<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/" rel="tag">Coupe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/" rel="tag">Performance</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/reviews/" rel="tag">Reviews</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/"><img hspace="0" border="1" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/01shelbygt500review2010opt.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>2010 Ford Shelby GT500 - Click above for a high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
We know what you're thinking. Isn't it a little late to be reviewing the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/shelby+gt500">2010 Shelby GT500</a>? After all, Ford introduced the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/08/2011-ford-shelby-gt500-finally-gets-aluminum-engine-loses-120-p/">2011 version</a> with the new aluminum block at last month's <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/chicago-auto-show/">Chicago Auto Show</a>. It's not that we didn't want to get our hands on the 2010 GT500 before now. In fact, we were champing at the bit to review one a few days after our <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/06/first-drive-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-part-1-living-on-the-liv/">First Drive</a>, but apparently the universe didn't want us to have one until now.<br />
<br />
Last summer, a few issues delayed our chance at driving Ford's hottest 'Stang, beginning with Ford running out of tires for the GT500s in the press fleet (we can't imagine why). When Fall rolled around, the transmission in our tester was damaged the week before we were scheduled to take delivery. We were ready to give up hope when the call came in that it would be available in March. Better late than never, right? Besides, who's going to turn down a week with a 540-horsepower muscle car? Al Gore? Definitely not us.<br />
<br />
To be honest, our expectations couldn't have been higher. Our last encounter with the 2010 GT500 at Infineon Raceway allowed us to let loose on the 1/4-mile drag strip and smooth pavement of the road course, the perfect playgrounds for a high-horsepower Mustang laden with its infamous solid rear axle. It was essentially on par with the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/first-drive-2008-shelby-gt500kr-part-1/">$80,000 GT500KR</a>, but cost $30,000 less and came without Shelby's <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/05/report-shelby-sued-over-non-payment-of-gt500kr/">controversial carbon fiber hood</a>, which we could do without anyway. After a day's worth of fruitful flogging, we were ready to sign the check. But would the GT500 be a less likable character off-track? Could a 540-horsepower Mustang suit our daily requirements of equal parts grocery-getting and canyon-carving? Read on to find out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/">Review: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/01shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/02shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/03shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/04shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/05shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
<em><strong><small>Photos by <a href="http://www.drewphillipsphotography.com/">Drew Phillips</a> / </small></strong></em><em><strong><small>Copyright (C)2010</small></strong></em><em><strong><small> Weblogs, Inc.</small></strong></em><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Review: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 is the best car we'd never buy</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/">Review: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 is the best car we'd never buy</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19409852/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>2010 Ford Shelby GT500 - Click above for a high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
We know what you're thinking. Isn't it a little late to be reviewing the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/shelby+gt500">2010 Shelby GT500</a>? After all, Ford introduced the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/08/2011-ford-shelby-gt500-finally-gets-aluminum-engine-loses-120-p/">2011 version</a> with the new aluminum block at last month's <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/chicago-auto-show/">Chicago Auto Show</a>. It's not that we didn't want to get our hands on the 2010 GT500 before now. In fact, we were champing at the bit to review one a few days after our <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/06/first-drive-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-part-1-living-on-the-liv/">First Drive</a>, but apparently the universe didn't want us to have one until now.<br />
<br />
Last summer, a few issues delayed our chance at driving Ford's hottest 'Stang, beginning with Ford running out of tires for the GT500s in the press fleet (we can't imagine why). When Fall rolled around, the transmission in our tester was damaged the week before we were scheduled to take delivery. We were ready to give up hope when the call came in that it would be available in March. Better late than never, right? Besides, who's going to turn down a week with a 540-horsepower muscle car? Al Gore? Definitely not us.<br />
<br />
To be honest, our expectations couldn't have been higher. Our last encounter with the 2010 GT500 at Infineon Raceway allowed us to let loose on the 1/4-mile drag strip and smooth pavement of the road course, the perfect playgrounds for a high-horsepower Mustang laden with its infamous solid rear axle. It was essentially on par with the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/first-drive-2008-shelby-gt500kr-part-1/">$80,000 GT500KR</a>, but cost $30,000 less and came without Shelby's <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/05/report-shelby-sued-over-non-payment-of-gt500kr/">controversial carbon fiber hood</a>, which we could do without anyway. After a day's worth of fruitful flogging, we were ready to sign the check. But would the GT500 be a less likable character off-track? Could a 540-horsepower Mustang suit our daily requirements of equal parts grocery-getting and canyon-carving? Read on to find out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/">Review: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/01shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/02shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/03shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/04shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-ford-shelby-gt500-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/05shelbygt500review2010_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
<em><strong><small>Photos by <a href="http://www.drewphillipsphotography.com/">Drew Phillips</a> / </small></strong></em><em><strong><small>Copyright (C)2010</small></strong></em><em><strong><small> Weblogs, Inc.</small></strong></em><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Review: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 is the best car we'd never buy</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/">Review: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 is the best car we'd never buy</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19409852/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/24/review-2010-ford-shelby-gt500-is-the-best-car-wed-never-buy/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...