2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR

Brian Early

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Salt Lake City–If there's a criticism to be levelled against the new "King of the Road" KR version of Ford's Shelby GT500, it's that the car's traction and handling make its 540 horsepower seem almost underwhelming.

Case in point: having been asked to provide the obligatory smoky powerslide photo-op during this launch event, two skilled drivers from Ford's SVT (Special Vehicle Team) division made multiple failed attempts before finally strong-arming a pair of these 1,775 kg, rear-drive brutes into a few stilted (but still impressive) drifts across the parking lot. The rear tires simply provided too much traction, making the Shelbys dig in and do really big, really fast circles.

It's funny, because I remember when most Mustangs were evil-handling, under-braked cars that did only one thing well – provided there was a V8 under the hood: go really fast in a straight line. Attempting similar shenanigans in any Mustang other than the very rare SVO/SVT cars would likely have been an exercise in snap-oversteer and/or rhubarb exploration.

In fairness, nearly all of my prior Mustang experiences have been in the '79-'04 "Fox" platform cars, though it's unlikely that the earlier generations of Mustang would stop or turn any better.

That was then and this is now. I'm impressed with how well even the stock Mustang GTs and Bullitts that Ford provided for reference worked on the 3.54-km West Course at Miller Motorsports Park. Old school solid live axle or not, these 'Stangs demonstrated laudable on-track composure.

Also on hand was a non-KR Shelby GT500 – itself new last year, which by comparison felt looser and sounded far tamer than the GT500KRs. The new KR simply has all of the GT500's supercharged goodness, with higher limits and more attitude.

Which begs the question: why produce a KR at all? Why not just incorporate its improvements into the GT500?

Perhaps Ford has learned from the Germans, who often keep their models fresh by introducing higher performance or special edition variants every year or so.

It might be tradition. Ford and Shelby have done this before (introducing a GT500KR the year after launching a GT500), and the new KR's styling pays tribute to that 1968 model. Indeed, 40th Anniversary badges adorn the KR's flanks and grille.

More likely, it's cost: that hood is a complex carbon fibre assembly with two separate internal chambers; one directs outside air to the filter of the KR's Ford Racing/K&N cold-air intake, while the other serves to extract hot underhood air and relieve high-speed air pressure. Since it has top-mounted grilles, the extractor's chambers also integrate drainage channels to keep water off the engine and wiring.

An enlarged carbon fibre splitter and a smaller rear spoiler work with the new hood to reduce overall drag, increase front downforce and, interestingly, decrease rear downforce, so as to move the KR's centre of lift forward (closer to its inertial centre), giving it a more stable feel at speed. Top speed remains governed to 251 km/h.

Helping the GT500KR hit that governor sooner is a steeper 3.73:1 final ratio. While the six-speed's shift effort increases as a result, it's entirely liveable and reasonably precise.

Remapped ignition, fuel and throttle controls, a new, throatier H-pipe exhaust with Bullitt tips, and the aforementioned cold air intake result in power gains of 40 hp and 30 lb.-ft. of torque, for ratings of 540 and 510 respectively. Boost is unchanged as the 5.4 L DOHC V8's supercharger is said to already be at its effective maximum.

The KR's tighter feel and improved handling are courtesy of the car's recalibrated suspension, while its standard stability/traction/ABS system was retuned to be less intrusive and more effective. Even the KR version's stiffer, Alcoa forged aluminum wheels are said to improve turn-in feel.

The GT500's summer-only tires are replaced with R compound Eagle F1 Supercar rubber (basically street-legal race tires) in the same 18-inch sizes but with a unique design and compound co-developed by Ford SVT and Goodyear.

SVT's unofficial numbers have the GT500KR pulling a full 1g on the skidpad (0.92g GT500) – that's world-class for a street car – while shaving two tenths off the GT500's 4.5 second 0-96 km/h sprint, and running the quarter mile in 12.1 seconds at 186 km/h.

On the track, this is a hugely capable and surprisingly easy and forgiving car to turn laps in. On the road, you'd have to be homicidal to even approach the KR's limits, but the vast reserves of power and sonorous exhaust rumble make cruising a delight. The ride is necessarily firm, but not unduly harsh.

Such performance comes at a price. Americans wanting the "King" will have to "pony up" $79,995 (U.S.), though the destination fee is thoughtfully included.

Canadian pricing hasn't been announced because there's a chance that we may not get this car at all, even though I drove a "Canadian-spec" KR for the public-roads portion of this event. Though Ford of Canada is "very optimistic" that we will get our chance.

If we do, the 100 or so cars that come north will be 2009s, so no 40th Anniversary GT500KRs for us.

If there's a downside, it's that this is an $80,000 car, with an interior that doesn't match the exterior's persona – retro-style and numbered Shelby dash plaque or not.

Environmentalists will shake their green fists at a car like this, but the KR's predicted 15.3 L/100 km average fuel economy is no worse than many pickups or SUVs.

Let's face it, most will end up in collections or as weekend toys anyway, so how big an impact will the 1,700 or so GT500KRs that will be made really have?

Considering the efforts put into this car, that fate seems a waste. With four seats and a trunk, you could use this car as a daily driver – it really is that civilized. And there are precious few cars short of true exotics that can offer similar performance capabilities.

[T, Travel was provided to freelance reviewer Brian Early by the automaker. bandb.early@sympatico.ca]

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