It's been a long time coming for fans of Ford's ultimate Mustang. The Shelby GT500 didn't transition to the new body style in 2015, handing the reins to the less-powerful GT350 which isn't exactly a slouch itself. The GT500 should officially debut in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but if this post from sinister_lifestyle on Instagram is legit, you're looking at it right freaking now.
We don't have any backstory on how this particular Instagram user came upon the car, but it's not exactly hiding under a tarp. If it's not an elaborate photoshop job, clearly there's a presentation going on somewhere that the average joe or us media types aren't a part of. Our first guess would be a dealer event, but that's not really important at this stage. What is important is that, based on the plethora of spy photos and official Ford teaser images we've seen, this sure seems like the real deal. And there will be absolutely no mistaking it for a GT350.
Here's what we do know about the forthcoming GT500, along with some rumors. Ford has promised over 700 horsepower (522 kilowatts) with availability in 2019. Subsequent rumors say the car will make 720hp (537 kW) at a mind-buzzing 7,500 RPM from a supercharged version of the 5.2-liter V8 in the GT350. That number – allegedly leaked with a series of specs to Mustang6G.com – seems a bit low considering what the competition is doing. Some of the other numbers from that leak like a curb weight of 4,225 pounds don't add up either. That would be a substantial weight gain from the GT350. We're rolling the dice on a GT500 that's a little lighter with 750hp (559 kW) or more under the hood.
The good news is we at least won't have too long to wait. The Detroit Auto Show is just over two months away, but in the meantime, we suggest screenshotting this Instagram post. It may not stay up very long.
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