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2011 Ford Shelby GT500 goes
lightweight with
Aluminum Engine, offers Ultimate in Handling
-
With 550 horsepower and 510 ft.-lb.
of torque, Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) delivers the new Shelby
GT500® with a 10 horsepower increase; an all-new 5.4-liter
all-aluminum engine is 102 pounds lighter than the previous
cast-iron engine and uses Ford-patented plasma-coating technology
-
For 2011, Shelby GT500 offers
EPA-projected improved fuel economy in city and highway from 2010,
eliminating the gas guzzler tax
-
The addition of Electric Power Assist
Steering (EPAS), a new optional SVT Performance Package, enhanced
convertible rigidity and a lowered ride height contribute to
improved driving dynamics and handling
DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 8, 2010 – Ford’s Special
Vehicle Team (SVT) engineers are taking high performance to a new
level with the 2011 Ford Shelby GT500, resulting in a car that has
an all-new aluminum-block engine, even better driving dynamics and
handling, improved fuel economy and more horsepower than ever.
“The SVT team continues to push the performance standards of the
Shelby to even higher levels and better refinement,” said Jost
Capito, director of global performance vehicles and motorsports
business development. “All the changes we made reflect a desire for
even better handling and outstanding driving dynamics – from weight
savings to improved balance.”
Weight savings, new technology headline
all-new aluminum engine
The 2011 Shelby GT500 is powered by an all-new aluminum-block
5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine, which produces 550 horsepower and
510 ft.-lb. of torque, a 10 horsepower increase versus the 2010
model. The engine also is 102 pounds lighter than its predecessor,
delivering a better power-to-weight ratio, improved fuel economy,
acceleration, handling and steering precision.
“Cutting weight to improve performance is a tradition among hot
rodders,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby American. “It might
not be as sexy as adding more horsepower or bigger brakes, but
shaving pounds off of a car is the single smartest move you can
make.”
The new engine uses state-of-the-art Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA)
liner coating, a process that applies a 150-micron composite coating
that contains nanoparticles on the internal surfaces of engine
cylinder bores, replacing cast-iron liners typically used in
aluminum engine blocks. The Intellectual Property Owners Education
Foundation honored the inventors of the Ford-patented PTWA
technology with the 2009 National Inventor of the Year Award.
This is the first Ford application of the technology, and it offers
improved overall performance and durability, along with functional
benefits of reduced friction between piston rings and cylinder
bores, improved heat transfer due to increased surface contact area
and a weight savings of 8.5 pounds compared to a typical
steel-sleeved aluminum block. A mechanical roughening process
provides higher material adhesion for the spray coating.
The PTWA process uses air and electricity to create a plasma jet of
35,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which melts a steel wire that is fed into
a rotating spray gun. Using atomized air, the melted steel wire is
blown into a specially machined surface of the aluminum-block engine
cylinder bore. In the process of melting and applying the metal to
the surface, the steel wire oxidizes, creating a composite coating
consisting of both iron and iron oxide.
“Ford’s Global Research and Advanced Engineering looks to all
industries for advanced technologies – and this comes from
aerospace. It’s the same technology you would find on aircraft
engines,” said Glenn Jorgensen, SVT powertrain team leader. “We’ve
invented a coating as a replacement for cast iron that delivers
improvements in power and performance and fuel economy.”
The new engine also has its roots in the iconic Ford GT. The new
5.4-liter engine is an evolution of the GT engine, with improved
block structure through the use of a unique bulkhead chilled process
and six-bolt billet main bearing caps. This new advanced engine will
exceed Ford GT performance with its traditional supercharger
technology.
“The Ford GT has solidified itself as one of the world’s most
coveted supercars. To make improvements to the engine from this
supercar and make it available in a Mustang is impressive,” said
Kerry Baldori, SVT global performance vehicle chief functional
engineer. “The aluminum-block engine is robust and strong enough to
produce the performance numbers and durability our customers
demand.”
Increased power and increased fuel economy
The 2011 Shelby GT500 combines power and fuel economy into one
impressive package. This 2011 Shelby GT500 will be the first modern
Shelby without the gas guzzler tax, thanks to the EPA-projected 23
mpg highway and 15 mpg city it will deliver. This is up from 22 mpg
highway and 14 mpg city for the 2010 model.
The 5.4-liter V-8 achieves 80 percent of its torque between 1,750
and 6,250 rpm, giving the car a higher level of performance feel. A
larger two-row intercooler for the supercharger system has 40
percent more cooling capacity, helping to make power more consistent
in higher ambient conditions.
Fuel economy gains come from the new 102-pound-lighter
aluminum-block engine, EPAS and detailed aerodynamic changes to the
underside of the vehicle.
Dramatic performance upgrades
New for 2011 is an SVT Performance Package for enthusiasts who want
even more performance out of their Shelby GT500 for racetrack-ready
driving dynamics. Complete with all-new Goodyear Eagle® F1 SuperCar
G: 2 tires that SVT engineers worked directly with Goodyear to
develop, the car is ready to race. The tires offer superb dry
traction and precise handling, complete with a race-inspired
high-performance tread compound.
The optional package also offers unique styling, lighter wheels, a
higher rear axle ratio and stiffer springs, and it is available on
both the convertible and coupe. Data show the 2011 coupe with the
SVT Performance Package is 3.0 seconds faster per lap than the 2010
Shelby GT500 on a 2.3-mile test track.
Carried over from 2010, the 2011 Shelby GT500 features AdvanceTrac®,
Ford’s stability control system with several options for
performance. Calibration of the system for the 2011 Shelby has been
uniquely tailored to each vehicle configuration (base or optional)
to optimize the performance.
SVT has worked very hard to make EPAS better than the outgoing
hydraulic steering system. The addition of EPAS makes for a dramatic
contribution to Shelby GT500 driving dynamics, with improved torque
build-up and road feel that delivers quicker and more precise
steering, increased effort on the racetrack or winding roads, and
reduced effort in low-speed parking maneuvers.
Slotted brake dust shields were added to improve brake cooling and
handling, and a new pedal box improves clutch and pedal efforts even
more. A lowered ride height of 11 millimeters in front and 8
millimeters at the rear provides a sportier attitude and improved
handling.
More engine sound, less road noise
For 2011, Shelby GT500 also benefits from NVH (noise, vibration and
harshness) improvements. Overall road noise is reduced by 20 percent
versus the 2010 Shelby. Actions undertaken to achieve this
improvement include additional sound-deadening material on either
side of the instrument panel, additional sound absorption behind
interior trim panels, and a rear wheel arch liner to reduce noise on
gravel or wet surfaces – all resulting in the driver hearing more
exhaust and engine sound and less road and air noise.
The Shelby GT500 convertible model features enhanced structural
rigidity, with lateral stiffness improved by 12 percent versus the
2010 model. The V-brace has been stiffened by adding gussets. The
secondary crossmember also has been stiffened, while a front Z-brace
has been added, connecting primary and secondary crossmembers.
A-pillar stiffening foam has been added to increase rigidity.
The structural improvements to the convertible gave SVT the
opportunity to be more sport-oriented in the chassis tuning, without
trading comfort. Along with the chassis and structural improvements,
the 2011 model also will get standard 19-inch aluminum wheels.
“One of the biggest changes for this Shelby is that the convertible
acts and feels like a coupe,” said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief
nameplate engineer. “Before, they had a very different character,
and the convertible is taking a big step in the sportiness and
handling precision area, without degrading the ride.”
GT500 gets a new exhaust for 2011, roaring with an even more
aggressive sound than the 2010 model. The 2.75-inch exhaust with
all-new tuning helped to deliver the additional 10 horsepower.
Added convenience content
New for 2011 is an optional glass roof, providing customers with a
less expensive option than a convertible and without compromising
the coupe’s versatility, headroom or climate-controlled environment.
The specially formulated glass also protects interior fabric
material from solar radiation deterioration and discoloration by
reducing solar light transmittance. To help improve acoustics and
interior quietness, the glass features a layer of vinyl that reduces
noise, vibration and harshness.
Other new convenience technologies include:
-
Standard HID (high-intensity discharge)
headlamps
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MyKey™ programmable vehicle key
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Integrated spotter mirror
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Fold-down rear headrests
“Whether you’re looking to take the GT500 out
on the streets or have some fun at the track,” Capito says, “this
car will satisfy the most discriminating performance driving
enthusiasts.”
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