Side by side Ford Mustang power - the 300 horsepower Mustang GT and the 450-plus horsepower Shelby Cobra GT500.

The most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang in history will take to the street next year, following a unique collaboration between performance car legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT).

Ford took the wraps off the 450-plus horsepower Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 show car at the New York International Auto Show March 23. Designed in the unmistakable image of Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s, the Shelby Cobra GT500 melds SVT's modern engineering with the big-block performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road.

Carroll Shelby lends his support to SVT, adapting his earlier role as a senior advisor on the "Dream Team" that was assembled to develop and build the 2005 Ford GT. "I've worked with the SVT guys for several years now, and I know they have the guts, the talent and the passion to deliver the best performance Mustangs ever," says Shelby.

Shelby-Ford Timeline
In 1961, when AC Cars of Thames Ditton, England, lost the source for its six-cylinder Bristol engine for its two-seat roadster, Carroll Shelby sent proposal to the company to keep building the chassis for a special Shelby sports car to be powered by an American V8. The original plan was to use 221-cid Ford V8 engines and build the cars at Shelby's Southern California shop. Prior to the first AC arriving at his shop, Shelby has a dream in which he determines the car should be called a "Cobra". The AC Cobra's go on to impressive race wins, with engine displacement growing to as big as 427-cid. In 1964 Ford asks Shelby to develop a special edition Mustang. The Shelby Mustangs were produced from 1965 to 1969. Slow sales dissolved the Shelby-Ford cooperative in 1969. Leftover 1969 models were modified slightly and sold as 1970 models. In 1984 Carroll Shelby sued Ford for using the GT350 name on it's 84 Anniversary Mustang. The suit was settled some years later. Ford and Shelby re-joined efforts prior to the '05 Mustang development.

A production version of the GT500 will go on sale in 2006, continuing the high-performance lineage of the SVT Mustang Cobra model line. It will be followed by a steady stream of performance products developed by SVT, possibly including a version of the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin, the industry's first performance sport-utility truck.

"SVT led the modern-day factory performance trend with the Mustang Cobra and the industry's first high-performance truck, the F-150 Lightning," says Hau Thai-Tang, director, Ford Advanced Product Creation and SVT. "Today, we're building on that pioneering vision with vehicles like the Ford GT, Shelby Cobra GT500 and Sport Trac Adrenalin – great performance machines that connect with enthusiasts in a way no other companies or vehicles can match."

The production GT500 will be the first in a string of specialty Mustangs that SVT will help deliver. This will create Ford Motor Company's – and one of the industry's – broadest product portfolio, stretching from under $20,000 for the V-6 Mustang coupe to the 450-plus-horsepower GT500, each offering performance and value.

The GT500 and the production-intent Sport Trac Adrenalin teaser accelerate the wave of momentum at SVT since the launch of the 2005 Ford GT supercar. SVT also now will develop non-SVT branded Ford Division performance vehicles – including heritage-based performance Mustangs in the spirit of the 2001 Bullitt GT and 2003 Mach 1 – as it becomes more directly integrated into Ford's mainstream product development process.

The 5.4-liter, supercharged, 32-valve V-8 in the GT500 produces more than 450 hp, and 450 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful factory Mustang engine ever.

In fact, the 5.4-liter, 32-valve, supercharged V-8 configuration is similar to that of the 2005 Ford GT supercar, offering the right combination of classic Ford big-block power and modern technology. Using the Ford GT as a blueprint, SVT has given the GT500 more total horsepower than any factory Mustang in the muscle car's celebrated 41-year history.

"We are applying our Ford GT engine experience to the GT500 to bring over 450 horsepower to a much bigger enthusiast audience," says Jay O'Connell, SVT chief vehicle engineer. "It really delivers on the essence of two great names in Ford performance – a mix of SVT's modern-day experience with supercharging and the Shelby GT500's heritage of big-block power." The result: More than 450 horsepower and 450 foot-pounds of torque.

With the stout cast-iron, 5.4-liter Triton V-8 engine as a starting point, the Shelby Cobra GT500 adds a screw-type 8.5-pounds-per-square-inch supercharger and water-to-air intercooler.

But, adding forced-induction power is more than just a bolt-on proposition. The engine's internals need upgrading for the sake of strength and durability. To that end, the Shelby Cobra GT500's powerplant benefits from unique connecting rods and forged pistons to handle the extra strain on the lower end of the block.

An all-new intake manifold helps to efficiently channel the supercharged fuel-air mixture into the cylinders. The low-profile manifold design also effectively packages the entire induction system under the GT500's special air-extraction hood. Fuel comes from a dual-bore electronic throttle body borrowed from Ford's 6.8-liter truck engine program. To manage heat produced by more than 450 horses, a larger radiator and increased-capacity cooling system also are installed.

Aluminum, high-performance Ford GT heads tout "Powered by SVT" While supercharging is a key element in the Shelby Cobra GT500's ability to generate so much horsepower, another major contributing component is the design of the cast-aluminum, four-valve cylinder heads sourced from the Ford GT supercar.

Developed specifically for supercharged applications, these high-performance heads use high-flow ports and specially calibrated dual-overhead camshafts to deliver optimum engine "breathing" along with surprisingly good fuel efficiency and emissions. Also borrowed for use in the GT500 are the Ford GT's proven piston rings and connecting rod bearings.

To enthusiasts, the real beauty of any performance car rests with its engine. That idea certainly wasn't lost on Carroll Shelby because Mustangs that bore his name have traditionally brought his unique sense of style and personality right into the engine compartment. One Shelby signature feature – special finned valve covers embossed with "COBRA Powered By Ford" – soon became the envy of so many Ford V-8 owners that they quickly became one of the best-selling dress-up accessories on the market.

With that in mind, the GT500 is equipped with special "Powered by SVT" finned cam covers to hint at the beauty of 450 horses lurking in the engine below. Mated to the Ford GT four-valve cylinder heads are unique exhaust manifolds that help to better scavenge spent gases out of the cylinders and into the custom-tuned mufflers and dual-exhaust system.

Few transmissions exist in the marketplace today that can handle the torque loads generated by the supercharged GT500, so SVT engineers are opting to stick with the proven heavy duty performance of the T-56 six-speed manual gearbox. The T-56 first appeared in the 2000 SVT Mustang Cobra R, powered by a naturally aspirated 5.4-liter V-8 with 385 horsepower, and later in the supercharged 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra whose DOHC 4.6-liter produced 390 horses. For the Shelby Cobra GT500 show car, the T-56 will be geared to make the most out of the supercharged 5.4-liter's broad power band.