Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 powers up

The Ford Shelby GT500’s supercharged V8 has grown from 5.4-litres to 5.8-litres, power has been raised from 402kW to 485kW – with the redline lifting to 7000rpm -- partnering with 813Nm of torque. That means it outpunches every other V8 in production.

Set to be unveiled tomorrow at LA motor show, the revised Shelby GT500 is confirmed with the 321km/h top speed. Other privately tuned Mustangs have been just as fast, or even faster, but Ford is taking official credit for the GT500 and the V8 engine with its massive power.

The Shelby hero car is unveiled at the top of a facelifted and updated range of Mustangs that goes into showrooms next year, in time for the American summer. They have a redesigned front end and Xenon headlamps and a six-speed automatic with a touch-change manual mode similar to the Ford Falcon in Australia.

The king-of-the-hill Mustang also comes as Chevrolet finalises its own showroom plans for a rampaging Camaro ZL1 with a supercharged V8 engine that pumps out 430 kiloWatts. It's a new high for the two-door coupe developed in Australia as a spin-off from the Holden Commodore.

Will we see it the Shelby?  You'd have to say it's unlikely for this one, except through special conversion importers. However with the Blue Oval increasingly touting its 'One Ford' business and platform plans, plus speculation about the Falcon shifting from its rear-wheel drive basis, maybe we've got a wafer-slim chance of seeing a right-hand drive program for it in the future.