2006 Detroit Auto Show Index by TCC Team (1/7/2006)
GT500 No Secretary's Car
Accompanied by much fanfare - and video clips of reckless Hollywood car-chase-style driving, Ford's Americas president Mark Fields drove onto the stage in the new GT500, accompanied by legend Carroll Shelby. Fields drew from Shelby history when he affirmed that the new GT500 "is no secretary's car." With a 5.4-liter supercharged and intercooled V-8 making a monstrous 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque-a full 175 hp more than the Mustang GT-the Shelby pushes its power out through a heavy-duty six-speed manual transmission. The GT500 carries SVT powertrain badges, with the cast-iron block from Ford's modular V-8 family paired with the same alloy cylinder heads, piston rings, and bearings as used in the Ford GT supercar. To accommodate the larger engine, the hood has been domed up, with various airflow tweaks. From a distance, the bulge is only obvious if you're familiar with Mustangs, but the most obvious GT500 differentiator is the white Le Mans-style striping that runs the length of the car. A retro-look (though non-functional) Cobra gas-cap emblem marks the rear fascia.
The rear suspension remains a solid-axle setup, though the geometry has been tweaked (and adapted from racing) to accommodate the extra power. Braking is aided by huge 14-inch Brembo rotors in front, and there are grippy 285-width tires in back. Inside, front seats get more lateral support, among other performance upgrades.
Most notably, Fields also assured that the GT500 would be affordable, with prices "starting in the low 40s." For people who want the most performance for the money, that's great news. -Bengt Halvorson
GT500 No Secretary's Car
Accompanied by much fanfare - and video clips of reckless Hollywood car-chase-style driving, Ford's Americas president Mark Fields drove onto the stage in the new GT500, accompanied by legend Carroll Shelby. Fields drew from Shelby history when he affirmed that the new GT500 "is no secretary's car." With a 5.4-liter supercharged and intercooled V-8 making a monstrous 475 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque-a full 175 hp more than the Mustang GT-the Shelby pushes its power out through a heavy-duty six-speed manual transmission. The GT500 carries SVT powertrain badges, with the cast-iron block from Ford's modular V-8 family paired with the same alloy cylinder heads, piston rings, and bearings as used in the Ford GT supercar. To accommodate the larger engine, the hood has been domed up, with various airflow tweaks. From a distance, the bulge is only obvious if you're familiar with Mustangs, but the most obvious GT500 differentiator is the white Le Mans-style striping that runs the length of the car. A retro-look (though non-functional) Cobra gas-cap emblem marks the rear fascia.
The rear suspension remains a solid-axle setup, though the geometry has been tweaked (and adapted from racing) to accommodate the extra power. Braking is aided by huge 14-inch Brembo rotors in front, and there are grippy 285-width tires in back. Inside, front seats get more lateral support, among other performance upgrades.
Most notably, Fields also assured that the GT500 would be affordable, with prices "starting in the low 40s." For people who want the most performance for the money, that's great news. -Bengt Halvorson
