Like a child anticipating Christmas morning, I awaited with hope and trepidation to sit, much less drive, the Ford Shelby GT500.  This is certainly one of those cars I’d wish to get my hands on before I die, and it was scheduled to arrive on fine Sunday morning.  But I’ve had the hotly anticipated car pulled under my nose more than once due to schedule changes and so forth, so I made offerings to whatever gods I could find on the Internet and waited for the day.  Apparently my karma was in good shape, as a bright red-and-white Shelby GT500 greeted me that day.

This is, by far, the most powerful car I’ve ever come across with.  The Shelby GT500 is not only a frightening potent car (the 500 horsepower from its supercharged V8 was enough to whiten my knuckles even on legal roads), it also is a bookend to a generation of muscle cars starting with its namesake, the GT500 that made its debut 40 years ago.

Sporting the signature Le Mans stripes down the center of its body and a rash of ‘SVT’ logos denoting its heritage in Ford’s Special Vehicle Team, the test car arrived to much fanfare.  Despite the obvious DNA, the 2007 incarnation of the GT500 does not want to be known as a Mustang: nowhere on its body is there any reference to Ford’s iconic pony car.  Neither is it classified as a Cobra, despite the presence of plenty Shelby-inspired Cobra logos on its steering wheel, seats and exterior panels.  All the same, after some time driving it, I can confirm without reservation that this car is definitely some kind off wild animal.

My usual test drive starts out by playing with the interior toys.  With the Shelby GT500, the choices are somewhat limited.  The cabin’s technology is limited to its 500-watt Shaker 500 stereo system and a couple of instrument cluster gimmicks.  The other feature, and surely the main attraction, of the Shelby is its engine: 500 horsepower from a 5.4-liter V8 whose four-valve per cylinder block came straight from the Ford GT.  And that’s not all, nestled between the cylinder heads is a Roots-type Eaton supercharger.

Those looking for a comfort and luxury in a sports car may want to turn away, as the interior of the Shelby is a mobile version of old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.  Aside from the prominent Cobra logo on the center of the steering wheel, the view from the driver’s seat is a dreary one.  A sea of dull black-and-gray plastics surround the occupants on all sides, the most noteworthy features being the two gaping cup holders and a large black plastic parking brake on the center console.  The center stack is hardly more inspiring: indifferently fitted gray panels do a poor job of representing carbon fiber and the black plastic stereo head unit with its single line LCD is a relic of the pre-digital age.  Bulky black plastic surrounds for the speakers complete the Spartan interior ensemble. 

Despite the primitive appointments, the cabin does offer some nifty features.  The Shaker 500 stereo is more sophisticated than its 1980s appearance suggests.  It features a 6-disc in-dash changer with the ability to play MP3 discs as well as an auxiliary audio input jack.  Similar to the stereo found in other Fords, the Shelby’s stereo enables the driver to choose between folder and track modes when playing digital tracks.

If a Ford Mustang wasn't attention grabbing enough, try adding a dose of racing stripes, a bulbous hood and wide 18-inch tires.

All the pony identifications are removed from the Shelby GT500. In its place are the markings of 'SVT' (Ford's Special Vehicles Team) and Shelby's famed Cobra logo.