Ford Shelby GT500 quicker than Audi R8 V10
Ford has just released a video purportedly showing their upgraded 2011 Shelby GT500 doing a lap of some 4.1-mile (6.56 km) Grand West portion of the Virginia International Speedway racetrack. It achieved a lap time of 2:58.5, which in itself wouldn’t mean much, except that the Audi R8 V10 did it in 2:59.5 during another test. If there ever was proof that the Audi R8 is an overrated beluga whale, this is it.
The 2011 Shelby GT500 is about 50 kg lighter thanks to a new aluminium block for the 550 hp 5.4-litre supercharged V8, and comes with other minor suspension and diff tweaks. It still has a non-independent live-axle rear suspension, but it matters much less on a glass-smooth racetrack than it does on the street. Ford claims the 2011 car is now 9 seconds faster around this track than the 2010 model.
And so, based on a separate comparison test by Car and Driver magazine earlier, the 2011 Shelby GT500 is apparently quicker around a track than the aforementioned Audi R8 5.2 (2:59.5), the benign BMW M3 (3:05.4), the weak Porsche Cayman S (3:05.8), the fat Jaguar XKR (3:06.4), the awful Audi S4 (3:10.8), the girly Audi TT-S (3:08.4), the overpriced Nissan Nismo 370Z (3:12.0), the lightweight Lotus Exige S (3:05.0) and even the goofy VW Golf GTI (the slowest at 3:19.3, should some fanboy bring that up). The only cars quicker are the Nissan GT-R, the Lamborghini LP670-4 and the Chevy Corvette ZR1.
The special-order 2011 Shelby GT500 will likely go on sale in the Middle East quietly by the end of the year.
For future UAE prices and GCC specs, visit the Ford Shelby GT500 buyer guide.
Comments
Fahrer
Audi R8 V10 overrated? Ha.
Maybe you should drive it first mate.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Maybe you should.
But of course you did.
Fahrer
Of course.
Adil
Both cars fall under different catergories. shelby being a muscle car and the latter being a supercar…well its nice to see that the americans are now prepping the pony.well, for the audi its sad cuz its hardwork for the germans now!!!! hey mashfique….m quite old to drive arabia….but replying for the first….
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
^Join the forums, buddy.
Cal
It’s obvious from your reporting that you’re in a huff with Audi for some reason but for this to cloud your journalism is unprofessional. The fact that your reports on Audi vehicles are so different to most other journalists is very revealing.
By the way, I appreciate that English isn’t your first language but the constant headlines of “So we got a (insert car name)” don’t make grammatical sense.
I know this reads like a bit of a rant but I just want to read balanced reviews rather than select a car based on how nice the manufacturer has been to you!
By the way, I’m not an Audi driver.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
A) A ghetto muscle car beat a so-called exotic car.
B) I am NOT a journalist. Made that clear ages ago.
C) My titles are perfectly fine. It is called creative writing.
D) It is not bias. It is transparency.
You can call me an unbalanced amateur, but my last independent audit showed that I now have more monthly readers than CAR ME, Autocar ME, Wheels and AutoMiddleEast combined. For verification, call any major ad agency in the country with access to numbers. So I’m doing something right.
Ranga
Good One Mash.. We read to enjoy.. BTW Numbers and BBC style Presentations not very attractive isn’t it.. LOL
Fahrer
The only thing that bothers me here is the huff and puff about a second over a lap. Who cares?
It’s like all the focus on ‘Ring times? Who cares?
One second doesn’t make a better car. The GT500 is a completely different car to an R8. The R8 is superior in what a real driving enthusiast wants to the GT500 in every single way.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Yes, it doesn’t matter that a high-tech Lamborghini-based exotic car is slower than a ghetto Ford muscle car around a track.
Kevin
American muscle is more fun to drive than any other european supercar. The danger u face in a Mustang is way more thrilling than driving a V8 Vantage or a Continental GT. Well that’s my opinion. And to say that a second doesn’t make a difference…why dont u go say that to an olympian and see his reaction.
michael
I rented a Mustang while out in LA—the car is junk. So they put a big engine in this car, upgraded he suspension, blah, blah—got back home in my R8 (4.2) and it was the same difference from going the Boone’s Farm to Chateau Petrus—-no comparison. Yeah, your trying to get a rise out of people, but the people who drive these machines know the difference. You can’t put lipstick on a pig and get away with it—there is no disguising quality.
ROJ
If the mustang manages to do the R8s job for less the money and 1/2 the tech then it makes me wonder.. But usually at a super budget people would go for a more refined Audi R8..
Mash you should consider making a comparison on budget sports cars.. Something like the new Clio 192 and its rivals here.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
^Maybe if Renault offered me one. So far, they suddenly called me up on Wednesday and now I am trundling around in a Fluence.
C Monk
Dear Mr Chowdhury, an interesting article which has fuelled a few conversations not just here but on various forums which I think was its purpose? I also gather you are a Ford fan, as an Audi R8 owner I have also had the displeasure of driving a Shelby mustang both on track and road, of course we are all entitled to our opinions which makes for an interesting world but the fact is the Ford is a pile of sh*t in construction quality, engineering and technology terms, take for Ford GT for instance, a great car to look at and listen too, as is the Shelby above, but, when it comes to ownership & pure everyday driving pleasure ( not track ) the R8 is in another league, how many R8s have you driven both on the road and various tracks? if you can honestly say the Ford Shelby is in the same league then I very seriously doubt your ability as a journalist, the figures do not lie I agree, but there must be a balance of various conditions when comparing all cars on different tracks and most importantly roads, not just on straight roads but also winding roads, which is a place the R8 would trounce all, except maybe the GTR? Just a thought for your future reviews.
Mr Colin Monk
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
^Go read my Mustang GT reviews. Also, Ford hasn’t given a test car since December. I’ve never owned a Ford and I have no love for them.
Suraj Gill
Being an owner of four different mustangs and having auto crossed them with Audi R8’s I have to say Mr. Colin Monk that you seem a little perturbed at the fact that a piece of @#@! did as well as it did on the track. How a production car that was derived from the Ford Fairmont back in the 60’s can get a rise out all these Audi R8 owners cracks me up as your car was purpose built to be way ahead of the game than any Mustang in a stock format ever was. Ford is not shy about the fact that they have shoved as much muscle as is humanly possible into a Mustang and never intended it to compete with the Audi R8 except in a straight line maybe….Don’t get me wrong, I think the Audi R8 is an amazing car with outstanding build quality and great performance but it is interesting as Mashfique points out that it actually beat the Audi R8 around the track…any track for that matter…for a lot less money..
mrl859
I own a 2010 GT500. While i’ve never driven an R*, and I’m sure they’re more refined, numbers don’t lie. They’re faster for a lot less.
STIGIS
you cant Judge a car by how fast it goes only … the r8 is better built … has got better equipment … looks nicer from the inside and from the outside for (( most of the eyes )) 🙂 has got a better seating position … brand name counts and many more things … the mustang with -big respect- has got a better performance … but the Audi get the check mark on most of the other aspects … so if you wanna say the best car the one who moves faster for the amount of money … get yourself a Nissan datsun 200L stick a 2J supra engine in it with a big turbo and slicks … and you get yourself a 9 SEC drag car that can go more than 200 MILES also for 15,000 $ hawzzzaat
and yes I own an R8 and have driven the GT500 for 2 weeks or so …very good car … but not close to the R8