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Ford Shelby Ct500

It was only last year that we saw the Shelby GT500 get a serious makeover. And now they've gone and done it again. Dropping weight, adding power and giving even more performance than the past generation KR edition! From a pure numbers standpoint the new all-aluminum V-8 does little apart from removing about 100 lb. from the nose of the car. Power is up slightly thanks to a lower-backpressure exhaust that exhibits a bit more rumble than its predecessor. The newly introduced $3495 SVT Performance Package is the option that makes the biggest difference to performance. Larger Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires (265/40ZR-19 front, 285/35ZR-20 rear) really let the track-oriented suspension work. As our numbers show, the 2011 model trumps the "King of the Road" in every performance category. And it's easier to drive thanks to the electric-assist power steering.

At our test track, the Shelby ran consistently to 60 mph in the mid-4s and suffered little to no heat soak after repeated runs, which is somewhat surprising as our experience with the early cars had us expecting a penchant for building heat. Around the skidpad the SVT suspension worked its magic and resulted in exactly l.OOg. It wasn't so long ago that we'd have thought that impossible for a Mustang without race rubber. Designed to work on a racetrack, the suspension gave up some stability in our slalom and required a deft touch to keep the rear wheels planted. A little too much of anything will cause rotation. Easily controlled rotation, but any little bit slows the car too much for a fast time. Even so, the handling performance numbers are both a tick better than the last Ford GT we tested. Impressive stuff for a factory-modified Mustang to out-handle a mid-engine exotic!—Shewn Bailey

Lateral accel (200-ft skidpad) Speed thru 700-h slalom Our mileage, EPA city/highway

* Electronically limited.

Lateral accel (200-ft skidpad) Speed thru 700-h slalom Our mileage, EPA city/highway

* Electronically limited.