Ford has already backed up their claim that they 2013 Shelby GT500 can surpass the 200 mph mark by reaching 202 mph during pre-production testing at the Nardo Ring in Italy last summer. They guys over at Motor Trend wanted to see the high performance of the 2013 GT500 for themselves, though, and decided to do their own top speed test in a quest for the double century mark. Enlisting the help of professional driver Randy Pobst, the Motor Trend crew drove the new Shelby out to the five mile oval track at Chrysler’s Arizona Proving Grounds – one of the few places in the United States that a car can reach speeds of 200 mph.
So how fast did the 2013 GT500 go? Unfortunately Motor Trend could only push the Shelby to a top speed of 196 mph after two days of testing. Regardless, both Pobst and Motor Trend believe that the car can achieve 200 mph given the right circumstances. “At this point, I think it’s just a matter of a longer straightaway or lower elevation,” Pobst said post-test. After looking over the data Motor Trend’s Kim Reynolds agreed, saying it “seems certain it would’ve [reached 200 mph] at a lower elevation with denser air — despite the greater air resistance.”
Want to see more from Motor Trend’s top speed test of the 2013 Shelby GT500? Head over to their web site to read the full article, or check out the video and photos from the test below.
