Man seems like ever year Ford is trying to make the Shelby GT500 Mustang faster and lighter. For 2011, they have done just that. Ford has increased the horsepower up to 550 horsepower and 510 foot pounds of torque. If you're familiar with the 2010 Shelby GT500, that's a 10 horsepower increase. The 2010 Shelby GT500 made 540 horsepower and 510 foot pounds of torque. It's not a huge increase, but hey, we'll take it!

I've been looking through a ton of Ford articles to see what made the 10 horsepower increase, all I can up with is a new all aluminum block. So there must of been some big changes made in the engine, new design all together. Because remember last years model was an iron block. Makes me wonder though, will this block be able to handle more boost as the previous block. We all know that Mustang owners like to up the boost on their stock vehicles, hmmm, makes me wonder. Because we all know iron is stronger than aluminum, that's why they went with iron in the first place.

With the big choice of going to an all aluminum block, Ford managed to shave 120 pounds off the new 2011 Shelby GT500 Mustang. You wouldn't think a small number like this would matter, but it does on the track and drag strip. Ford did a test on the track with the new 2011 GT500 and it was 3 seconds faster in a lap time. Along with the changed to aluminum block, Ford added a new high tech element to their GT500 engine. It's called 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. Now maybe that's what caused the 10 horsepower increase?

Ford also achieved better mileage with the muscle car, now it gets 23 mpg on the highway and 15 mpg in the city. That's up one figure on each, the 2010 Shelby GT500 originally got 22 mpg on the highway and 14 mpg in the city. There is also new SVT performance package Ford is offering for the GT500, the package consists of Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G: 2 tires, lower ride height, and slightly stiffer suspension. You really don't need to buy this package with the car, but if you're a hardcover racer you might want to think about it.

Improvements, improvements, and improvements! So where does Ford stop, well they don't, Ford also improved the exhaust tone coming out of the best. The 2011 GT500 Mustang now has a louder exhaust, something the 2010 GT500 Mustang was missing. I mean that's one of the elements that makes a muscle car right? And guess what, this is what helped Ford achieve the additional 10 horsepower. Mainly because the new exhaust system on the 2011 GT500 Mustang flows a lot better.

Modifications like this could really help sell the muscle car for 2010, deep down in my muscle car soul I really hope it does. I would hate to see the Shelby GT500 go away, this is one of the number one muscle cars I like to see out on Woodward each weekend when our car club gets together. I really wonder which one of the members is going to be the first one to buy the car.