Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Ford
Spy Shots: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500
by John Neff on Jun 9th 2008 at 9:32AM 
Click above for high-res gallery of 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 spy shots
We've seen plenty of spy shots showing the next-gen 2010 Ford Mustang, but these are the first batch of pics to show the high-horsepower Shelby GT500 version running around the streets of Detroit. Though the exterior is largely covered in camouflage, we can make out the Cobra badge on the far right of the front grille. And though camo often obscures the true lines of a car, it does appear that the next GT500 will have a different, bulging hood than the regular Mustang and a deeper front air dam. The spy photographers from KGP also caught the rear of this Shelby GT500 prototype with the camo lifted just a bit to reveal some unique detailing on the car's lower rear valence. Perhaps most significant is the view we now have of the car's interior, which is the first to be seen uncovered. The dual-cowl dash remains, while the entire instrument panel flows seemlessly from one side of the car to the other. The two giant gauges we saw earlier are also present here along with the rectangular air vents atop the center stack, and this model also features a steering wheel sporting a Cobra badge in bright brushed metal. No one's quite sure what will power the next-gen Shelby GT500, though our bet is on a new supercharged 5.0L V8 that will replace the current S/C Gallery: 2010 Shelby GT500 - spy shots
[Source: KGP Photography]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Rusty 9:41AM (6/09/2008)
The last Cobra had a s/c 4.6L. The current GT500 has an s/c 5.4L.
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saycheese 9:50AM (6/09/2008)
A turd is a turd is a turd - even if polished and propelled by 500HP. Could the interior get any more ugly? There are more cheap plastics there than the Dollar store around the corner.
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Kimura 9:55AM (6/09/2008)
Right because you can see the entire interior in the photos, or you've had seat time in the new interior right? All interiors look lousy in spyshots..they are prepoduction after all. Please, if you're going to say something stupid just do us all a favor and keep your mouth shut.
saycheese 10:37AM (6/09/2008)
Kimura.. shut your pie-hole, and stop brown nosing Ford and Shelby's bum.
I have driven enough Mustangs over the years to know that this iteration also follows the same trend with the interior. If your eyes are shot and cannot see the similarity in the plasticky-look, then it's your fault. Are you saying they did not put in the final interior trim in that cloaked thingamazing?
What did you do? Voted my post for low rank and patted yourself on your back?
Nellydesign 12:07PM (6/09/2008)
Just because something was one way in the past doesn't make it the same way now. Does a current CTS interior have the quality of the last CTS? No, its far superior. And THIS Mustang is superior to the last in interior quality, so stop making assumptions based on photos and how "plasticky" they look. The whole notion of knowing how "plasticky" PLASTIC is from a spy photo of PREPRODUCTION NON-GRAINED interiors makes you look like a fool.
And it sounds like someone has it in for Ford a lot more than someone else is "brown nosing".
C.W. 8:24AM (6/10/2008)
saycheese, you are clueless and need to start thinking before you start slamming someone else for being a little more open minded. wait until the car comes out and you sit in it and then make your comments. how in the world can you make a negative comment about something you CANY EVEN SEE or touch for that matter. so lay off the comments to other bloggers for looking at things the right way.
Kimura 9:55AM (6/09/2008)
New interior and refreshed exterior are all well and good, but they real question is whether or not a Ford will finally put and IRS in the Mustang. That's its biggest shortcoming above all else IMO. If it doesn't get one all of these changes will be for nothing and it'll still be eating the Challenger and Camaro's dust when the road gets twisty.
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Jason 9:57AM (6/09/2008)
I wouldn't hold your breath.
The Other Bob 10:17AM (6/09/2008)
Mustang buyers dont care or need IRS. IRS is more expensive, heavier, less durable and doesn't offer that much to the car other than bragging rights.
The solid rear axle still handles better than a vast majority of cars on the road and offers snappier acceleration than IRS.
ambientFLIER 1:33PM (6/09/2008)
"The solid rear axle still handles better than a vast majority of cars on the road and offers snappier acceleration than IRS."
LOL
1: The solid axle mustang handles OK, for a SOLID AXLE car, and NOT better than the majority of cars on the road today. Probably in the lower 1/3rd.
2: I wasn't aware of the fact that a solid axle changes the power/weight ratio of a car and allows it to accelerate quicker. It might have more traction under harder acceleration, but a good driver will be able to extract the same from an irs. It just takes a bit more skill. SO basically you have 1/3rd of a point. A mustang is easier for a dum-dum to drive fast than another car.
Good Job.
Red 10:11AM (6/09/2008)
Are the fenders wider as well? Compared to the other spy shots I mean?
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Matt 10:15AM (6/09/2008)
The GT500 (actually, GT447), uses a S/C 5.4 boat anchor for a power plant...not the 4.6
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ian7654 10:51AM (6/09/2008)
GT447? Are you alluding to the episode of Top Gear in which they measured the rear wheel horsepower of a GT500? Advertised HP is at the flywheel, not the drive wheels. Drive wheel HP is always less than flywheel HP due to frictional losses in the drivetrain. Getting 447 HP to the ground from a 500 Flywheel HP engine would mean you're only losing about 10% to drivetrain friction, which is pretty good. I know the engineering is more complicated than that, but it's ignorant to measure HP at the drive wheels and expect the advertised numbers.
carsteve 10:24AM (6/09/2008)
Please carpet the entire interior, all the way up to the bottom of the dash.
Why do I have the feeling (not based on these photos alone) that the new "GT500" won't be badged as such, and just as a Cobra? This is not a bad thing, at all, and adds value to the current run of GT500s. I can't stop thinking of how cool it would be if they badged the car simply, "Mustang Cobra" sans SVT badges. I'll take one in black.
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Kimura 10:44AM (6/09/2008)
To The Other Bob, it's not a truck, it doesn't need to be durable like a truck, as it won't be towing or hauling. Obviously IRS is durable enough to handle high horsepower...you don't see Ferraris with live axles. And yes, while it does handle better than your average family sedan, you need look no further than any comparison between the Mustang and Challenger to see that the Challenger, though bigger and heavier, rides and handles better. Considering how well the G8 handles the Camaro will be just as good if not better.
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Matt DeCillis 11:02AM (6/09/2008)
Dude, you have no clue what a Mustang buyer wants. Most Mustangs are drag raced, not on a road course. Do you know that the 03/04 Cobra's had IRS? Did you know that 50% of the people drag racing those said Cobras replaced their IRS with a solid axle? And the 30% of the other 50% that didn't swap it had axles busting all over the place? Didn't think so. Stick with the solid axle, it's what the core mustang enthusiasts want. Kudos to Ford for giving it to US!
Benfolio 11:06AM (6/09/2008)
Ford doesn't care what the small percentage of guys modding thier Stangs to the point of needing a solid rear axle want.
They will do whatever is cheaper and will sell more cars.
If they can put a cheap IRS in it and make it handle better for the majority of people who will never take it to a drap strip then they will.
Matt DeCillis 11:41AM (6/09/2008)
Well it's the cheaper way to go, it's the weight and what the buyers want. Most of the enthusiasts want a solid axle.
The Other Bob 12:25PM (6/09/2008)
The solid axle is also more durable in that it requires much less maintenance. Ever hear of a solid rear axle coming out of alignment?
I haven't.
jb 11:24AM (6/09/2008)
good to see Ford spending its resources in making gas guzzling cars in these times of high price gas...
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