The SAE recently certified the Shelby GT500's supercharged 5.8L V8 at 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque, besting Ford's original estimates of 650 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. Those figures also easily cement the GT500's engine as the most powerful production V8 in the world.
Peak horsepower comes on at 6,500rpm, just short of the engine's 7,000rpm limit.
"Our goal is to create outstanding all-around performance cars, not just stoplight-to-stoplight sprinters," said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. "We've backed up this amazing powerplant with a more refined chassis tuning that helps keep the rubber on the pavement without punishing the driver's spine and six-pot Brembo brakes that dissipate speed with ease stop after stop."
Adding another feather to its cap, the 2013 Shelby GT500 is also the most fuel efficient car with over 550 horsepower in America, thanks to an EPA rating of 15 mpg city and 24 mpg on the highway. In fact, the Shelby GT500's 18mpg combined rating is just 1mppg less than the 2012 Ford Fusion Sport AWD. Not bad for a car with more horsepower than a Ferrari Enzo.
