2020 GT500 - From a Racer's Perspective
Slideshow: A few years ago the idea of Ford owning the sports car market place would have seemed implausible, but it’s the blue oval that’s quietly rewriting the script.
GT500 Through My Lens
After 15 years of competition in autocross, endurance racing and karting I have made a living around cars. Formally trained at an engine building school located on the east coast, I’ve been up close and personal with everything from American muscle to the finest Germany has to offer. I’ve even coached in some of the most production cars on the planet and co-driven with Carroll Shelby’s first employee. So how does a racer see the new GT500? About as good as it gets. Here’s why.
image courtesy of cnet.com
Core Architecture
The perceived problem with Mustangs has never been power, but a lack of modern suspension geometry. Laughable to those who know how to properly tune, this stigma does have some setbacks when it comes to camber control. True racing cars all come with independent rear suspension which the 2020 GT500 now fully embraces. By gaining camber control you will directly feel an increase in grip on corner exit when applying throttle and over bumps. Ride quality will improve as a daily driver from this as well.
image courtesy of streetmusclemag.com
Tremec Dual Clutch
Perhaps a polarizing decision is a choice to not offer this new GT500 with a manual transmission, but that’s where the lens needs to be adjusted. This car is going after the giants of the segment—Corvette, 911, R8, and Ford is trying to hit them where it hurts: raw performance numbers. You simply can’t compete with a dual clutch as much as I want to take things back to the days of Ken Miles and Chris Amon. Ford is smart to make this move because of what the GT500 has to represent: modern performance that raises the bar.
Earth Mover or Tire Smoker?
As a racer, the first thing you learn about an engine is that the shape of the power curve matters much more than any peak horsepower figures. So while the 5.2L V8 is set to make some 700+bhp the real easter egg is how they have chosen to make that power. Not just a supercharger, but a supercharger that is paired with a cross-plane crankshaft which fires every 90 degrees as opposed to the GT350s 180 degrees. A combination of these two elements should ensure a smooth power delivery earlier in the corner which will be noticeable compared to the little brother.
image courtesy of roadandtrack.com
Limited Slip Specification
Rear differentials are one of the most important aspects of a vehicle, and yet, you won’t hear about them in many publications. Fit the wrong unit on your high-performance vehicle and you can kill performance in a single afternoon. Ford’s decision to go with a Torsen mechanical unit is a good middle of the road decision that will leave room for improvement as the aftermarket gets ahold of this vehicle. It also features a carbon fiber driveshaft to reduce overall weight and improve driving response.
Overall Mass and Unsprung Weight
If overall weight is in the mid to low 3000 lbs I think Ford will have something seriously competitive on their hands. Carbon fiber wheels drop a massive 60lbs of unsprung weight, which is pretty much akin to dropping a couple hundred pounds of weight off of the vehicles sprung mass. You will absolutely notice in corners this and it does make a difference. From where I’m sitting this car looks very capable of taking down a 911 GT3 on even the most demanding of race tracks. Ford is really firing on all 8 cylinders with this family of Stangs.
image courtesy of motorauthority.com
Track Packs?
Of course, the greatness doesn’t stop with new suspension geometry, insane amounts of horsepower and draw dropping looks. There are also carbon fiber track packages available that will come with adjustable suspension components should you want to get to the circuit immediately after acquiring this beast. As a racer, this opens up wide possibilities in stock classes where “you’re not allowed to touch anything unless it came that way from the factory.” You can bet the team behind this vehicle had their eye set on exploiting rule books to the max. It just makes a cool car that much cooler to know the guys at the factory know what you’re going to do with this road going race car.
image courtesy of flickr.com
Final Thoughts on 2020
Without a doubt, the new GT500 will be a game changer for one of America’s oldest automotive companies as well as presenting new challenges to its foreign competitors. How far the GT line will go only Ford knows, but it’s incredible to see them bringing this car into the forefront of the performance world with new and exciting changes. What are your thoughts on the new line of Mustangs? Let us know in the comments.
image courtesy of themanual.com
And, for information on maintenance and repairs for your Mustang, head on over to our How-Tos at MustangForums.com!