The ultimate Mustang, the Shelby GT500 is no longer just an in-your-face muscle car with incredible straight-line performance - it's now also a well-sorted sports car that no longer feels overwrought by its power. Talking of power, Ford's official factory rating for the GT500 is 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque. A rather well-known Texas tuner wanted to find out exactly how much power the Shelby puts down, though.
The guys at Hennessey have just released a test drive video showcasing the GT500, and whether a dyno test can match those epic figures. Well, it gets close, with the specific example tested bringing up 708 hp and 589.5 lb-ft. Considering that these outputs are what the GT500 put down to the ground relative to what it produces at the crankshaft, it amounts to a great overall outcome with only a minimal power loss.
The test drive is all part of Hennessey's standard process, whereby each vehicle is thoroughly tested before the tuning work begins. The intoxicating sound of the GT500's V8 while undergoing its baseline dyno test is worth replaying multiple times as the supercharged V8 spins to around 7,500 rpm. Along with a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the GT500 is able to reach 60 mph in under 3.4 seconds.
Later in the video, at around the 02:55 mark, you can hear the characteristic supercharger whine in all its glory. The reviewer manages to top out at 146 mph on the track, which he says "competes with a lot of our top-tier modified vehicles".
Happy with the stock GT500's performance, the video concludes with a promise of even more horsepower via one of Hennessey's Venom packages. One of the most powerful of these is the Venom 1000 tuning package with 1,000 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque, with upgrades to the fuel delivery system, intercooler, and a reinforced seven-speed 'box. The package also replaces the standard 2.65-liter supercharger with a 3.0-liter version.
The Venom 1000 package comes with a one-year/12,000-mile warranty, although no pricing has yet been announced. For the hardcore enthusiast, a 1,200-hp version of the same package will also be available, although it requires E85 or 109-octane racing gas. With that kind of power, you'll also need to get yourself a racetrack.