Ford Shelby GT500

At nearly 2 tons, this hyperactive Mustang is more Clydesdale than quarter horse, but thanks to this year's tweaks to the suspension, transmission and tire fitment, the latest Shelby GT500 is a horse of a different color compared to the previous version. During our saddle time, we took the Shelby GT500 through the winding roads of Napa Valley and also threw it around a road course at Infineon raceway. A supple ride, easy clutch, comfortable seats, a much-improved cabin and coddling features (such as dual-zone climate control and Ford's Sync system) make the speedy Shelby easy to live with.

Performance
Under the functionally vented hood, the Shelby GT500 houses a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 that now sports a cold-air intake, a feature that contributes to the 40 additional horses gained for 2010. Unlike before, however, the latest GT500 isn't strictly a straight-line machine — it also impressed us when hustling through the turns. A max-effort stop from 60 mph ate up just 106 feet of pavement, while successive hard stops showed no fade, and the pedal controlling those beefy stoppers was easy to modulate.

Comfort
Although the front buckets don't have the multitude of adjustments that some full-on sport seats offer (e.g., adjustable side bolsters and extendable thigh support), they're well-shaped and firm enough for proper support on long trips

Function
Like the rest of the Mustang stable, the GT500 features a complete refresh of its audio and climate controls, while maintaining a few old-fashioned touches (like the twist-knob headlight switch) for this old-fashioned type of car. This includes Ford's excellent Sync electronics interface, which allows easy control of cell phones and iPods through voice commands.
Design/Fit and Finish
Leather and faux-suede sport seats with a racing stripe down their center highlight the cabin.