Zac Quinn 
The S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a beast of a vehicle that very few get to enjoy. That is, unless you live in North America, Mexico, and the Middle East, then you have the chance to buy one if you have the money to do so. Unfortunately, the Shelby GT500 isn’t sold in the European Union, as their (relatively) draconian driving, pedestrian safety, taxes and emissions laws make it impossible for Ford’s mega muscle car to be sold through official dealerships. But the market finds a way, and the laws haven’t stopped some people from importing the GT500 overseas. Should one accomplish this task, however, they should immediately visit the mighty Nürburgring in Germany.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: On The Nürburgring
Dale Lomas chronicled his experience with an S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with a Road &Track article, where he managed to see a GT500 up close, and got to pilot it around the ‘Ring. There’s enough control around the car that he was able to remain in tune with everything around him while still speeding through the track, from the passenger/owner’s grin to the graphic that represents the temperature of the 2.65-liter supercharger’s oil. It didn’t take long for Lamas to feel comfortable in the car and open up the throttle before the steering was even straightened. The stock street tires handled the drive with ease, and by the looks of the video, the onlookers loved watching the car as well.
After seeing the performance of the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 around the track, it’s clear that the Mustang could easily rival the assortment of European coupe and super-saloons. The second time around, the track was set to be much quieter after the first lap had managed to reach triple-digit readings from the track’s Quiddelbach noise-measurement instruments. In addition, the GT500 was set to race mode with the exhaust flaps closed, and traction control remained on. Despite the slight limiters on the car with this configuration, it was still lapping the ‘Ring with numbers comparable to modified BMWs and 911s.
Depending on its equipment, pricing for low-mile imports of the S550 Mustang GT500 in Europe is between $150,000 and $185,000 USD, while the MSRP of the vehicle is a far more reasonable $72,900 USD. Since we have the means to get a pony car that can spank a Porsche 911 around the track for less than $100,000 here in America, perhaps we should count our blessing while we can.
