[HotIce]

In the high-stakes world of performance cars, horsepower is king. It's the first stat bragged about by owners trying to explain why their Camaro, Challenger or Mustang is better than their foes', and it's the headline figure promoted by the automakers themselves year after year.

When Ford announced that the 2013 Shelby GT500 would be punishing the pavement with 650 horses, the world stood up and took notice. Remember, though, these were just estimated figures, as the car had not yet been SAE certified. If reports from the Team Shelby message board prove accurate, the 2013 GT500 has finally gotten its official figures.

How's about 662 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque?

Yep, that'll do. It's notable that these figures represent increases of 12 horsepower and 30 lb-ft over the earlier estimates, and they also put even more distance between Ford's top-performing Mustang and Chevy's 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1. It also means the Shelby lays down considerably more ponies that the Corvette ZR1 and its 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/26/2...30-pound-feet/

[M3_WC]

Is it a heavy car, how much does it weigh?

[HotIce]

Not heavy enough for that power to slow it down, that's for sure.

[swanson]

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by M3_WC

Is it a heavy car, how much does it weigh?

I think it's 38XX or something like that.

But it's under 4000 and has 660+HP....

[M3_WC]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

I think it's 38XX or something like that.

But it's under 4000 and has 660+HP....

Not bad. Not heavy by todays standards.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by M3_WC

Not bad. Not heavy by todays standards.

And much lighter than its main competitor...

It's no lightweight, but as you alluded to, cars today just aren't light period.

[az34]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

And much lighter than its main competitor...

It's no lightweight, but as you alluded to, cars today just aren't light period.

much lighter than its main competitor? really? A ZR1 weight around 3,300 pounds!!

[san~man]

Originally Posted by az34

much lighter than its main competitor? really? A ZR1 weight around 3,300 pounds!!

I would think that's it's made more to compete with a Z06 than a ZR1, especially price wise

[Impervious]

Ford is amazing.

[kyleb350]

You realize the MSRP on a ZR1 is more than twice than a GT500's? Ford needs to bring back the GT and plop this engine in there to have a true ZR1 competitor.

[az34]

Originally Posted by kyleb350

You realize the MSRP on a ZR1 is more than twice than a GT500's? Ford needs to bring back the GT and plop this engine in there to have a true ZR1 competitor.

good point, wa all missed the GT.

[Brunotheboxer]

Forget the ZL1. This car has already annihilated it before it came out. SVT is going after the vette with this car. I'm guessing 0-60 times in the mid 3's. 2014 GT500 I'm saving for you.

[Chenry135]

I would say that its competitor is only the ZL1 Camaro, not any of the vettes.

[Brunotheboxer]

Originally Posted by Chenry135

I would say that its competitor is only the ZL1 Camaro, not any of the vettes.

I would respectfully disagree.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by san~man

I would think that's it's made more to compete with a Z06 than a ZR1, especially price wise

What? How do you figure?

It's probably overshooting the ZL1 in the performance category across the board, but that's the only car it should be expected to compete with, the fact that it's hot on Vette ass is just a bonus, but where do you get your price info from?

The ZL1 and the GT500 both in base trim are within what? $1k? Less than that (keep in mind the ZL1 gets hit with $1.3k GG tax)? I knew a couple weeks ago, probably even posted it in here in one of these threads, but their base prices are practically identical. Price wise, it's most definitely meant to compete with the ZL1. Once times come out for it, I'm sure the comparisons will be more appropriate in the Vette vs Shelby arena, but make no mistake, the GT500 is meant to destroy the Maro just like Ford did about ten years ago with the Terminator.

Poor GM comes out with a dynamite car in the ZL1, just like they had a dynamite car in the F-body LS1s.... But probably just a little underwhelming only because Ford completely demolishes expectations. Let's see if GM can react appropriately this time.

I'm especially curious about their BOSS competitor coming out, I wonder if they'll be able to drop its weight under 4k. They need to address the weight problem.

[san~man]

It was more of a guesstimate, price wise.

I didn't even look up any other specs, but I thought I remembered seeing the ZR1 at over 100k, while my co-worker got a GT500 (maybe 4 years ago) for 50K 'ish. I honestly didn't even check the Z-06 price either.

I also would expect the ZL1 with the magneto suspension pack to out-handle the GT500, but again, I didn't check any specs nor do I know about the new mustangs suspension setup.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by san~man

I also would expect the ZL1 with the magneto suspension pack to out-handle the GT500, but again, I didn't check any specs nor do I know about the new mustangs suspension setup.

If they were the same weight and same HP (I know, both very critical hypothetical points), then the Camaro would probably do very well against the GT500. Unfortunately, the 5th gen Camaro was firstly penned, and then engineered, so it's got some pork issues. That really sucks.

The GT500 still has the live rear axle setup, but anyone with an older Shelby can tell you that LCAs will probably kill wheel hop to an acceptable extent (for a couple hundred bucks and if that doesn't kill it get some UCAs for a few hundred more), and I think the BOSS has proven that a live axle can still do track duty pretty well, so I'd imagine Ford has done their due diligence in making this swan song of a solid axle pony car as good as it can be. We still don't have substantial numbers to know for sure, but Ford would really have to be incompetent to have a car on their hands that doesn't compete with the Z06 in road course times.

[Nifty]

Originally Posted by CAPSGOD

Needs moar power!

Needs more tire! From what I've seen, its going to be a 285 rear.

No doubt there isn't anything even close to those numbers at that price, but I can't help but think these cars would be much more enjoyable if you could put more of that power down from a dig or low speed.

Eh, what can I say, I'm not a speed guy, I'm an acceleration junkie.

[Design1stCode2nd]

What a beast. They could have put a wider rear tire on it but the engineer's have said that then they would have had to go wider up front and this would have killed steering feel and response.

Drag racers will of course widen the fenders and put some 325's on the back.

It does make you think....

[BForbes]

I love that its only avail with a 6 speed manual. CarandD said the launch control's sweet spot is 3,000rpms if i remember correctly.

[AnotherCar]

Originally Posted by Rated ///M

Not heavy enough for that power to slow it down, that's for sure.

Wrong. Great numbers, but I hope they can put it the ground this time.