2008 Ford Shelby GT500 KR First Drive Review | 540Evan Klein - MotorTrend[This story originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of MotorTrend with the headline "It's Good to Be King."] You know it's different the moment you twist the key. It idles with the burble of a twin-engine Cigarette speedboat. Zing the gas, and the GT500 KR barks hard from its large, brushed stainless exhaust pipes. The roar is accompanied with a moan from the cold-air intake and a whine from the supercharger. Select first, plant your right foot, and take it through the gears. The most powerful factory Mustang ever sold bellows like a Cup car.The current GT500 is fast, sophisticated, and a MotorTrend fave. But we've always known there were sharper teeth hidden within. "Can we have less understeer, please? Not so much front-end lift at high speed? A more planted rear end is a must, and nastier intake and exhaust noises would be just ducky. And, whatever you do, don't forget the additional horsepower."Shelby and Ford's response? "We can do that."More Power, More NoiseThis year marks the 40th anniversary of the original GT500 KR ("King of the Road"), and its pieces, parts, personality, and production are a joint effort between Ford Motor and Shelby Automobiles, with the development driven by Ford's SVT engineering team and the track-bred hard-cores at Ford Racing. The digitally remastered KR will be rare (just 1,000 to be built for U.S. consumption this year), expensive ($79,995 all in), and focused on balanced performance at high levels.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat does it take to be King? The coronation process is straightforward yet comprehensive. Two significant changes are a new hood and what's beneath it. More than 100 carbon-fiber pieces make up the KR's Class A-surfaced bonnet, and it was styled to resemble that of the 1968 KR. Functional scoops at the leading edge draw cool air and send it to the open-element air filter via internal ducting mated to a sealed air box. Dual hood pins resemble the period pieces and cure the high-speed hood flutter common to current-gen Mustangs. Exhaust vents release underhood heat. The new lid weighs about 15 pounds less than the GT500's aluminum piece.Evan Klein - MotorTrendThere are no architectural changes to the standard GT500 powertrain. Instead, SVT took a route similar to that employed by aftermarket tuners to yield more protein. The engine-management system is remapped for a more aggressive timing curve, and with that comes the mandatory use of premium fuel. The hood/air-box combo makes for a cooler intake charge.A new exhaust system replaces an X-pipe with an H-pipe, uses small resonators at the back, and is capped by the Bullitt Mustang's 3.5-inch baffled exhaust tips. The result is a 40-horse bump (from a piddling 500 to 540) plus a 30-pound-foot increase in peak torque. A stouter 3.73:1 rear gear completes the package. The six-speed manual trans remains, but with a shorter-throw shifter. Don't even think of asking for a slushbox.The whole deal is quality and emissions certified and warranted by Ford, which isn't the case with those aftermarket scenarios.A Few New TricksOther bars were also raised. The chassis tuning is about 17-percent stiffer in front and about seven-percent stiffer in the rear than the GT500's, via more aggressive Ford Racing springs and Tokico shocks and struts. The ABS and traction-control system were recalibrated, the latter cutting in later to allow more oversteer (and fun) before stepping in. Ride height drops 20 mm up front and 15 in the back. No changes to the braking system were required; the 14-inch front Brembos and vented rear discs were judged adequate to cover the increased performance. There's more negative camber and zero toe, in the name of sharper steering. The rolling stock consists of handsome, forged Alcoa alloys wrapped by sticker Goodyear F1s compounded specifically for the KR.AdvertisementAdvertisementMustangs, and particularly the GT500, gather a lot of air in the frontal area, causing measurable lift at anything much over 100 mph. For the KR, the engineering team completely rebalanced the aerodynamics. A new, polished carbon-fiber front splitter looks great (and matches the carbon-trimmed exterior mirrors) and contributes to a net downforce of 50 pounds on the front axle, while reducing drag three percent. The rear wing is new, too, producing less drag and helping move the center of aerodynamic pressure forward for better stability. Combined with the lowered ride height, the result is a car that's trimmed out flatter and more neutral from an aero standpoint.Evan Klein - MotorTrendAll this happy hardware conspires to make the KR pull harder, corner better, turn-in crisper, stop shorter, grip higher, and sound positively thrilling compared with the GT500, itself a worthy starting point. Ford claims the ponies and gear change shave two tenths off the 0-to-60 time and deliver a 12.1-second, 115-mph quarter-mile run, and we don't doubt it. The increased gruntage is present throughout the powerband, but is most noticeable in the mid-range. Because there's so much torque, you don't need to downshift much. But you'll do so anyway, if only to hear the machine-gun report of the exhaust system on the overrun.Initial turn-in is much sharper, and as you rotate the car into a corner, it takes a single set, without the 500's occasional rear-suspension bobble. Steering feel was good before, better now. Improved body control and the welcome decrease in understeer more than offset the minor ride penalty; you get more than you give up here. The new tire compound grips harder, and the aero changes help keep the nose better planted through high-speed sweepers. The KR was tuned to stick with precision (SVT engineers report steady state 1.0g cornering forces), but that doesn't mean you can't switch off the traction control and tail-out it like you're chasing the D1 Drift championship. And it'll burn rubber from here to Sri Lanka.We haven't said a lot about the interior, but it's standard GT500 fare, save for Carroll Shelby's signature now embroidered into the supportive leather sport seats. HID headlights (not shown on the Canadian spec tester used in these photos) are standard.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's important to understand the project's build sequence, as it's part of what makes the KR unique. GT500s are built to a special order code at Ford's Romeo, Michigan, plant, and then shipped to Shelby Automobiles' Las Vegas assembly facility for the KR conversion. Unlike the Shelby GT, with which SVT had little involvement, and the GT500, which was engineered and is built only by Ford, the KR is a true joint effort among them. Insiders tell us there were plenty of speed bumps along the way. But the process now genuinely resembles what Shelby American did in mid-1960s and should never be categorized as a mere licensing/marketing deal.Quips? A few. Since Alcoa and Goodyear were whipping up new boots, why not make them 19-inchers? One SVT engineer told us this is the ideal size for the Mustang platform. It's too bad more weight couldn't be saved, as that investment would further improve performance and handling. The hood isn't a true ram air deal (although it does draw cold air), but that'll be addressed on the 2010 Mustang and Shelbys. With exclusivity comes expense—too much of it in this case. There was a ton of well-done work here. But a $35,000 price premium over the GT500, especially when some of the measures were needed to address issues the base model? Nav and upgraded audio still cost extra? C'mon! Look what the Nissan GT-R delivers for about the same money.Photo credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendAdvertisementAdvertisementPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendPhoto credit: Evan Klein - MotorTrendThe VerdictNo matter. Finding a GT500 KR in your garage would be like discovering a supermodel in your bathtub. The KR is a rumbling rocket to drive, a sure-fire collectible, and its looks will make you perspire. Such is the privilege of royalty.
