Lucas Bell 
The Ford Mustang is having quite the year. While the most recent news stories about the famous nameplate involve something that isn’t so performance oriented, enthusiasts are surely still excited with the other pony car model: the Mustang Shelby GT500. For the first time in 50 years, Ford is offering both the Shelby GT350 and GT500 for sale at the same time. While Ford will sell you a rated “R” version of the GT350, they have decided not to do that on the range topping Ford Mustang GT500. Or have they?
As it turns out, Ford secretly does offer such a car. According to CarBuzz, The GT500 was designed to rip off the fastest lap times possible, particularly when spec’d with the Carbon Fiber Track Package. The upgrades included with the $18,500 (!) package are nearly identical to those found on the GT350R, though the Ford marketing team didn’t want to officially separate the GT500 into two models. That seems slightly odd if you ask us, as Ford customers might understand the distinction more than a nearly $20,000 option.
While the Carbon Fiber Track Package brings the MSRP of the Mustang Shelby GT500 up to $91,400, it does come with a laundry list of performance-oriented equipment. The base Pilot Sport 4S tires are replaced by a set of far stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2’s, which are now wrapped around two pairs of carbon fiber wheels from Australia-based Carbon Revolution.
The theme of adding carbon continues around the exterior, where the front of the Ford Mustang GT500 is fitted with a front splitter complete with added wickers. Out back a massive rear wing from the Mustang GT4 race car has been attached, which helps the muscle car produce 550 pounds of downforce at its 180 mph top speed. Under the hood there are adjustable carbon fiber strut top mounts, though this requires dealer installation.
So while Ford may have refrained from calling the Carbon Fiber Track Package equipped cars the GT500R, that is essentially what it is. If you prefer your super mustangs with a price of less than $100,000, the base car with a price of $72,900 is still sure to excite.
