Tech
2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: A Legendary Drag Racing Career Before It Got Sold Off
Because the car is no longer part of their garage, it’s time to revisit all those fun times down the quarter-mile. But before doing so, let’s remember what makes this
so special.
When the Edmunds boys bought it in January 2020, the market retail price for a Mustang Shelby GT500 was $71,395, but with some tweaks and additions here and there, like the $1,595 Recaro front bucket seats, the $1,500 Handling Pack, or the $3,000 Technology Package, theirs added up to $81,280. Oh, and the gas guzzler tax was $2,600.
Performance-wise, it proudly carries a 5.2-liter V8 powerplant capable of delivering 760 hp with 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels only via its 7-speed dual-clutch transmission system complete with paddle shifters.
An interesting but funny thing about this Shelby is that its fuel consumption can be quite a bit to handle. After driving it for roughly 26,513 miles or 42,668 kilometers, it averaged a real-world fuel economy of 13.6 mpg (17.30 L/100km). The longest drive it did was 314.5 miles or 506 kilometers. Luckily, it takes only seconds to fill it back up and be on the road again.
Now for the fun money-burning part. If you want to race this thing at the track, as you should, this beast eats gasoline like it’s driving around with a busted fuel tank. After a 30-minute session or roughly 60 miles, the GT500 only has two gallons left. In other words, it eats up an astonishing 4.5 mpg or 52.26L/100 kilometers.
Speaking about drag races, one of the most memorable ones was facing a $103,010 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost edition equipped with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine that produced 807 horsepower and 707 lb-ft (958 Nm) of torque.
Although overpowered on paper, the Mustang Shelby won by crossing the 1/4-mile finish line in 11.7 seconds at 128.9 miles per hour or 207 kilometers per hour, whereas the Challenger finished in 12.6 seconds at 123.1 mph or 198 kph. For the 0 to 60 mph stretch of the tarmac, the Ford took 3.8 seconds, while the Black Ghost did it in 4.8 seconds.
Photo: Edmunds Cars
Another great Memory Lane moment was against the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. This bad boy cost $98,710 and came with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that developed 668 horses and 659 lb-ft or 893 Nm of torque. That power was put to good use by the rear wheels through its 6-speed manual gearbox.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the 1/4-mile results, but we do have photographic evidence of the Shelby winning by a car length twice in a row. Also, we know the times for the entire U-drag race, in which, after said distance, the cars pull a 180 and sprint back to the starting line. The Caddy finished in 31.4 seconds, while the Ford did it in 31.2.
Racing the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was as exciting as you’d imagine. This outstandingly gorgeous and expensive ($160,505) supercar carries a 5.5-liter V8 engine that can output 670 horses and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) of twist. Its carefully crafted 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission system conveys those figures to the rear wheels and can make it go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, provided it has the Z07 package. The base Z06 was $109,295 at the time, but a 2024 model has a starting MSRP of $112,700.
The kicker is that the Vette Z06 weighed much less than the Mustang, at 3,681 lbs. or 1,670 kilograms, compared to 4,168 pounds or 1,890 kilograms. However, there was a 90 hp and 165 lb-ft (224 Nm) of torque difference in favor of the venomous Ford.
Photo: Edmunds Cars
After two races, the dust settled, revealing that the 2020 Shelby GT500 had lost. The 2023 Corvette Z06 got to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3 seconds flat, while its orange competitor took 4.2 seconds. In the quarter, the Chevy supercar pulled a 10.7-second time going 131.2 mph or 211 kph, compared to the Ford’s 11.5 seconds at 132.4 miles per hour or 213 kph.
Speaking about Corvettes, the Shelby GT500 also competed against the $80,660 2020 Stingray model, which had a 6.2-liter V8 that produced 495 hp and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque. That’s not all, because the desert race also featured a 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera.
The 911 came with a 3.0-liter flat-six engine, delivering an underwhelming 379 hp with 331 lb-ft of torque. It was also the most expensive of the trio by far, at $116,110, although the base model back then started at $98,750. But slap on a $4,530 leather interior, a $2,950 sport exhaust system, and the $3,470 18-way power-adjustable seats, and you pay the price for it, literally.
After two attempts, the Shelby came shamefully last, while the Porsche 911 Carrera took second place, and the Corvette Stingray won gold. Sadly, we didn’t get the results from the actual real-world race, but Edmunds provided the figures from a perfect-condition track. In that scenario, the Chevy sports car was the fastest from 0 to 60 mph, clocking 3.4 seconds. The Porsche took 3.6 seconds, while the souped-up Mustang took 3.7 seconds.
Photo: Edmunds Cars
For the 1/4-mile, the Shelby actually won, crossing the line in 11.3 seconds at 129.9 mph or 209 kph. The Stingray was second, with 11.5 seconds at 119.7 mph or 193 kph, and the turbocharged Porsche was third, with 11.8 seconds at 116.8 mph or 188 kilometers per hour. It’s too bad these “lab” results didn’t match the outcome of the desert races.
When competing against the powerful BMW M8, the Mustang stood no chance. The 2023 M8 Competition had a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque. On paper, it’s underpowered while costing almost double compared to the Shelby GT500. A ludicrous $158,095, compared to $81,280.
During the race, however, the results spoke for themselves. The AWD 8-speed auto M8 Competition was simply a rocketship, hitting 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. Its RWD American-forged competitor took 4.1 seconds. The BMW saw the checkered flag first in 10.9 seconds at 128.3 mph (206 kph), with the Mustang finishing in 11.4 seconds at 131.2 mph or 211 kph.
Unfortunately for the Ford, the 2022 BMW M4 Competition was another snake eater. The $101,795 sports car had a 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six powerplant that produced 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft (649 Nm) of torque. Remember, the GT500 made 760 hp with 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of twist.
After crossing the finish line, the Beamer scored 11.3 seconds, going at 121.7 miles per hour (196 kph), while the Mustang did it one-tenth of a second slower, at 11.4 miles at 129.1 mph or 208 kilometers per hour. Unfortunately, the video didn’t show the 0 to 60 times, but the BMW got there first, one full second faster than its rival.
Photo: Edmunds Cars
Although the M4 crossed the 1/4-mile first each time, the Mustang won the overall U-drag races because of the extra power. The former registered 31 seconds flat, while the latter clocked 30.9 for the “there and back again” U-drag race. After defeating so many competitors of its ilk, the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 thought of trying its skills against more electrically inclined vehicles—and we’re not talking about PHEVs.
One such memorable moment was against the full-on electric Tesla Model Y. Sadly, the same scenario from the Porsche 911 and Corvette Stingray race also occurred here, proving that sometimes, on an unprepared surface, the Mustang struggles to hook. On the Edmunds “lab” track, the GT500 actually won, unlike in the official desert race. It clocked 11.3 seconds at 129.9 mph (209 kph) compared to the Tesla Model Y, which did 11.8 seconds going 115.6 miles per hour (186 kph). From 0 to 60 mph, it tied with the Tesla Model Y at 3.4 seconds.
In track-perfect conditions, the GT500 got to 60 in 3.7 seconds, while the Mach-E GT Performance clocked 3.8 seconds. With the 1-ft rollout into consideration, the former did 3.4 seconds, and the latter pulled 3.6. The roaring V8 got across the finish line in 11.3 seconds at 129.9 miles per hour or 209 kilometers per hour, while its fully electric relative got there in 12.4 seconds at 102.6 mph or 165 kph.
Edmunds’s 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 was and still is a legendary drag racing beast, no matter where it ends up. That’s why Shelby American fans have something exciting to look forward to regarding the 830-hp 2024 Shelby Super Snake. When that thing hits the drag strips, it will flood YouTube videos.
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