9.2.12
Wheelsology
The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago
Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150
Lightning. Now Ford returns to Chicago to celebrate its past and look to the
future with the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible.
“The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer
that the coupe is,” said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief
engineer. “All of the significant changes we made in the program were
instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track
but can still be driven on a daily basis.”
The 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible with the optional
Performance Package is faster around a track than the outgoing model. The new
convertible shaved nearly 3.5 seconds off its lap time at Sebring International
Raceway compared to the 2011 and 2012 models.
Keys to the improved lap times are the power boost from
the new 5.8-litre supercharged V8 producing 650 hp, as well as the
SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the
Performance Package and the all-new chassis tuning.
Accessed on the dash with a simple push of a button,
normal mode gives customers a more comfortable ride over road irregularities.
Sport mode is all about performance, delivering improved response time on the
track and less body roll while cornering with reduced pitch under braking. The
upgraded dampers allowed SVT engineers to tune the convertible more
aggressively for the track, while still being able to maintain desirable
on-road manners.
A new Brembo brake system also is a key enabler in
boosting the performance of the convertible. The new brakes offer drivers
enhanced stopping power to help keep their car under control, while new
six-piston callipers in front along with larger front and rear rotors further
improve braking performance. More aggressive brake pads also help the car
achieve high deceleration and further robustness for more driver confidence.
20 years of high-performance innovation
Each of the more than 210,000 SVT vehicles produced since
1993 has been designed and developed with the four SVT attributes in mind:
Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value. These hallmarks still guide the
brand’s vehicle development.
“In the past 20 years, SVT has engineered world-class
mid-engine supercars, front-wheel-drive performance cars, rear-wheel-drive
muscle cars and high-performance on-road and off-road pickup trucks,” said
Jamal Hameedi, SVT Chief Engineer. “There is no other performance house in the
world that can match that diverse resume.”
Since 1993 more than seven different SVT vehicles have
been produced, including several versions of the Cobra and Shelby GT500, the
F-150 Lightning performance pickup and F-150 SVT Raptor, the SVT Contour sports
sedan, plus both three- and five-door versions of the SVT Focus. Special SVT
Mustang Cobra R models were made in 1993, 1995 and 2000.
SVT has joined with Team RS in Europe to form the
Performance Vehicles Group to devise a strategy for all future global
performance Ford cars. The resulting Focus ST is Ford’s first truly global
performance car, giving drivers around the world the opportunity to share the
exhilarating performance, excellent handling, addictive sound and sporty design
Ford’s ST badge represents. The Ford Fiesta ST Concept also signals the next
step in Ford’s global performance vehicle strategy and hints at how a future
Fiesta ST model might look when it joins the Focus ST in the global small car
portfolio.
2013 Ford Shelby GT500
The ultimate Ford Mustang – Shelby GT500 – raises the bar
high on performance by delivering 650 hp and a track-tested top speed
of more than 200 mph. The 5.8-litre supercharged V8 aluminum-block engine
produces 650 hp and 600 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful
production V8 in the world.
Nearly every part of the powertrain has been optimised
for producing the additional horsepower, including a new supercharger, new
cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon fibre
driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle.
And nearly every gear on the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 has
been revised to manage the torque and use more of the power in a way that makes
it more driver-friendly.
The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 will be built at AutoAlliance
International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.
Posted in: Chicago Auto Show 2012,Convertible,Ford,New Launch
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