2010 Ford Shelby GT500

2010 Ford Shelby GT500

Episode 2926
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Carroll Shelby and Ford Mustang. Two names that together have defined American muscle cars for an amazing 45 years. And this is their latest effort, the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500. With fresh hardware from Ford, and fresh inspiration from Shelby, it’s once again poised to conquer just about anything covered with asphalt. So, let’s get to it!

The story of the Ford Shelby GT500 began in 1967 with a menacing double dose of power and style.  Four decades later, in 2007, Carroll Shelby’s masterpiece was reborn in 21st century fashion. And for 2010, the Ford-Shelby partnership grows stronger as the latest GT500 is meaner than ever.

Pumping this stallion’s heart blood is the SVT limited edition GT500KR’s 5.4-liter Supercharged V8.  Horsepower is up 40 to 540, and torque is up 30 to 510 pound-feet over the previous model.  Peak output comes from an intercooled roots-type supercharger, now with nine pounds of added boost.

Sending heaps of power to a shorter 3.55 limited slip rear diff is a re-geared six-speed manual with its iconic cue ball shifter.

Down the long from straight of Savannah’s Roebling Road raceway, our Mustang roared to 60 in 4.5 seconds, and swallowed up the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds at 112 miles per hour.  The GT500’s fat power band delivers full tilt power all the way.  The exhaust growl combined with the supercharger whine doesn’t just sound scary, it’s flat-out nightmarish.

New SVT suspension tuning was aimed at improving the car’s dynamics. Also to help, new Goodyear F1 Supercar tires on special alloy wheels–19-inchers on the coupe, 18s on the convertible. Stability control is newly standard too, with normal and Sport modes, but can also be turned off.

But even with enhancements, the GT500's full throttle handling remains generally mediocre, especially compared to the Corvettes and Porsches of the world. In Roebling's tight turns, it comes off big and lumbering. With a minimum 3,900-pound curb weight, and relatively soft springs, we were surprised by so much front push and body roll.

But, back off a bit, say to about 80 percent max power, and everything changes. Now the GT500 maneuvers beautifully. Turn-ins are crisp and steering is very responsive. The GT500's power lets you blast out of corners, and the rear can easily be coaxed out by throttle with the ESP off. Also, the shifter works great on the track. Its pattern is tight and just right. And the pedal setup is perfect for "heel and toe" driving.

So, it's only when you push this pony car toward its limits that it scares you off. But that disappointment in a track test makes it one secure high performance car for the street. Indeed, the Shelby GT500 is the ideal backroad entertainer, and when the pavement gets rough, it won't shake your fillings loose like most track stars.

In terms of reeling it all in, the GT500's four-wheel disc ABS setup uses Brembo four-piston calipers up front. Stops were stable and averaged 130 feet, which is OK, but we expected better. Now onto the aggressive cosmetics, always a big part of a Shelby named effort. Most obvious are the signature twin racing stripes, now newly available on the droptop version.

For a meaner front-end, the hood and front fascia now shroud the waffled grille and lower air intake. The coiled Cobra is still there, but new is the front splitter and optional auto headlights. Follow the sharp but broken shoulder line back to a new lower-drag "Gurney Flap" rear spoiler and dual four-inch stainless exhaust tips.

Inside, the familiar four-seat twin-cockpit Mustang cabin is more refined than ever. This classic interior now displays far better materials and craftsmanship. The instrument panel features real aluminum to highlight the SVT-style gauge cluster. Sport seats are leather with embroidered snakes and new Alcantara racing stripe inserts that mimic those on the exterior.

The beefy three-spoke steering wheel wears a hissing snake as well. New technology for the GT500 includes Ford Sync with 911 Assist, as well as an SOS Post-Crash Alert System. And the standard Shaker stereo with CD-changer provides high octane tunes to accompany some serious performance driving. Being a Mustang, the GT500 does have rear seats, but they're way too tight for pretty much any adult to be comfortable.

But here's a surprise-Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 city/22 highway. So even with more power, the highway rating is 10% greener than last year. As to how much green you need to lay down, the Shelby GT500 starts at $48,575 for the coupe, and $53,575 for the convertible, which includes a $1000 gas guzzler tax. That's more than a base Corvette, but way less than a 911 or a Viper.

It's fast, it's mean, and it's historic. The 2010 Shelby GT500 is modern Detroit muscle in its purest form. On the track, we admit, it doesn't feel quite at home. But anywhere else, everywhere else, this classic beast rules the roads.

Specifications

  • Engine: 5.4-Liter Supercharged V8
  • Horsepower: 540
  • Torque: 510 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 4.5 Seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 12.9 Seconds @ 112 MPH
  • 60-0 MPH: 130 Feet
  • EPA: 14 MPG City/ 22 MPG Highway
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance 1

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance

Up For Grand Touring Around A Racetrack

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

In recent years, Audi has done an increasingly better job at merging luxury, high tech and sportiness equally into all of their vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they all have the same priorities. So, if you’re wondering what this car is all about… well, it’s right there in the name, the Audi RS 7 Performance!

First and foremost, the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance is absolutely fantastic looking. A gorgeous car from all angles. But this posh performer is a lot more than just a visual treat. Under its silky skin lies a menacing sounding V8 that delivers insane amounts of power and, as we discovered, a gloriously intoxicating driving experience.

RS elements added to Audi’s S7 five-door coupe include new aero treatments with a matte gray finish and silver 21-inch Audi Sport wheels. Those silver wheels are wrapped with 275 Continental summer performance tires and allow for seeing plenty of the enormous brake rotors with black-painted calipers. Up front, there’s a wide grille inhaling all kinds of air and headlights with uniqueness that’s pure Audi. This five-door coupe with frameless door windows speaks a true hardtop design.

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Now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, time to hit the corners of Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway, and it’s been quite some time since we’ve had anything here or on any road course that exhibited this much body roll. It didn’t matter what drive mode we had dialed in, it just liked to roll. You could sense that soft suspension in our acceleration runs too. Bystanders got a clear view of a lot of its hardware, thanks to major rear-end squatting as it exploded off the line. Those explosions resulted in a quick 3.7-second trip to 60 miles-per-hour and full quarter-mile runs of 11.9 seconds at 118 miles-per-hour. Fast indeed, though we’re sure both times would improve in warmer temps than our 40-degree test day.

Drive modes have been recalibrated and shifts by the eight-speed Tiptronic in Dynamic Mode are quick. Indeed, noticeably quicker and firmer than in the RS6 wagon we tested just a few months ago without the “performance” treatment. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard.

We’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners.

The driving force for that acceleration is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cranking out an additional 30 horsepower from the standard RS 7 thanks to installing bigger turbos. That makes for a 621-horsepower rating, with an even more impressive boost in torque from 590 to 627 lb-ft. And Audi was kind enough to remove a little sound deadening material so we can appreciate it even more through the optional RS sport exhaust system.

For what is really a Grand Tourer built for blasting you away on luxurious adventures, the RS 7 performance is amazingly track capable. Steering is very direct with great feel, and all four wheels are engaged in the process. They’re connected to a new mechanical self-locking center differential that is not only capable of handling the additional power but is lighter and quicker to respond. Chassis software has been recalibrated to make it all work together seamlessly. There must be some serious engineering wizardry happening in the RS-tuned air suspension as we’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners. Brakes were truly phenomenal too; there was some significant nosedive happening, but no wandering or fading no matter how hard we worked them.

And yes, it’s hard to call this actual work, considering this work environment is far from hostile. Absolutely nothing has been compromised when it comes to delivering the luxury car experience you expect from a six-figure Audi. Whether it’s the fabulous real metal, leather, and detailed woven carbon-fiber materials or the fine stitch-work and the always impressive comprehensive digital gauge display, the RS 7 performance feels truly special inside.

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine

The front seats were supremely comfortable and were only mildly bolstered yet held us in place just fine out on the track. Plenty of room for rear seat passengers too, and there’s even a great 24.6 cubic-feet of cargo space with hatchback versatility. Less practical is all touchscreen all the time for just about every cockpit control.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 City, 22 Highway, and 17 Combined. That’s a below average Energy Impact Score of 17.5 barrels of yearly oil use with 8.8 tons of CO2 emissions.

Pricing starts at $129,490, and Audi knows they have a good thing going with the RS 7 performance; so much so, it’s now the only RS 7.

So, could they have just made the RS 7 better instead of tacking “performance” onto the name? Sure, but there’s just something about adding performance to a car name that draws people in. And when it backs it up by delivering more actual performance, well, that’s what we call a win-win. We’d be happy to run some victory laps in the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance anytime.

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
  • Horsepower: 621
  • 0-60 mph: 3.7 seconds
  • EPA: 14 City | 22 Highway | 17 Combined
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 627 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 11.9 seconds at 118 mph
  • Starting Price: $129,490