Ford and Carroll Shelby – a partnership that regularly screws with the heads of environmentalists – have just unveiled their latest co-creation: the 2011 GT500 Mustang. The powerhouse of the current Mustang range, this manly piece of road-going equipment not only looks the business with its pronounced bonnet bulge and racing stripes but also packs an all-new, all-aluminium 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine. 46 Kilograms lighter than the lump it replaces and benefiting from Ford’s patented plasma-coating technology, this friction-cheating block whacks out a phenomenal 410 kilowatts of power and 691 Newton metres worth of torque.

Brutally fast in a straight line the new GT500 also benefits from a stiffer chassis that should make it considerably more nimble when the straightways turn into bitumen spaghetti. Those looking for even more more cornering prowess can spec their Shelby with the optional SVT performance package that bolts on stiffer springs, lighter wheels, stickier tyres and a higher rear axle ratio. Apparently, according to Ford, all these mods make the GT500 three-seconds faster around their 3.7km test track. I think you’ll agree, muscle car fans, that this animal is a worthy successor to the GT350/500 Mustangs that prowled the streets of America back in the late ’60s and early ’70s. I only wish Ford would bring a few to South Africa…