Tested: 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible.Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll barġ6.5-in 2-pc vented disc 14.6-in 2-pc vented disc, ABSġ1.0 x 20-in 11.0 x 20-in flow-formed aluminumġ1.0 x 20-in 11. Supercharged 90-deg V-8, alum block/heads There's nothing wrong with any of this, but how about a different interior color palette, some leather panels or dash pad, and unique gauges? There are Ram trucks that feel more special inside than the GT500. The optional Technology package includes a first-rate 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and voice-activated touchscreen navigation system. That said, the configurable 12.0-inch color instrument panel is easy to read and operate, including Track Apps. The plastic dash, door panels, shift paddles, the gauges, console, and switch gear are the same as in an ordinary Mustang GT. It's such a special car, and that should've been reflected inside, as well. Yet, besides the optional and excellent Recaro front seats, and rear seat delete and carbon-fiber trim with the Track pack, you'd be hard-pressed to see any differences between a GT500's interior and that of a rental car, and that is a shame. With its gaping maw, hood pins, 6-foot square hood vent, and distinct supercharger whine, there's no mistaking the menacing GT500 for any other Mustang on the road. Kim was, indeed, trying to stay on the back of the bull, but using both hands. What typically looks like a couple laps-because he follows the same, tight line on each lap-with a clearly drawn "8" looks more like a GT500 drifting contest with a wide swath of lines coming off each skidpad. Also, looking at the map drawn by Kim's 15 or so laps in each GT500, what stands out is that each lap followed a slightly different line. In contrast, on our roughly 0.33-mile figure-eight exercise, Kim's 23.5- and 24.1-second laps show an 82-mph top speed, a 52-mph average, and the same 45-mph minimum speeds on the skidpad that Randy experienced on VIR's slowest corners. On his best 1:56.30 VIR lap, Randy reached a 166.5-mph top speed and averaged just over 101 mph over the 3.27-mile circuit. Here's the thing: Our flat, parking-lot-bound, and relatively low-speed "racetrack in a bottle" isn't really a racetrack, so the skidpad-to-skidpad dash sometimes fails to tell the whole story, especially with mega-powerful cars like these. I'll have to try that next time." So, it was down to … "Dang it," I said, "I forgot they both had Tremecs. He reminded me that doing this in the 2020 Corvette allows it to rev to an rpm of your choice in "neutral" then slamming the clutch. After the fact, MT's Scott Evans asked if I had tried pulling both paddles simultaneously and revving the engine then releasing said paddles. I tried all the tricks in my test driver's kit but one. Like I do in a Hellcat, I tried launching in second gear, but the car wouldn't allow it. I tried shutting off both launch and traction controls to see if I could select a two-pedal rpm myself, but the car only allows 1,000 rpm max under those conditions. I tried launching at something less than wide-open throttle, but then the launch control criteria were not met, and the car does a lazy street start. I tried lowering the target engine rpm, but then the car bogged. Even with traction control engaged, there's simply too much wheelspin to afford representative 0-60 or quarter-mile times.
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