Once upon a time, the idea of driving a car at speeds of around 50 mph must have seemed terrifying. Imagine the thrill of then owning a car capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph. Nowadays, there are a slew of options from multiple manufacturers that can let you drive over 200 mph right off the showroom floor.
Among them is the 2013 Shelby GT500 Mustang, but most Mustang enthusiasts can’t really comprehend the kind of engineering required to allow a factory vehicle to hit 200 mph and still comply with all sorts of rules and regulations. That’s why Ford provided these interviews with three SVT engineers who simplify some of the enormous work that went into making the latest GT500 a 200 mph supercar.
The 2013 GT500 has a bunch of unique parts designed to handle the 662 horsepower and 630 ft-lbs of torque the supercharged 5.8 liter engine puts out. This included a unique clutch, shift linkage, and a one-piece carbon fiber driveshaft designed to handle the incredible RPMs of 200 mph. Even the clutch pedal was upgraded to provide the proper feel when shifting.
It isn’t just torque working against the GT500 though. The amount of drag (air resistance) encountered at 200 mph required a lot of aerodynamic work. The front fascia was extensively engineered to reduce drag, while providing enough airflow at extreme speeds to ensure the engine wasn’t starved of oxygen.
This video is chock full of cool factoids about Ford’s fastest Mustang ever, and really helps us appreciate the amount of work that goes into a car like this.