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2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a friendlier brawler

The most powerful production Ford ever promises a 5.2-liter heart of gold.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
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Ford says the new GT500 will be the most-powerful production 'Stang ever, with over 700 horsepower.

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A new, wider front end was developed to enable 50 percent more cooling air.

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This is the optional Track Package, which incorporates more advanced aerodynamics, carbon-fiber wheels and a deleted rear seat, among other things.

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Ford says the Track Pack's aero helps enable more rear downforce than that of the company's GT supercar.

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The rear end receives a new composite diffuser that's bookended by four 5-inch exhaust tips.

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A grippy faux suede steering wheel has new magnesium paddle shifters.

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Recaro seats are optional, but they're mandatory in my book.

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Everything above the bumper strike face is gloss black, and everything below is matte finish. Ford designers call this the "waterline."

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20-inch Michelin summer tires come standard, but whether you get Pilot Sport 4S rubber or the more aggressive Cup 2 not-quite-slicks shown here depends on whether you pony up for the Track Pack.

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Ford has upsized the various snakes around the GT500's bodywork. As if it needed more menace.

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This is the largest hood vent ever fitted to a production Ford. 

With the front air intakes being 50 percent larger, a bigger air extractor was needed, too.

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The new hood, made of sheet mold compound, has integrated hood pins.

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A unique front splitter bears a subtle Shelby logo.

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Click or swipe through for tons more photos of the new GT500 from the Detroit Auto Show.

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