Ford Starts Testing Prototypes for Next Mustang Shelby GT500
- Ford has begun testing prototypes for the next Mustang Shelby GT500 on public roads around its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
- The prototypes are based on the Mustang Dark Horse but wear reworked front ends with additional cooling and the same wheels as the previous GT500.
- Last month, a leaked document reportedly stated that the GT500 will arrive in 2026 and will pack a new engine called “Legend.”
When Ford launched the seventh-generation Mustang for the 2024 model year, the automaker also introduced a new name for the muscle car’s high-performance trim. Instead of calling it the Shelby GT350 as with the previous Mustang, the more potent V-8 powertrain carried the Dark Horse moniker. But don’t worry; the Shelby name is still set to return, and our spy photographers have caught Ford testing prototypes for the next Shelby GT500 around the company’s Dearborn, Michigan, headquarters.
Our spy photographers snapped pictures of several different Mustang test mules. The prototypes’ sheetmetal is mostly identical to the Dark Horse, but there are a few small differences, hinting that these are even more powerful Mustangs. The clearest change is the front end, which sports reworked bumpers featuring larger air intakes and big radiators on clear display. The test mules also have slightly reshaped front wheel arches, which appear to account for wider front tires. The rear end, aft of the B-pillar, also wears a camouflage wrap, although it’s unclear what exactly this is masking.
The other visible change is the wheels. The prototypes were spotted rolling on either the previous GT500’s standard wheel set or the optional 20-inch carbon-fiber wheels that were included in the GT500’s $18,500 Carbon Fiber Track package. While the carbon wheels were shod in the same Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires that came with the Track pack on the previous generation, the standard wheels wore Pirelli P Zero R tires instead of the old GT500’s Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. The Dark Horse, for context, wears Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires.
The prototypes otherwise looked like standard Dark Horse models, but the final production version of the new GT500 could also feature a fresh grille design, a restyled hood, and a unique aerodynamic package. One fun note with these prototypes is the sticker Ford engineers applied to the front fenders, identifying these as test mules with a cartoon depiction of a mule kicking its hind legs.
The sighting of these prototypes follows a rumor from last month, based on what was reportedly a leaked United Auto Workers internal memo, that was posted to Reddit and later deleted. The document stated that the Dearborn Engine Plant would be adding a new shift to produce engines for the 2026 Shelby GT500, and it referred to the engine by the name “Legend.”
The previous GT500’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 produced 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque, and we expect the new GT500 will at least meet those benchmarks.
