2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Review

The 155-mph Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 is the only classic American high-performance muscle car being produced -- at least until the new Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro arrive within a year or so.

Muscle cars from the 1960s are commanding such daunting prices -- often topping $100,000 -- that the Shelby GT500 seems like a bargain. It comes as a $40,930 coupe and $45,755 convertible.

This special Mustang has a supercharged 500-horsepower V-8. That makes it the lowest-cost 500-horsepower car from any automaker and the fastest, most-powerful Mustang ever.

I briefly drove a Shelby GT500 last year and thought the car was special enough to warrant driving it again for a few days before the 2007 model year ends.

The first Shelby GT500 Mustang was sold in the late 1960s with a V-8 that produced approximately 400 horsepower. It was developed by Ford and legendary racer/car builder Carroll Shelby. The current Shelby GT500 was developed by Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and Shelby.

The 2007 version's engine is far more sophisticated than the old pushrod V-8, with dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and a large power-boosting turbocharger with an intercooler.

The big, smooth sledgehammer 5.4-liter V-8 is accompanied by superwide tires that muscle car fans in the 1960s could only dream about, along with uprated brakes and a sport suspension.

The car does 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and reaches 100 mph in 10.3 seconds without breathing hard. This time, though, it felt more like a comfortable highway cruiser than a pavement-pounding muscle car when the throttle wasn't floored. That's because it weighs about 3,900 pounds and is nose-heavy, with a heavy-duty engine block, supercharger and intercooler up front.

The Shelby GT500 still handles exceptionally well, but its steering could be crisper near the on-center wheel position and the car doesn't feel as nimble as a lighter car when storming through curves.

Powerful anti-lock brakes and standard traction control are key items -- and there's a bunch of comfort, convenience and safety features, including front side air bags with head and torso protection.

The Shelby GT500 sure looks the part, with a "shark mouth" front end, twin vents on its raised aluminum hood and oversized rear spoiler. There's also a bunch of cobra snake emblems (one of the signatures of Shelby's 1960s Mustangs), seven SVT logos, four GT500 badges, three Shelby escutcheons and two Ford ovals on interior and exterior surfaces. Not to mention racing stripes for the coupe's hood, roof and trunk lid, along with side stripes that accompany a "GT500" designation. (The stripes can be deleted.)

The V-8 works with a six-speed manual transmission with a firm-but-decent shifter. However, the clutch has a long, heavy throw, which doesn't make this car the best candidate for short, easy in-town trips.

No automatic transmission is available partly because it's assumed that most Shelby GT500 buyers want a modern version of a traditional 1960s muscle car.

Estimated fuel economy is 15 mpg in the city and 21 on highways, but a driver can top those figures by a few mpg by skipping gears when upshifting. The powerful V-8 has so much torque that it won't complain if you shift directly from first gear to third or fourth gear to keep revs low and fuel economy up.

Sixth gear is for cruising, but the V-8 is so potent that one can stay in sixth for decent passing times on highways, although fourth gear is best for the fastest moves above 65 mph.

Despite its superior suspension, the 2007 Shelby GT500 is like the 1960s model in that there's no independent rear suspension, which means the ride isn't as smooth as it could be on bad roads and that bumps in curves can briefly upset the car's composure. Such a suspension would have caused the price to be higher.

Like all Mustangs, the Shelby GT500 has a tight rear seat that's difficult to enter or leave, and long, heavy doors that are awkward in tight parking spots. The trunk has a high, rather narrow opening, but it is surprisingly roomy for the fairly small Mustang. Rear seatbacks flip forward to significantly enlarge the cargo area.

The front seats are generally supportive, but gauges are hard to read in bright sunlight. The interior has too much hard plastic, and controls could have a nicer feel. However, they're relatively easy to use, and cupholders are within convenient reach.

A prop rod is needed to hold open the heavy hood, but at least the engine isn't covered with a large plastic shield. Why hide the potent V-8, which muscle car fans consider a work of art with its visible aluminum cylinder heads and supercharger?

2007 FORD SHELBY MUSTANG GT500

PRICE: $40,930-$45,755.

LIKES: A 500-horsepower V-8. Racy styling. Fastest-ever Mustang. Civilized.

DISLIKES: Tight rear seat. Hard-to-read gauges. Hard interior plastic. Very heavy.