The
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is about to go where no Mustang has gone before, with a
complete package for everyday drivers and track-day enthusiasts alike, 662
horsepower and top track speeds of more than 200 mph.
“SVT
keeps the Shelby GT500 on the cutting edge of technology and takes muscle car
performance to new heights,” said Hermann Salenbauch, director of Advanced
Product Creation. “We encapsulated every aspect of performance in this car –
whether it’s 0-60 mph, top speed, racetrack or quarter-mile times. Beyond that,
the daily driver also will find this car perfectly fits his or her needs.”
The
5.8-liter V8 aluminum-block engine produces 662 horsepower and 631 lb.-ft. of
torque, making it the highest-horsepower engine ever produced in North America.
Nearly every part of the powertrain has been optimized for producing the
additional horsepower, including a new supercharger, new cross-drilled block
and heads, an all-forged engine rotating assembly, updated camshaft profiles,
upgraded head gaskets, a new carbon fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch,
transmission and axle.
A
larger and more efficient supercharger helping flow more air through the engine
is key to producing the 662 horsepower. The new Twin Vortices Series 2300
blower creates 2.3 liters of displacement and is a unique design to the
5.8-liter engine.
The
entire cooling system has been significantly updated on the new 5.8-liter
engine. It now includes a high-capacity cooling fan, fan shroud with high-speed
pressure-relief doors, a more efficient charge air cooler, a higher-flow
intercooler pump and an intercooler heat exchanger whose volume is increased 36
percent. These components harmonize to consistently dissipate heat under
extreme-use conditions.
“Every
change we made is an improvement in horsepower and in airflow,” said Jeff
Albers, SVT Powertrain team leader. “The other changes are about making sure
the parts can withstand the pressures when the engine is making that power.”
The
supercharger design includes four lobes with a 160-degree twist and has a drive
ratio that spins 2.64 times faster than the previous model. The inlet air
volume also has been increased 33 percent. Boost has been increased from 9 to
14 psi.
Other
modifications for improved power include an upgraded camshaft profile, similar
to the Ford GT. The cam lift for the intake and exhaust has been increased for
improved airflow. Additionally, the redline is held at 6,250 rpm continuously,
but allows for an over-rev to 7,000 rpm for eight seconds to extend the time to
shift so that acceleration is higher and 0-60 mph and quarter-mile times can be
faster.
The
diameter of the bore has been upped from 90.5 to 93.5 millimeters to increase
displacement and the fuel injector flow has been increased nearly 10 percent to
get an equivalent amount of fuel to accompany the extra air.
Once
the engine was able to make the power and pressures were increased, SVT made
changes to ensure the engine was durable under those conditions. The connecting
rods have been redesigned with a tapered, small end where they attach to the
pistons. This improved design supports the load on the dome of the piston more
efficiently.
Cooling
fan capacity has been increased and a higher-efficiency intercooler added to
keep the air entering the engine as cool as possible. An efficient,
high-capacity flow pump has been added. These measures manage temperatures
under extreme conditions.
To
ensure the coolant flow is well balanced cylinder to cylinder, the block and
heads have been cross-drilled for water to flow through.
A
single-piece carbon fiber driveshaft has been upgraded from the current
two-piece steel design, which is lighter and stiffer and offers a higher torque
capacity and improved NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) qualities.
“With
the driveshaft we were able to eliminate a joint and add enough stiffness and
drive capacity to get us to our top speed and handle the torque,” said Jamal
Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. “The car makes so much power and torque that we
needed to go through the entire driveline system to ensure it moves to the
wheels in a manageable way.”
The
clutch has increased torque and rpm capacity and uses a dual-disc design. The
diameter and clamp load have been increased and the clutch-facing material has
been revised for additional resistance to burst and improved transfer of power.
Another
key piece of the driveline, the transmission, offers upgraded gears, bearings
and housing so it can properly manage the torque. The final drive ratio has
been changed to 3.31:1 for optimized overall vehicle gearing to complement the
high-powered torque produced. Every gear besides fourth has been optimized for
competing performance metrics.
The
engine also carries over the use of the state-of-the-art Plasma Transferred
Wire Arc liner coating, a process that applies a 150-micron composite coating that
contains nanoparticles on the internal surfaces of engine cylinder bores,
replacing cast-iron liners typically used in aluminum engine blocks.
The
new engine also continues to be exempt from the gas-guzzler tax, delivering a
projected 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway. That is 5 mpg better than the 2012
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Functional, stylish
enhancements
Design
enhancements for 2013 include all-new signature lighting with two LED bars that
command attention in the front and rear. The rocker panels running along the
car are now body-color, adding a more premium look. Additionally, the rear end
has a new high-gloss black panel between the taillamps and a diffuser that
surrounds a new quad-tip exhaust.
The
2013 Shelby GT500 offers two new sets of forged-aluminum wheels, including a
unique wheel for cars with the optional packages. The 19-inch front and 20-inch
rear wheels are coupled with Goodyear Eagle® F1 SuperCar G: 2 tires on all
configurations.
Freshened
with the dark finish and updated spoke designs, the wheels appear even more
sinister and aggressive but offer the benefit of being extremely lightweight.
To
commemorate the 20th anniversary of SVT, badging will be used throughout the
interior and exterior of the car to celebrate the many years of performance
vehicles. The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show
with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. The
1993 SVT Mustang Cobra offered a 235-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine, showing
just how far the products have come over 20 years.
Significant
work has been done in aerodynamics to ensure the Shelby GT500 has proper
downforce for performance at all speeds. Using high-tech computational fluid
dynamics (CFD), engineers were able to determine exactly where the air was
going, to optimize cooling. The result is a car that tracks more securely and
feels more planted to the road at higher speeds.
A
new front splitter and black-painted upper and lower grille inserts that expose
the radiator drive the functional style changes to the Shelby GT500. The
exposed radiator helps funnel air and cools the internals of the vehicle
systems. The larger splitter helps create downforce when the car hits top
speeds.
Engineers
faced competing goals of top speed, racetrack performance, cooling and fuel
economy, and worked to find a balance that meets all needs. To reduce lift, the
team reworked the front upper and lower grilles and developed an integrated air
dam. In the rear, a high Gurney flap helps reduce lift.
By
reducing drag and creating downforce, the loads and moments on the front fascia
increased. CFD pressure maps indicated how much load would be put on the front
body and helped confirm that plastic wasn’t deforming, the fasteners could
handle it, the body structure could support it and the front end wasn’t
sagging.
Superior ride
The
new Shelby GT500 driving dynamics have been overhauled, now working in concert
with Goodyear tires. New Brembo™ brakes with six-piston calipers in front and
the new wheels also required unique suspension tuning to ensure everything
works harmoniously.
Handling,
all AdvanceTrac® The previously available unique traction control system and
electronic stability control settings help drivers achieve maximum performance
whether on the street or the track. settings and steering assist levels within
selectable steering also have been tuned to account for the updated content on
the car.
Both
systems can be completely disabled in controlled track situations where maximum
driver skill is utilized, or fully engaged for safety during normal driving or
in less-than-ideal traction conditions. Intermediate sport mode allows drivers
to push their cars hard at the track without completely disabling the safety
systems, permitting more aggressive driving before the traction control and
electronic stability control systems intervene.
The
upgraded Brembo brake system complements the other changes on the 2013 Shelby
GT500 for control and fade-free stops in road and race situations. The new
system has 380-millimeter front rotors. The rear comes with 350-millimeter
rotors. Both are larger than the previous model.
A
high-tech, user-friendly launch control system is part of the new functionality
on Shelby GT500. The system lets drivers set the tach needle to a desired
launch rpm depending on the tire temperature, street surface or other conditions.
Floor the throttle and the engine will rev to the preset rpm until the clutch
is released, helping with acceleration and vehicle control from a standing
start.
Going further
Sometimes
Ford Shelby GT500 customers want to enjoy their car on surface streets. Other
times they just want to let loose on the track. Two new optional packages on
the 2013 car give them the choice.
“The
adjustable dampers let us develop our car on the track without any compromise,”
said Kerry Baldori, Ford SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer.
“Before, we had to tune the car with street implications in mind. Now we can go
as extreme as we want on the track setting and still offer the customer a
comfortable ride on the road.”
Available
as part of the optional Performance Package, the feature is accessed on the
dash with a simple push of a button. Normal mode gives customers a comfortable
ride over road irregularities. Sport mode is all about performance, delivering
improved response time on the track, and less body roll while cornering and
pitch under braking. A Torsen® limited-slip differential also comes with the
Performance Package, which helps the rear suspension deliver torque and
traction under the most demanding conditions on the track.
The
monotube damper is key in giving drivers fade-free performance for extended hot
laps. Typical dampers will fade and soften, so they don’t handle as well – the
monotube design prevents that from happening.
SVT
worked with Bilstein™ for nearly a year to fine-tune the technology for Shelby
GT500, the first production application of the product in North America.
The
Torsen limited-slip differential with a 2.8:1 torque bias ratio helps the rear
suspension deliver torque and traction under the demanding conditions encountered
on the track. The differential is instrumental in improving torque bias so that
the level of traction is increased.
Enthusiasts
can upgrade their Performance Package with an additional Track Package for
all-out racetrack performance. The option comes with an external engine oil
cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler for further
durability. The cooling package also circulates air from an area of
high-pressure stagnation with a low impact to drag and lift. The coolers play
an essential role in preventing crucial components from overheating under
high-speed conditions.
“The
standard cooling systems are more than adequate for spirited driving, but for
avid racers or track-day fans, we’ve provisioned for an upgraded cooling
package,” said Albers. “It will cool the car in almost any condition and let it
live up to its performance capabilities.”
SVT
engineering focused on making the coupe with the Track Package completely
geared toward racetrack performance. That meant making the suspension have
superior control in high-speed turns and dips.
Information at your
fingertips
Key
to helping Shelby GT500 customers take advantage of all the capability is the
new productivity screen. The screen offers menu options, giving the customer
important information related to vehicle performance. The menu is navigated
through a five-way control button located on the steering wheel. The LCD is
positioned between the tachometer and speedometer; the SVT logo greets the
customer at key-on.
A
dashboard screen provides vehicle status information for important driving
parameters such as launch control, AdvanceTrac, selectable steering or the
Bilstein damper setting. There’s also a shift light that appears as the SVT
logo that illuminates and chimes when the rpm shift is reached.
Also
unique to the productivity screen is Track Apps™, which delivers performance
metrics for drivers who want to put their car through its paces on the track.
An
accelerometer shows the g-force the car is pulling from left to right. Drivers
also can track their fastest times with the acceleration timer screen, which
offers options including 0-30 mph, 0-60 mph, 0-100 mph, eighth-mile and
quarter-mile. Both an automatic start and countdown start complete with a drag
racing start light are available.
The
brake performance screen indicates stopping time and distance for speeds of
60-0 or 100-0. The view/clear results screen lets drivers take a look at their
top times, including their all-time best. They can also review their last
results and saved results from the acceleration timer and brake performance
screen.
A
closer look at the base menu options, each of which can be customized by the
customer:
Settings:
Drivers are able to
Turn
on and set launch control feature
Select
Bilstein damper mode
Access
AdvanceTrac settings
Set
steering feel – sport, standard or comfort
Update
MyColor®
Gauge
mode: Checking temperature/engine operation
Air-to-fuel
ratio
Cylinder
head temperature
Inlet
air temperature
Oil
temperature
Transmission
temperature
Trip
computer: Counting the miles
Information
on two trips available
Trip
time and mileage
Gallons
of fuel used and miles per gallon
Set
oil life percentage
Information:
Navigate and view warnings
The
system check screen displays information such as oil life, engine hours, engine
idle hours and open doors
Warnings,
such as “Left door ajar,” can be displayed graphically
Fuel
economy: Up-to-the-second information
Fuel
history can be broken down to three time periods
Five
resets are available to track fuel history
Fuel
economy displays miles to empty, as well as average and instantaneous miles per
gallon
View/clear
results
Cluster-specific
The
2013 Shelby GT500 also includes upgraded cluster features to give drivers even
more information. The speedometer is now set to 220 mph and an over-rev feature
allows the engine to operate up to 7,000 rpm for eight seconds before
decreasing back to 6,250 rpm.
Coupled
with that feature is a dual-color tachometer that provides amber warning at
redline, when the over-rev feature is engaged. Once the over-rev times out, the
redline returns to red.
The
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is built at AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock,
Mich., and is available now.
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