Displacing 5.8 liters, breathing through a massive, 2.3 liter supercharger and using dual overhead camshafts, the V8 to be found under the hood of the 2013 Ford Shelby GT will no doubt be extra stout. Even before it falls into the hands of some brave public, the hyper Mustang is already breaking records as its mill has officially become the most powerful production V8 the world has ever seen. Pumping out a stellar SAE-certified 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque, the hot-rod rocket ship should help the Shelby hit over 200 mph and ignite its rear tires to oblivion but will do it at a surprising fuel-slurping rate. Instead of single digit EPA estimates, the 2013 will actually manage to achieve higher fuel economy than the 2012 car and won’t qualify for the federal gas-guzzler tax.
When the Shelby hits the streets, it will put the kind of power usually reserved for the aftermarket or, triple digit exotics. Here’s some food for thought: the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG makes 563 horsepower, the Audi R8 V10 makes 552 horsepower and the Ferrari 458 puts down 562 horsepower. Even the Shelby’s main competitor, the 2012 Camaro ZL1 makes under 600 ponies. As impressive as the Ford’s output is, its fuel economy might be even more so. EPA estimates put the muscle car at 15 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg combined.
Source: Ford
