Shelby American took SEMA week by storm with the unveiling of its first mega-horsepower version of the sixth-generation Ford Mustang.
Yes, the company has revived its Ford Shelby Mustang 1000 and confirmed the new car for production in early 2018. Just 50 will be built each year.
The transformation can be applied to any sixth-generation Mustang GT and includes not only a potent powerplant but also numerous chassis mods and Shelby’s super-sexy wide-body kit.
2018 Ford Shelby Mustang 1000
Under the hood is a 5.2-liter V-8 with a massive 4.5-liter Whipple supercharger attached. The engine is not the same 5.2-liter mill found in the Ford Shelby Mustang GT350; for example, it features a traditional 90-degree crank. Some parts are shared though, like the cylinder heads.
Shelby adds other mods to support big power, like a high-flow fuel system, a new intercooler, transmission reinforcements and ECU recalibration. The result is 1,000 horsepower, 50 more than the car’s predecessor.
There’s one major caveat, though. While the previous-generation Shelby Mustang 1000 was offered in both street and track configuration, a decision was made not to pursue emissions compliance on the new model. It means the newest car is designed for track-use only.
To ensure the car can handle whatever a circuit may throw at it, Shelby also installed new suspension as well as uprated wheels, tires and brakes. The list includes a fully adjustable coil-over suspension and huge Brembo braking system, along with stronger spindles and hubs, hardened wheel studs, wider wheels and tires.
2018 Ford Shelby Mustang 1000
Achieving this goal was not easy because the sixth-generation Mustang is far more complicated than the previous car due to its independent suspension front and back, as well as a completely new structure.
“Since Ford dropped the solid axle rear end, we had to take an entirely new approach,” said Vince LaViolette, Shelby American Vice President of Operations and head of development. “Not only did we build strength into the car with components like heavy-duty halfshafts and CV joints, we revised the entire suspension by using tubular adjustable upper and lower control arms, as well as fully adjustable coil-overs. We then added 10- and 12-inch [wide] forged wheels with sticky 20-inch rubber to maximize traction with this high level of power.”
All of this comes at quite a steep cost. Anyone considering the car will need $169,995, plus a donor Mustang GT.
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