Ford’s 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500 promises to deliver a mind-warping 650 horsepower and a 200 mph top speed, both in stock form. You can’t take delivery of one just yet, but now we know what the pricing on Ford’s latest uber-Mustang will be. The Shelby GT500 coupe will start at $54,995, including the required $795 destination charge, while the Shelby GT500 convertible is priced from $59,995, including the same destination charge.
Ford’s configurator for the new Shelby models is up, too, allowing you to build the GT500 of your dreams. Major option packaged include the $3,495 SVT Performance Package, which gives you a Torsen limited-slip differential, adjustable Bilstein dampers, unique rear springs, unique wheels and a few interior upgrades. If you want navigation, you’ll need to add the $2,340 Electronics Package, which also gives you HD Radio and dual-zone climate control. Get crazy checking option boxes, and you can add about $10k to the base price of a Shelby GT500.
That’s still not bad, and we’d be hard-pressed to name another car that starts from $55k and delivers a 200 mph top speed. While it’s likely that the new GT500 will be faster than the Camaro ZL1, no one has run a side-by-side comparison yet, so it’s still just bench racing. If you’re a Ford guy, the GT500 is clearly superior to the Camaro ZL1 (which starts at $54,095, excluding destination charge). If you’re a Chevy guy, you’ll insist the ZL1 is faster until you personally get beaten by a new GT500. Who’s right? We’ll know for sure in a few weeks.