One-Day Drive

First Drive Review: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 does Carroll's legacy justice

Michael Herzing
Oct 29, 2019, 9:09 am

When creating the new Mustang Shelby GT500, Ford had to meet potential buyers' high expectations. They did.

Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is all business. It's horsepower and torque and burning rubber and speed. But it's also so much more.

On the outside, the car has the hallmarks of the Mustang and Shelby brands. The Mustang's aesthetic is highlighted by Shelby cobra logos and unique GT500 badging. At the car's face are standard automatic high-intensity headlights with LED signature lighting emphasizing the car's beefy athleticism.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 The iconic cobra symbol is front and center.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Ford's Mustang models all share the same 107.1-inch wheelbase but their lengths vary slightly depending on the trim level.

The heart of the new Mustang is a hand built, supercharged 5.2-liter aluminum alloy V8 engine that is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It produces 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. Smooth and strong, the powertrain pulls like a freight train, never letting up until you let off the pedal. It's exactly what you expect, and want, from the Ford. The automaker has electronically limited the Mustang to 180 mph.

Ford equips the car with a number of drive modes and settings including: Normal, Sport, and Slippery drive modes; line lock; and track apps. Each drive mode acts as advertised and the system's pages keep track of the car and driver's performance on the circuit or drag strip.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 The car comes loaded with track and drag strip performance tracking equipment.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

The new Shelby GT500 is equipped with Ford's adaptive suspension, Brembo six-piston brake calipers with 16.5-inch rotors, and 20-inch carbon fiber wheels. It wears Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires.

The result is a car is more planted than the Mustangs that came before, delivering a well-rounded and purposeful drive experience. Ford set up a closed course for testing, which gave the Brembo brakes a chance to shine. The stopping power and steadfast nature of the vehicle gave plenty of confidence through the tight turns.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 The model rides on 20-inch carbon fiber wheels.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

This is a big change from the Shelby Mustangs of the past, which were great off the line, in a straight line, but couldn't handle the corners. Now, the track-centric car has become a possible daily driver.

The vehicle minded its manners on Las Vegas' streets on the way back into town from the raceway during testing. Throttle response reminded the driver that the power is available when wanted, but not willing to get in the way of gentle acceleration off the line in the city setting.

The interior of the GT500 boasts race-inspired premium materials and available Recaro racing seats with side bolstering that hugs you in tight turns. A safety harness is available.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 The Mustang knows how to mind its manners on the road.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

The instrument cluster is a 12-inch color LCD instrument display. It and an 8-inch infotainment touch screen come standard. The tester came equipped with a custom-tuned 12-speaker B&O audio system that can blast Huey Lewis and the News as loud as a driver could possibly want.

Ford equipped the tester GT500s with the available Carbon Fiber Track Pack, which cut the seating capacity of the vehicle down to only two from the Mustang's customary four. The Mustang Shelby GT500 has 13.5 cubic feet of storage, which is better than most vehicles in its class.

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 has a starting price just a hair over $70,000. The Carbon Fiber Track Pack adds $18,500 to the price. Including taxes, the price as tested was over $90,000. That's an expensive Ford.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Ford has appointed the Shelby GT500 with race-inspired materials.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company

The big question with the model lies not in the Mustang itself, but in the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette, which starts $10,000 lower than the Mustang and is said to be a very impressive drive. In reality though, the entire buying decision is a matter of taste. In the $90K range buyers can choose a Porsche though they'd end up shilling out significantly more for, say, the Acura NSX or Audi R8.

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Electric Vehicles

Hyundai EVs will carry the Ioniq brand name, company details three new models

Hyundai is launching three new Ioniq-branded electric vehicles in the next four years.

Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

First there was Genesis, the luxury brand name that came from the popular car. Now, there will be Ioniq, the fourth vehicle brand for Hyundai Motor Group will include three new electric vehicles (EVs) over the next four years. Up until this point, the Ioniq name was used by the Hyundai Ioniq, the first auto in the world to be offered in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric variants.

"The IONIQ brand will change the paradigm of EV customer experience," said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. "With a new emphasis on connected living, we will offer electrified experiences integral to an eco-friendly lifestyle."

The Ioniq name is a portmonteau of "ion" and "unique".

London Eye Q Ioniq launch To celebrate the announcement, Hyundai lit up the London Eye as a Q.Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

With the new models, Hyundai looks to combine its current electric vehicle capabilities, which include ultra-fast charging, spacious interior, and battery-supplied power, with forthcoming innovations for the in-car and out-of-car experience - something the company says will be a "seamless journey".

The brand rollout of part of Hyundai Motor Group's larger EV rollout, which has the goal of selling 1 million units of battery electric vehicles and taking a 10 percent share to become a leader in the global EV field by 2025.

The three new vehicles that will be coming will all have numeral names: Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Ioniq 7. Sedans will have even numbers and SUVs will have odd numbers.

The Ioniq five will launch first, in early 2021. It will be a midsize crossover based on the EV 45 concept, which was unveiled at the International Motor Show 2019 in Frankfurt. When that concept debuted, Hyundai said that, like the company's Le Fil Rouge concept, the 45 was a modern interpretation of the Hyundai Pony Concept, only this time it was focused on powertrain technology. Its diamond silhouette foreshadowed the design direction of future electric vehicles the company will produce while holding fast to the "Sensuous Sportiness" design identity.

Hyundai concept cars Ioniq EV The first three Ioniq models will be based on three concept cars the company has already introduced.Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

The Ioniq 6 sedan is set to be introduced in 2022. It is based on the company's Prophecy concept vehicle, which was unveiled in March. That concept car's design gave a nod to the large car models of the 1920s and 30s but brought forward digital technology of today.

Ioinq 7, a large SUV, will follow in 2024.

The company says that the new vehicle designs will all "have a common theme of 'timeless value'" and be "inspired by past models.

They will all sit on the company's Electric Global Modular Platform, known as E-GMP. The platform's design allows for a "smart living space" complete with highly adjustable seats, wireless connectivity, and unique features - the company says that a glovebox deigned as a drawer is an example of one such innovation.

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New Model News

2023 Cadillac Lyriq debuts with 300+ miles of all-electric range, illuminated smile

The Cadillac Lyriq is the first all-electric SUV debuted by General Motors.

Photo courtesy of Cadillac

The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq is the first all-electric SUV by Cadillac and the first electric SUV General Motors has debuted for the U.S. market. It debuts with two rows of seating, over 300 miles of range, and a fresh face for the brand.

"Led by Lyriq, Cadillac will redefine American luxury over the next decade with a new portfolio of transformative EVs," said Steve Carlisle, executive vice president and president, GM North America. "We will deliver experiences that engage the senses, anticipate desires and enable our customers to go on extraordinary journeys."

2023 Cadillac Lyriq The Lyriq's rear illumination is part of a larger synced choreography of lights.Photo courtesy of Cadillac

Cadillac says that the Lyriq name originated from the term “IQ" meaning intelligence quotient, which gives the appearance that something is smart as well Cadillac's long history of being named in music. Their marketing team says that no other vehicle brand name is mentioned more.

The body is rather status quo for a two-row SUV in shape, but not style. Up front, the grille is completely unlike anything else on the market. It has depth and width. A newfangled lighting design illuminates to form a smile when the driver approaches the car. A new take on the Cadillac shield illuminates first then the LEDs flow outward to the headlamps and all the way around to the rear

The Lyriq is equally as unique out back where it looks like it took a bit of design inspiration from the Chevrolet Malibu Max, but with a high-energy, Cadillac design language infusion.

GM showed the model with a two-tone paint scheme - black roof and white body.

Cadillac will build the Lyriq on its next-generation flexible architecture, which was designed specifically for electrified vehicles. The Ultium battery system delivers approximately 100 kilowatt-hours of power thanks to its nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum chemistry. The battery is seated underneath the body of the vehicle, lying flat under the floor of the SUV.

2023 Cadillac Lyriq

2023 Cadillac Lyriq

Photo courtesy of Cadillac

Users can charge the vehicle using Level 1, Level 2 (up to 19 kilowatts), and DC Fast chargers. GM hasn't disclosed how long the Lyriq will take to charge.

Cadillac will offer the model with rear-wheel drive and performance all-wheel drive - buyer's choice.

GM has designed the car to have 50-50 weight distribution and the location of the battery, along with the design of the new architecture allow for the car to deliver a rigid ride experience, making it less susceptible to passing on the road's imperfections to the model's passengers.

The Lyriq will come with Super Cruise, the General Motors hands-free driving system that allows for 200,000 miles of hands-free highway driving and automated lane change.

Additional technologies include a dual-pane augmented reality-enhanced head-up display and remote self-parking. The dual-pane system displays traditional speed information up close then, further in the distance overlays for directions and important warnings are displayed. Supervised remote parking uses ultrasonic sensors to help the Lyriq park itself in parallel or perpendicular parking spaces — whether the driver is inside or outside of the vehicle.

2023 Cadillac Lyriq It appears that the two-row SUV has only four seats.Photo courtesy of Cadillac

Cadillac says that the Lyriq will offer “a new interpretation of passenger space". From photos it looks like the model is a four-passenger SUV with a large open space in the second row between two captains chairs.

A 33-inch advanced LED joint driver information center and infotainment display takes center stage on the interior. This is similar to the 38-inch version that is in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade. This new display has the highest pixel density available in the automotive industry today and can display over one billion colors, 64 times more than any other vehicle in the automotive industry, providing a stunning in-vehicle experience unlike anything seen before from Cadillac.

The driver's information side of the screen displays safety technology information on it including nighttime animal detection courtesy of camera functionality that brightens up the looks of your surroundings compared to what the human eye sees.

The SUV sports a 19-speaker AKG audio system with the ability for the driver to adjust the sound mode (front and rear) depending on their preference between stereo or surround acoustics.

2023 Cadillac Lyriq Cadillac has given the Lyriq plenty of piano black touch surfaces.Photo courtesy of Cadillac

Cadillac is employing noise cancelling technology for the first time in the Lyriq. Other automakers have offered similar technology for years.

There's a few other features that GM didn't highlight at the Lyriq's reveal, but showcased in a recent video including automatic climate control, navigation, audio, phone call (likely Bluetooth), and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot. It looks like the SUV's screen has pinch-to-zoom functionality. Further, there are doors with a unique inner inlays and a power-adjustable (at least) eight-way driver's seat.

Don't fret. There's plenty of time for Cadillac to reveal even more details. The SUV doesn't go into production for another few years.

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