500 equation. 

To harness all of this power, Magneride adaptive dampers beef up the standard Mustang suspension. There are also electronic-assisted steering and adjustable modes for transmission and stability control. The track modes control dive while stiffening the suspension and improving throttle response. It also quickens shifts. 

Tied into the dash screen are track apps, which give the driver further customization of the Mustang’s performance. Launching can be programmed to different RPMs for the quarter-mile minded. A line lock lets you get the rear tires sticky to prepare for drag strip launches. 

All of this helps in confirming Ford’s claim of zero-to-60-to zero in under 10.6 seconds. And that has historical precedent, as Carol Shelby himself clocked a similar time in the 1960s with a 427 ci Cobra. 

As an option, the much-touted carbon fiber 20-inch wheels are available. They are about half the weight of alloy wheels, at 17 lbs. Less rolling mass means quicker times and better handling, it’s as simple as that. The package also includes some aero aids such as splitter wickers and a Gurney flap, 

But they come with a price that is a fourth of the GT500 base price, which comes to $18,500. It’s that old saying, “How fast you want to go depends on how much money you spend.” It’s one way to lower the hefty weight of the 350GT’s 4,000 lbs. 

So let’s review. The GT500 can literally be unboxed and be instantly competitive at your local track. Yet it costs under $100,000 based on having only a few options. You can use it as a comfortable daily driver if you wish, and if 760 hp isn’t enough you can up the ante to 900 hp. That’s a lot of cha-cha. We’re surprised long lines aren’t forming at dealerships for the 2022 Mustang GT500. 

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