The 5,500 units of the 2011 Shelby GT500
(pictured above) are already sold out, so Mustang lovers best just move
on to the next offering from the American automaker; it’s time to start
talking about the 2012 Ford Mustang Shelby
GT500. We may not have any official details on it just yet, but the
power of the Internet, and an untrustworthy auto employee, strike again
with a leaked document revealing details on the 2012 model’s ordering
guide. Guess that means the GT500’s heart will beat for at least one
more year.
Nothing much is going to change for the
2012 model considering the Mustang was just given a little refresh for
2011. It will still see its usual coupe and convertible versions, with
prices starting from $49,495 and $54,495 respectively. The list of new
options only includes new Recaro leather sports seats, a glass roof, and
two new packages.
Under the hood there will be the
same aluminum 5.4 Liter supercharged V8, derived from the unit inside
the Ford GT super car, that produces 550 HP and 510 lb-ft of torque.
It may still be packing the same gear as the last model, but who really cares? The 2012 Ford Mustang
GT500 will probably still sell out just as quickly as the 2011 model did.
Exterior and Interior
The Shelby GT500 is distinguished from the other
Mustangs in the line-up by a more aggressive exterior look with a
signature coiled Cobra badge on the front grille and front fenders. It
also separates itself with a unique aluminum power dome hood with
functional heat extractors and unique Shelby front and rear fascias,
rear diffuser, and decklid spoiler. Both coupe and convertible versions
come with racing stripes on both the top and the sides with 19" painted
forged-aluminum wheels rolling at the bottom.
The
interior gets leather sport buckets w/racing stripes coordinated to the
exterior stripes and Alcantara Suede accents. A new feature for the 2012
model year will be the new sun visor that features illuminated dual
vanity mirrors.
Two new packages are added to the
Mustang’s list of options. The new Electronics Package is priced at
$2,340 and includes Navigation and Dual Zone Climate Control. The
$3,995 SVT Performance Package includes upgraded, premium painted forged
aluminum wheels that are 19″x9.5 in the front and 20″x9.5″ in the rear.
The Engine
The 2012 Shelby GT500 will feature the same engine as
the 2011 model year: an all-new aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged
V-8 engine, which produces 550 horsepower and 510 ft.-lb. of torque.
This engine weighs 102 pounds less than the old motor. It’s mated to a
six-speed manual transmission and delivers a fuel economy of 15
miles-per-gallon city and 23 highway.
2012 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake
The Competition
The Shelby GT500 takes on models like the BMW M3, the Chevrolet Corvette,
and the Dodge Viper SRT10. Now since the current Dodge Viper is out of
production, the Mustang has one less vehicle to worry about in 2012.
The
BMW M3 is powered by a V8 engine that develops a supreme 420 hp.
Maximum torque of 400 NM or 295 lb-ft, in turn, comes at an engine speed
of 3,900 rpm. The coupe version is priced at $58,400 and the
convertible at $67,050. So we guess, in this case, the GT500 wins the
battle being that it is more powerful and cheaper that the BMW.
As
for the Corvette, the coupe is priced at $48,950 and the convertible at
$53,600. Under the hood there is a 430-hp LS3 aluminum block V8 good
for 190 mph on the test track. These two vehicles carry such a loyal
fan base, that the decision of whether to buy a Corvette or a Mustang is
really left up to customer bias. The Mustang is faster than the
Corvette, but it is also a tad bit more expensive.
When Can I Buy One?
The 2012 Shelby GT500 will be offered in both coupe and
convertible version, with prices starting from $49,495 and $54,495
respectively. We shouldn’t expect it until around the end of 2011.
Few automobiles possess the
required machismo to stop a person dead in their tracks, pull out a
camera and take a multitude of pictures. The Lamborghini Murciélago
LP640 Roadster is capable of causing such a reaction with not just one
person, but a complete crowd. Spending two days behind the wheel of this
incredible supercar in Bologna, Italy recently, I was impressed anew at
the rock star status the Italian bull enjoys.
FAST FACTS
1. The LP640 Roadster generates 640-hp and 468 ft-lbs of torque from a 6.5L V12.2. Lamborghini claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 201 mph. 3. Pricing is set at a lofty $382,400. 4. Recently Lamborghini unveiled its most hard-core Murciélago variant, a light-weight 670-hp LP670 SuperVeloce model.
STYLISH LINES, POWER TO SPARE
Elongated scissor doors open wide to reveal a passenger cabin certain
to make women swoon and grown men giddy with anticipation. In our test
vehicle, a stylized black leather dash and center console housed the
necessary equipment to unleash the massive power within. Carbon fiber
wrapped the HVAC and navigation panel as well as switches for traction
control, power windows, mirrors and the fuel filler release.
Ensuring optimum driver and passenger comfort is the work of
sculpted, one-piece sport seats. Complimenting the rest of the interior,
our supercar featured black leather trim with red center inserts. Tight
side bolsters restrict movement, but given the performance potential of
the Murciélago and their excellent design, the amount of support
provided was superb.
Power for the LP640 Roadster comes in the form of a 12-cylinder
6.5-liter engine that produces a whopping 640-hp at 8000 rpm and 486
ft-lbs of torque at 6000 rpm. Performance numbers are extraordinary.
Zero to 60 mph is reached in 3.4 seconds. Top speed is listed at 201
mph, but I have every reason to believe the Murciélago LP640 Roadster
could indeed go significantly faster.
Fuel economy suffers as a result of the high power numbers, achieving a combined average of 16-mpg.
Two water-radiators plus twin oil-coolers keep engine temperatures
from soaring into the stratosphere. Heat is an issue with so much
horsepower available. I noticed this on several occasions while driving
at speed; vapors blurring the image in my rearview mirror.
Drive-by-wire technology offers the advantage of direct communication
between driver and engine. Press the pedal and the response of power is
certain to push you back in your seat.
The visceral experience of engaging a 12-cylinder powertrain is
heightened by the wind blowing through your hair and the aria of so much
power concentrated solely on the task of acceleration. Grabbing hold of
the Alcantara steering wheel with the intention to drive fast is a task
not to be taken lightly.
THE PROOF IS IN THE DRIVE
Dramatic stopping power is provided by massive aluminum alloy
calipers with 8-piston front and 4-piston rear brakes. Carbon ceramic
brakes are optional, as are colored brake calipers and the Alcantara
steering wheel found on our test vehicle.
Permanent 4-wheel drive and a viscous traction system with electronic
traction control assures the road ahead will be met with authority no
matter the environment. Over the course of two days we experienced a
broad range of road and weather conditions.
Driving in bright sunshine, mist or the occasional late summer
shower, the Murciélago LP640 Roadster never stepped out of line. Even on
the sometimes-slippery tight two-lane roads in and around Bologna, it
showed complete confidence and was surprisingly easy to control.
Cobblestone streets have a way of upsetting the ride quality of even
the best luxury automobiles, but to my surprise the Murciélago felt
right at home. Perhaps it was the Italian heritage, but most likely the
result of a tubular frame made from high-strength steel alloy and carbon
fiber. Power-assisted rack and pinion steering allowed for quick
maneuvering of the Pirelli P-Zero shod 18-inch aluminum wheels.
To aid in overall handling and performance, a two-stage rear spoiler
deploys as speed builds. Step one takes place between 80 and 110-mph.
Step two occurs at around 135 mph and retracts as speeds reduce to
around 110.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Leaving the city of Bologna behind, we headed northwest on highway
E45 toward the Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese. An hour later
we arrived at our destination.
A tour of the Automobili Lamborghini assembly facility, which
included a look at how the Murciélago is built, left us breathless with
enthusiasm. Our guide walked us through the assembly line process,
taking time to explain in detail the craftsmanship involved with each
Lamborghini built. It requires several days to complete a vehicle with
this unique DNA, much of it by hand. Here we saw men and women
assembling parts, stitching seats, building dash panels and piecing
together some of the finest and most exclusive automobiles to be built
anywhere in the world.
Later that day as we drove back to Bologna at speeds exceeding 150
mph, I was impressed anew at just how unusual the LamborLamborghiniMurciélago
LP640 Roadster is in today’s market.
THE VERDICT
With so much focus being paid to carbon-copy automobiles, each one
looking similar to the next, there is still something to be said for
individuality and excess power when it comes to the supercar as a whole.
On the open road with wind blowing through a sun drenched passenger
compartment and plenty of horsepower underfoot; well it just doesn’t get
any better than this.
Shelby Supercars’ Aero TT was manufactured in several locations in Washington, California, and Arizona, but Shelby’s home-based operation in West Richland is the sole locations for the production of the Tuatara SSC.
In order to achieve this, the company plans on building a 27,000 square-foot plant in the southern Washington town. The new building would be a manufacturing and sales facility, with about one-fifth of the complex devoted to a business office and showroom, with a view of the production area available from a mezzanine and 55 parking spaces. It would have a maximum height of 30 feet.
The new plant will offer 54 jobs within the next five years, with a future potential of up to 200 jobs. The median pay at the plant would be about $40 an hour.
Exterior Design
The outgoing Ultimate Aero was very generic in its looks. The body, like the rest of the car, was designed by company owner Jerod Shelby (no relation to muscle car legend Carroll Shelby). He admits that the need for slippery aerodynamics governed the outcome of the final product and being an engineer by trade, design wasn’t his greatest strength. Enter Italian American designer Jason Castriota who, in the beginning, had reservations about taking on the project. We couldn’t really blame him after looking at his impressive resume. He has penned cars for the very best in the industry: Ferrari, Pininfarina, Rolls Royce, and Bertone to name but a few. The last thing his career needed was to design a car destined for failure for a small company with more hopes than money or brains. After a visiting the facility and getting to know the staff and more importantly, their ideals and the car, he took the plunge and created what you see before you.
The outcome is breathtaking, especially once you peel the body work away to reveal how technically challenging it was to overcome the dreaded forces of nature at 200+mph, whilst packaging the required mechanical components. It is the ultimate example of form meeting function, to create a harmonious whole. We like the black teardrop shaped canopy that sits on top of the white exterior, creating a stunning contrast of power and beauty. The shape is classic and pivotal, and has a very low drag co-efficient. The car features dihedral stabilizers or wings that have been borrowed from the realm of aviation. The term “flying buttress” might be construed as a being a bit naughty, but they are actually wings that help support the structure of the car. In this case, they are those bits on the side of the SSC Aero II, which channel air towards the engine intakes – a Castriota design signature. (pictured below)
The front looks intimidating and purposeful with its low slung nose and carbon fiber headlights. Looking closely, you’ll notice venting for the carbon brakes and a cohesive front splitter that generates enough downforce to keep the nose planted at speed. There is no hood or luggage space, or any kind of compromise with this car. The side profile is sleek and sexy – there are no door handles or side repeaters and the car barely stands over a meter tall. Massive lower recesses house air intakes in front of the rear wheel arches and feed the ravenous engine and cooling radiators with much-needed cold air, while doing its bit to balance the look. It checks all the hypercar boxes and then some. Elements of the first Aero are maintained, most notably the party piece doors and simple-spoked wheel design. The latter being the first ever one piece carbon fiber wheels ever fitted to a car. They are products of Australian company, Carbon Revolution, and the 19" fronts weigh just 5.8kg each.
The entire body and chassis, save for front and rear impact zones, are all made from carbon fiber - further emphasizing lightness as key. This is not necessarily for top speed, but more for everyday driving and handling. All mid-engined cars require apertures in the bodywork to help get rid of heat – they usually take the form of slats or louvers but since this car is anything but, it features circular cut outs in various diameters to expel heat and generate pub controversy. Moving to the other-worldly rear, dynamics take over, with aesthetics playing second fiddle. The entire under floor of the car is sealed leading up to the rear which functions as the mother of all diffusers, complete with F1-style exhaust. From this angle, it does bear slight resemblance to an R8 and by slight, we mean slight – the proportions and shapes are similar. Between the rear stabilizers is a hydraulically operated air brake – ala Bugatti Veyron and Mercedes SLR that comes into play at higher-than-allowed speeds. Dimension wise, the Aero II is slightly more narrow than before to comply with FIA GT regulations, should they decide to race it.
Interior
This futuristic interior was developed following the aerospace design found on the exterior. In fact, many of the interior elements found on the Tuatara resemble specific elements of the exterior. For example, the two small, informational HUD displays situated on the left and right of the driver are inspired by the Tuatara’s rear winglets and the central AC vents were inspired by the Tuatara’s twin central exhausts. The holes pattern on the top of the central console area are inspired by the hole patterns on the Tuatara’s exterior body panels and the door pulls even have their exterior counterpart in the flying buttresses from the rear sides of the car.
Design aside, the Tuatara’s interior was built for optimum information gathering. The HUD displays previously mentioned are joined by a main gauge cluster area that is in fact a glass screen is lit up by Pico projectors and is similar to a HUD (Heads Up Display). The right HUD will offer information on the current gear of the car, while the left HUD will let the driver choose the info he needs using a menu on the central command console.
A "Start" button will initiate a clockwise-motion lighting sequence on the red lights located around the start button. When all these lights turn on the engine will start. The central console features buttons located near the touch screen and help the driver to control functions like traction control, driving modes, etc.
Even the front passenger can stay well-informed in the Tuatara as SSC has included two small screens that provide him details on the current speed, RPM, or BHP.
One of the best features of the interior, however, is the seven-speed H-pattern manual gear shift designed after classic exotics. An automatic unit will also be offered in a steering column mounted seven-speed paddle shifter.
Performance
Do you really have to ask? The numbers on paper are staggering enough – even before getting to actual performance times and stats. The proposed record breaker is powered by a quad-cam, twin-turbo V8 displacing 6.8 liters. The engine, like all the other mechanical parts, are all developed in-house by SSC themselves. The new powerplant shares a lot with the old 6.2 liter item – the block and its innards are the same design, so are the dimensions and location of its 10 radiators. Changes come in the form of a four-valves-per-cylinder overhead cam (OHC) setup as opposed to push rods and new SSC spec turbochargers. The new setup is good for a colossal 1350HP and will rev to 9000RPM! Zero to 62mph will arrive in around 2.8 seconds and SSC claims a top speed of, wait for it, 275mph! The in gear acceleration figures are not known as of yet, but you can be sure they will be absolutely mind blowing. Thank goodness the new car will feature traction control, ABS with servo assistance, and Brembo carbon ceramic stoppers. We can’t even begin to imagine letting that kind of power loose on public roads without fear of being apprehended by the long arm of the law while experiencing acceleration that will rip your face off. This thing should sound the way it goes – an all turbo whoosh and snarling, angry V8.
Because it’s RWD rather than 4WD like our friend the Veyron, it’s lighter...much lighter. The Aero II weighs 1200kgs, a full 638kgs lighter than the comparatively pudgy Bugatti – and it produces more power. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the power to weight ratio is over 1000HP per tonne, putting it in the league of the Caparo T1. Where the Bugatti is luxurious, refined, and civilized to drive, the Aero II is raucous, unforgiving, and about as scary as a getting a shave from Edward Scissorhands.
Suspension remains as the same coilover setup and so does the triple plate carbon clutch. Whether it’s as good at going round corners as it is in a straight line still remains to be seen. One thing is for certain though, it will set your trousers on fire every time you use the pedal on the right.
Competition
In short, there is none other competition except for the Veyron SS and it costs $2.4 million, more than twice the price of the $970,000 Aero II. You could also buy a Koenigsegg Agera R , but the price is unconfirmed and so is the top speed. The cars should be closely pegged, but we guess it depends on personal preference and if you’re into the whole “mine’s bigger than yours” thing. Let’s hope the Aero II will not squeak, rattle, or fall apart like so many other cars made by small firms in small numbers. The first cars will be delivered to their proud new owners around the last quarter of 2011.
Only time will tell whether SSC will bring the top speed crown back to the US.
