FORD’S MOST POWERFUL MUSTANG TAKES ON THE GOODWOOD HILLCLIMB IN TRIBUTE TO CARROLL SHELBY
Goodwood, West Sussex, 28th June, 2012 – Ford’s most powerful Mustang ever, the new Ford Shelby GT500, is appearing at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed in a fitting tribute to the late Carroll Shelby.
Specially shipped for its first appearance outside America, the US-only supercar will blast up the famous Goodwood hillclimb driven by guest race drivers. The iconic Zakspeed Capri is also set to sprint up the hill, challenging the 1.16-mile hillclimb speed record of 41.6 seconds, set by Nick Heidfeld in 1999.
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 facts
The Ford Shelby GT500 is powered by an aluminium 5.8-litre supercharged V8 engine, producing 662 horsepower and 631 lb ft of torque. The most powerful engine ever in a North American production car, it propels the Shelby GT500 to a top track speed of more than 200mph.
Featuring a Brembo™ six-piston front caliper brake system, the Ford Shelby GT500 has updated gearing for superior traction management, suspension tuning and a user-adjustable launch control that works seamlessly with the engine and chassis control systems.
Downforce-generating front grilles, an aggressive splitter, a new quad-exhaust system and new forged-aluminium wheels differentiate the Shelby GT500 from other Mustang models.
The Shelby is also equipped at Goodwood with an optional Performance Package featuring electronically adjustable dampers and a Torsen® limited-slip differential, plus an additional Track Package for all-out racetrack performance including three additional coolers.
Ford at the Goodwood festival of Speed
Ford has been a major sponsor of the Goodwood Festival of Speed since its inception in 1993. Ford’s motorsport heritage is unparalleled: there were successful Model Ts in motor racing in the 1920s, Ford V8s won the Monte Carlo rally in the 1930s, and since the 1950s Ford has always been prominent in racing and rallying, often with specially-developed cars like the Le Mans winning GT40s, the Escort RS1600 and RS1800, the RS200, the Sierra RS500 Cosworth, and racing Mondeos. Ford-powered cars from all around the world are reflecting this heritage at the Festival of Speed.
Visitors to the Festival can see a wide variety of famous Fords, including those located on the Ford stands at the entrance to the festival and on the main Ford exhibition site inside the hillclimb track, which features a strong Sweeney theme to mark the Ford Focus ST’s starring role in the new film, which is released in the UK in September. Prominent in these displays, as well as on the Goodwood hillclimb, will be the Ford Focus ST with its powerful 2.0-litre 250PS four-cylinder EcoBoost engine.
