NewUsed

Find by category:

Exhaust Notes

2013 Ford GT500 Horsepower Confirmed: 662 and $54,995!

The numbers are stunning -- but how long will the one-upmanship go on? And does it matter?

By Sam Smith Apr 27, 2012 4:32AM
2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Image courtesy Ford.Ford recently confirmed engine specifications on the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500. The car, which debuts later this year, is set to make an insane 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque. 

Yes, that's a breathless headline. I don't use exclamation points often, but this one is worth it: Never before has so much been available to so many for so little. Never before have you been able to buy 662 ponies, with a warranty and from a major manufacturer, for just under $55,000. 

Wow. Just -- wow.

There are a lot of things to think about here. Most are questions such as, "Where on earth would I use that much juice?" and, "What kind of person needs that much power?" For a certain type of person, the answers are obvious*; for another type of person, those questions don't have answers at all. But the Ford's numbers -- 662 and $54,995 -- prompt thought.

*"Anywhere with gravity and pavement," and, "What are you, a communist?" respectively.
2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Image courtesy Ford.
A friend of mine recently asked if the arrival of a 600-plus-horsepower Mustang meant the death of the so-called horsepower wars. He wanted to know if this car, the "green" movement and the rising price of gasoline marked the end of our recent run of high-horsepower, relatively low-cost performance cars. 

These questions don't have easy answers. For one, the term "horsepower war" was conjured up by car magazines; it doesn't mean much. The common interpretation is a power battle between two carmakers, a la BMW and Mercedes in the 1980s or GM and Ford in the 1960s. But the truth is that car companies rarely battle outright over performance-car outputs, and when they do, they don't make a big stink about it. It's usually circumstance, not actual competition. And it rarely has a well-defined beginning or end.
2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Image courtesy GM.
A brief side note for clarity: Power is relative. Ford says the GT500's supercharged 5.8-liter V8 engine is the most powerful production V8 in the world. This is a nice statement, but it lacks context. To wit, the following, from Car and Driver's post on the subject: 

But there’s this: The GT500 tops the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG by 99 hp. It beats the mighty Cadillac CTS-V by 106. For heaven’s sake, the GT500 has 232 more horsepower than does the base Corvette. Even the gladiatorial Vette ZR1 falls shy, at 638 hp and 604 lb-ft.

Besides the ZR1, these cars aren’t really the GT500′s intended competition, but the extent to which the GT500 tops these cars, rightly thought of as extremely powerful, is shocking. The most direct competitor to the GT500 is the Chevy Camaro ZL1, which has a supercharged V8 good for 580 hp and 556 lb-ft. 
Nuts, no? I'll let you draw your own conclusions there.

Suffice it to say that the ZL1 (above), released this year, is the GT500's intended market foe. It is the car that GM has specifically called out in press releases, the model that the two companies believe will compete directly with the Ford. Perhaps. (I've met a lot of people who buy cars like this, and very few were cross-shoppers. Everyone is a Mustang Person, a Camaro Person, and so on. You have to wonder how many people actually weigh the two versus simply being a loyalist and liking what they like.) 

The greater point is that cars like these aren't going to be around forever. Fuel economy has never been more important. (The GT500's EPA rating? 15 mpg city/24 mpg highway.) Turbocharging, shrinking displacements and exhaust emissions are the buzzwords of the day -- and the future -- and studies have shown that fewer teenagers care about cars, fast or otherwise. Several manufacturers have green(ish) supercars in the works, and cars that prioritize gas-guzzling speed above all are thin on the ground. That the automotive landscape is changing is inarguable.

What do you think? If it's a given that this sort of thing will end, when will it happen? How? Are cars like the GT500 a step forward, backward, sideways? Would you rather have a ZL1 or a GT500? And do commies even like horsepower? 

Inquiring minds (read: we) want to know. The comments are below. You know what to do.

[Source: Car and Driver] 
< Back to Exhaust Notes
User Picture
Write a comment...
196Comments
AaronD2012
Apr 28, 2012 5:40PM
avatar
Seriously, there's going to come a day; or HP level, when society will say enough is enough. Before I got married, and lost my rights to anything more exciting than new curtains, I built a street machine that had in excess of 1,100 dyno proven HP. Trying to keep it between the ditches with a conservative temperment was difficult; add a bit of feistiness and crunched metal was almost certain.  Drivers need  to be careful in any car, but a hair south of 700 HP is asking for trouble. Don't get me wrong, I love big numbers and power boasts, I'm just afraid people will get hurt if it isn't handled with caution.
surgemeister
Apr 28, 2012 4:04PM
avatar
It's possible that it may end, if it does, it can probably come back.  It's already happened.  Maybe later on we'll continue with powerful cars, but with amazing EPA ratings and without sky high prices.
Fart Jones
Apr 28, 2012 1:39PM
avatar

This GT500 is nice man, but I still love my Ford Pinto man! It is a classic, sips fuel, and is supercool baby! I can hardly wait for the new 2014 model coming out dudes! I can't afford one man, but maybe some of you rich dudes can. Check out me and my dog doing an awesomely cool smoky burnout on utube, type 72 Ford Pinto man!!!! Yeeeehawwwww!!!!!!!  Hot

Someone (C_D_J55)
Apr 28, 2012 12:29PM
avatar

I so love Mustangs! Been a Ford/Lincoln buyer all my llife. I owned a loaded hurst-shift 1970 Mustang Mach1 for 15 yrs. Great car!

 Still, this pathetic, ongoing whine about Ford not taking a bailout is getting tiresome and boring. What else can be said about the bailout?

 Any idiot can figure out what would have happened to Ford itself, if there was no bailout.

Whining about the bailout is just a childish cry to sound off on POTUS Obama by the neo-nut trolls, repeating the same crapola over & over.

 Give your whine a rest, neonuts! The hypocrites/haters driving #1 in the world GM & revived Chrysler vehicles will vote for "weather-vane, offshore banker's client"--Mittens Romney, anyway.

matska2
Apr 28, 2012 12:29PM
avatar
Mustang...hands down. It is the original and the best of the breed!
La Chona Kid
Apr 28, 2012 11:53AM
avatar
Yep, Ford did it without a bail out.  Well at least they didn't get a government bail out.  They just went private and hocked everything they owned, including the Ford name, to keep from visiting the bankruptcy judge.  But interestingly, GM and Chrysler seem to be doing just as good if not better than Ford.  And GM has once again taken the lead among manufacturers.  So much for government involvement boding ill for the future of individual firms.  Oh and by the way, I like some of the Ford products as much as I like those from the other car manufacturers.
nascar21fan
Apr 28, 2012 4:48AM
avatar

And Ford did it WITHOUT bailout money!!  GO FORD!!!

 

GO ROMNEY 2012!!!

 

NO MORE BAILOUTS!!!

Smile

xpert1
Apr 27, 2012 11:16AM
avatar

Throwing gobs of $$ at a new plastic laden horsepower heavy muscle car replica makes no sense to many older car nuts who lived when we were able to buy most any true muscle cars for under $4K. Granted the new ones are better, -  and should be..... but not worth the Gobs more in price.

Horsepower hawks need to look at being more original and building cool resto mods or having them built for much less $$$. Plus you end up with a unique one of a kind creation that is cheaper to insure and license.  Smile

 

Stang14
Apr 27, 2012 10:47AM
avatar

Well now, nothing like a friendly competition to boost the ego and send a message to the other company. This car may be the final hoorah before the next embargo forces companies to create Prius-like cars that have no personality or heritiage like the muscle cars of the 60's. Actually the Prius looks pretty good...going off a cliff!!

Cheers!

LS1 Bird
Apr 27, 2012 8:43AM
avatar

Yup, I agree with MN gearhead.  And people don't buy these as commuters, so the mpg really doesn't matter.  Speaking of economy though, 15city/24highway is pretty amazing for 662hp. None of the hi-po Italians can hit that.

Report
Please help us to maintain a healthy and vibrant community by reporting any illegal or inappropriate behavior. If you believe a message violates theCode of Conductplease use this form to notify the moderators. They will investigate your report and take appropriate action. If necessary, they report all illegal activity to the proper authorities.
Categories
100 character limit
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?

EXPLORE NEW CARS

MORE ON MSN AUTOS

GM recalls another 230,000 SUVsGM recalls another 230,000 SUVs

SUVs from 2006-07 are at risk for window switch fires and short circuits.

MSN Money

ABOUT EXHAUST NOTES

Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.

Have a story idea? Tip us off at exhaustnotes@live.com.