Hemmings eWeekly (12 May 06)

[mockingbird812]

Last night on T.V. I saw yet another hard-to-believe-in-this-day-of-political-correctness, advertisement from FoMoCo. 2 guys in a parking lot with their Mustang GT doing burnouts. The older passenger (Dad?) turns to the younger driver (son?) and says "you know that is irresponsible" or something like that, and then Dad says "wanna do it again?!" "SURE!" BTW, no wheel hop observed this time and the pavement was dry.



Muscle Cars
It’s official: 500hp from Shelby GT 500

Who said the muscle car era is over even if premium gasoline is tetering at $3.50 per gallon? Back in 1970, considered the pinnacle of muscle car engine development, the highest horsepower honor went to the LS-6 Chevelle with 450hp. That 450hp was a gross rating and true horsepower was actually closer to 390hp or so by the time all was said and done.
Horsepower ratings changed to net horsepower and ever since the numbers have been lower. But America now builds four vehicles with the magical 500hp number—the newest is one of the most successful nameplates in history: the Ford Mustang. The Society of Automotive Engineers has officially rated the long-awaited 2007 Ford Shelby GT 500 has living up to its name and listed the 5.4-liter engine as having 500hp! At last year’s New York Auto Show, the engine was reported to have 450hp. Then Ford upped the number to 475hp and now the S.A.E. has certified it at 500hp.
This car, already destined for collector status, is scheduled to go on sale later this summer. Imagine where we’d be if this is what happened in 1970, when cars were, well, just cars, even if they had a Hemi or an LS-6 under the hood? The 5.4-liter V-8 will produce the 500hp with a “Roots-type” supercharger from 330 cubic inches. The engine is an iron block with aluminum cylinder heads boasting four valves per cylinder. The 500hp comes on at 6,000 rpm, and the engine redline is 6,250 rpm. The supercharger will provide 9 p.s.i. of boost and the new engine borrows the cylinder head, piston rings and bearings from the Ford GT V-8.
The 500hp rating was obtained using the S.A.E.’s latest standard and was witnessed by an objective third party. The new super V-8 will be built at Ford’s Romeo Engine Plant in Romeo, Michigan. Pricing will be announced closer to the car’s launch. The right to purchase the first 2007 Ford Shelby GT 500 was auctioned for $600,000 with the proceeds benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. Check out Ford’s fangtastic 500hp ponycar at www.svt.ford.com
- By George Mattar

[Xplantdad]

That's cool Sam!

I guess that brings up the question though...If you were to figure the current horsepower ratings the way the old (60's) ratings were figured...what would the ratings be?

[Bill Pritchard]

Probably in the neighborhood of 575 hp, Bruce That's a nice neighborhood to be in

[69LM1]

I have a 06 GT, and that 300hp rocks! Smooth, and the exhaust sounds great as well.

[Xplantdad]

[ QUOTE ]
Probably in the neighborhood of 575 hp, Bruce That's a nice neighborhood to be in

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea Bill...that is a nice neighborhood! Though, I don't live there