Ford is commemorating the 20th anniversary of SVT with the introduction of the '13 Shelby G.T. 500 convertible.
At the 1992 Chicago Auto Show, Ford officially launched its new Special Vehicle Team, better known as SVT, with the unveiling of the ’93 SVT Mustang Cobra and F150 Lightning pickup.
At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, Ford commemorated SVT’s 20th anniversary with the introduction of the ’13 Shelby G.T. 500 convertible.
The’93 Cobra wowed Mustang enthusiasts with its 235hp 5.0L V-8. The new G.T. 500 shows just how far we’ve come in two decades by boasting 650hp, the most ever for a production Mustang.
“The Shelby G.T. 500 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 can really shine on the track but still be driven on a daily basis.”
The new Shelby G.T. 500 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 ’11-’12 models. Keys to the improved lap times are the power boost from the new 5.8-liter supercharged V-8, as well as the all-new chassis tuning and SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the Performance Package.
Like each of the more than 210,000 SVT vehicles produced since 1993, the ’13 Shelby G.T. 500 was designed and developed with the four SVT attributes in mind: Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value.
“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 résumé.”