It was just last week when Shelby American announced plans to upgrade the new GT500 and now we already have the first package built specifically for the ultimate Mustang. Officially designated as a concept car, the Dragon Snake made its debut at SEMA with a slightly more aggressive body kit and newly designed one-piece forged aluminum wheels wrapped in high-performance tires.
From the carbon-fiber hood and rear spoiler made of the same material derived from tow cars, you can tell right away that this isn’t a standard GT500. Shelby American is already studying a wide-body kit for those who still feel the Mustang doesn’t look fit enough. Rounding out the visual changes is the individually numbered dashboard and engine panel.
There is more to Dragon Snake than these cosmetic upgrades as the changes go deep into the skin. For example, the 5.2-liter V8 of the 760-horsepower series was carried over to over 800 hp thanks to an upgraded supercharger. While Shelby American doesn’t say anything about torque, we imagine it’s also upped from stock 625 lb-ft (847 Nm). The GT500 actually does 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 3.3 seconds and the quarter mile in 10.7 seconds, so it should be an absolute rocket with more power.
The modified Ford benefits from an upgraded exhaust system as well as tuned American Shelby suspension with MagneRide and improved springs and swing bars front and rear. All of these suspension improvements were made to improve the car’s straight-line acceleration, but also to increase grip.
Additionally, the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has been modified to match the extra power provided by the V8 engine. The list of modifications is quite extensive because it also includes high-flow catalytic converters and a glass package that shave off some weight compared to the regular coupe.
There’s no word on pricing, but the math starts at $70,300 for a standard Shelby Mustang GT500 and goes up to six figures for the fully loaded variant.
