Ford Selby GT500 corvertible

To mark the 20th anniversary of Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT), the Detroit automaker has taken the wraps off the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible, a droptop offering that boasts 650 bhp, a considerable boost over SVT’s first offering, a 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra that packed just 235 bhp under its hood.

 Unlike that first Cobra equipped with a normally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8, the Shelby GT500 gets its motivation from a supercharged 5.8-liter V-8, which in addition to offering huge horsepower, puts out 600 lb.-ft. of torque. That engine has been completely reworked to include a new supercharger, a cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon-fiber driveshaft as well as an upgraded clutch, transmission and rear axle to handle the additional output. Every gear in the 6-speed manual gearbox has been revised to manage torque and put the power down more efficiently.

 The boost in horsepower enables the new 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible to shave nearly 3.5 sec. off the previous car’s lap time at Sebring. While no top speed is given for the convertible, Ford has said the GT500 coupe has a top speed of more than 200 mph.

To match these drivetrain upgrades, engineers have enhanced the car’s handling with Bilstein adjustable shocks and upgraded Brembo brakes with 6-piston front calipers and larger rotors front and rear. The shock mapping can be adjusted via a dash-mounted switch that allows the driver to select between normal and sport modes. 

“The 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is,” said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. “All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track, but can still be driven on a daily basis.”

To enhance that track performance, the Shelby GT500 Convertible will be offered with an optional Performance Package that features the adjustable Bilsteins and Brembo upgrades. In addition, a Track Package option equips the car with an external oil cooler, as well as coolers for the differential and transmission.
The 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible is part of Ford’s ongoing commitment to SVT, which will be bringing out additional models throughout the year, including high-performance versions of the Focus and Fiesta, which carry the ST designation.

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