Skip to main content

850hp 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake hammers a 10.66 at the strip – for a price

Shelby GT500 Super Snake
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When Ford released the 662-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT500, Shelby American wasn’t content.

So on its own, the legendary aftermarket tuner went back to the design board – and upped the power to 850 horses.

Recommended Videos

Shelby recently sent an “independent test driver” down to Brandenton Motorsports Park in Brandenton, Florida to put the 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake to the test at the drag strip. Amazingly, the driver was able to make a quarter-mile run in 10.66 seconds, hitting 137 miles-per-hour.

Even more impressive? He did it all with pump gas and street tires.

Shelby brags that the Super Snake is “more than just raw power and ridged track performance. Owners can drive this car every day with its docile and comfortable ride in normal traffic situations.” We drove the standard Ford Shelby GT500 and if the Super Snake is anything like it, the good folks at Shelby aren’t just blowing smoke.

But what will an extra 188 horsepower cost you over the stock $54,650 GT500 from your local Ford dealer? Why, just an extra $39,995 is all.

At just shy of $100,000, the Shelby Super Snake is surely best suited for someone with a big checkbook and who also doesn’t know that the Nissan GT-R exists, which will do the quarter-mile in 10.8 seconds and for less money.

Only 500 of the Super Snakes will be built at Shelby American in Las Vegas, so it’s sure to be a classic in 30 years time. While we love calculating cars like the Nissan GT-R, there’s something to be said about the bullheadedness of a true American pony car like the Super Snake.

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
Tesla and Elon Musk sued over use of AI image at Cybercab event
tesla and spacex CEO elon musk stylized image

Tesla’s recent We, Robot presentation has run into trouble, with one of the production companies behind Blade Runner 2049 suing Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for alleged copyright infringement.

Tesla used the glitzy October 10 event to unveil its Cybercab and Robovan, and also to showcase the latest version of its Optimus humanoid robot.

Read more
Qualcomm wants to power your next car with the Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite platforms
Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Ride Elite automotive platforms

It’s been a big year for Qualcomm. Alongside its massive launch into laptop chips through the Snapdragon X Elite series, Qualcomm is now entering the automotive space. The company has announced the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which it flew me out to attend.

The two platforms are designed for different purposes, and can be used togetheror separately. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is built for in-vehicle infotainment systems and services, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite is built to power autonomous vehicle systems, including all the cameras and sensors that go into those systems.

Read more
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra forge a new path for EVs
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra.

Electric vehicles are inseparable from newness, whether it’s new tech, new designs, or new companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla. But the Volkswagen Group’s new EV-only brand also relies heavily on the past.

Unveiled Thursday, the Scout Traveler electric SUV and Scout Terra electric pickup truck are modern interpretations of the classic International Harvester Scout. Manufactured from 1961 to 1980, the original Scout helped popularize the idea of the rugged, off-road-capable utility vehicle, setting the stage for modern SUVs.

Read more