2013 Shelby Mustang GT500 Convertible

New 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible Helps SVT Mark Its 20th Anniversary of Delivering High-Performance Vehicles

•New Ford Shelby GT500 convertible makes its debut at the Chicago Auto Show, serving as the celebratory vehicle of the 20th anniversary of Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT)
•The newest Shelby GT500 convertible with the optional Performance Package is nearly 3.5 seconds faster than the outgoing model at Sebring International Raceway. The 5.8-liter supercharged V8 with 650 horsepower, Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers and new Brembo brake system are key enablers for the improved performance
•SVT has produced more than 210,000 cars and trucks during its 20-year history, with more than seven different nameplates that include the Ford GT, Mustang Cobra R, SVT F-150 Lightning, F-150 SVT Raptor, Shelby GT500KR and the soon-to-be-launched Focus ST
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. Now Ford returns to Chicago to celebrate its past and look to the future with the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible.




Keys to the improved lap times are the power boost from the new 5.8-liter supercharged V8 producing 650 horsepower, as well as the SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the Performance Package and the all-new chassis tuning.

Accessed on the dash with a simple push of a button, normal mode gives customers a more comfortable ride over road irregularities. Sport mode is all about performance, delivering improved response time on the track and less body roll while cornering with reduced pitch under braking. The upgraded dampers allowed SVT engineers to tune the convertible more aggressively for the track, while still being able to maintain desirable on-road manners.



Similar to the coupe, the convertible will be offered with a Performance Package that also can be upgraded to a Track Package, complete with an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler for further durability.

20 years of high-performance innovation

Each of the more than 210,000 SVT vehicles produced since 1993 has been designed and developed with the four SVT attributes in mind: Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value. These hallmarks still guide the brand's vehicle development today.

'In the past 20 years, SVT has engineered world-class mid-engine supercars, front-wheel-drive performance cars, rear-wheel-drive muscle cars and high-performance on-road and off-road pickup trucks,' said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. 'There is no other performance house in the world that can match that diverse résumé.'

Since 1993 more than seven different SVT vehicles have been produced, including several versions of the Cobra and Shelby GT500, the F-150 Lightning performance pickup and F-150 SVT Raptor, the SVT Contour sports sedan, plus both three- and five-door versions of the SVT Focus. Special SVT Mustang Cobra R models were made in 1993, 1995 and 2000.

SVT has joined with Team RS in Europe to form the Performance Vehicles Group to devise a strategy for all future global performance Ford cars. The resulting Focus ST is Ford's first truly global performance car, giving drivers around the world the opportunity to share the exhilarating performance, excellent handling, addictive sound and sporty design Ford's ST badge represents. The Ford Fiesta ST Concept also signals the next step in Ford's global performance vehicle strategy and hints at how a future Fiesta ST model might look when it joins the Focus ST in the global small car portfolio.

2013 Ford Shelby GT500

The ultimate Ford Mustang – Shelby GT500 – raises the bar high on performance by delivering 650 horsepower and a track-tested top speed of more than 200 mph. The 5.8-liter supercharged V8 aluminum-block engine produces 650 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful production V8 in the world.

Nearly every part of the powertrain has been optimized for producing the additional horsepower, including a new supercharger, new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle.

And nearly every gear on the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 has been revised to manage the torque and use more of the power in a way that makes it more driver-friendly.

The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

Source - Ford

Sold for $63,250 at 2015 RM Sotheby's : Motor City Auction.
The 2013 Shelby GT500 was powered by a 353.9 cubic-inch, dual overhead cam, V8 engine rated at 662 horsepower and mated to a six-speed manual transmission. They were fitted with a new front splitter to improve the car's high-speed stability, a carbon-fiber driveshaft, launch control, Mustang Track Apps, four exhaust pipes, a new dashboard display that shows acceleration, braking, and G-force performance stats.

Off the dealer's lot, the Shelby GT500 was capable of 200 mph and had a base price that was much lower than that of similarly exotic and powerful cars.

This particular example was purchased new by Mr. and Mrs. Kugh. It was driven back to their showroom, put on display, and - except for a couple of journeys to the local dealer for service - has remained there since. It is finished in Red Candy with Performance White stripes, leather Recaro sport seats with white stripes, a cue-ball shifter for the six-speed manual transmission, and special SVT 20th Anniversary lighted door sills. Since new, the car has been driven just 75 original miles.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2015