🎥 First Listen of the Legend Engined 2026 Shelby GT500 Mustang Next-Gen Successor!

[hoodscoops]

I thought that too, but it appears Ford didn’t renew their licensing to the “GT350” name, and not the “GT500” name, so this could very well be the next GT500

Both the GT350 and the GT500 names were licensed to Ford from Shelby. No license, no GT500.

Im willing to bet money that itll be the Cobra badge. Ford didnt do the retro SVT Cobra dash and the retro teal color for nothing.

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[Bikeman315]

Im willing to bet money that itll be the Cobra badge. Ford didnt do the retro SVT Cobra dash and the retro teal color for nothing.

I’d be thrilled with a new Cobra. But a Boss would be the ultimate second choice.

 

[Hemi 300C]

Considering Ford has decided not to pay Shelby for the use of their name on the S650 GT500 replacement and with Shelby American currently manufacturing their own Coyote powered Shelby GT350 and GT500. Ford will likely use their Cobra name which they already own. Like the prior year Torino and Mustang SVT Cobras. I think the S650 GT500 replacement will become the Ford Performance Cobra.

 

[kinelisch]

Its either a Boss or Cobra. Can't be a Shelby as no rights to the name anymore.

 

[Upacurb]

Id be cool with Boss or Cobra......both would be very cool

Hopefully they dont do Dark Horse Boss - thats confusing.....trying to move the brand forward and make boomers happy at the same time....would prefer they just pick one

 

[Bikeman315]

Id be cool with Boss or Cobra......both would be very cool

Hopefully they dont do Dark Horse Boss - thats confusing.....trying to move the brand forward and make boomers happy at the same time....would prefer they just pick one

Well if they give us a DHB and a Cobra I certainly wouldn't complain.

 

[Mustang Tony]

Please Ford, call it a Cobra...I regret selling my Terminator. Please, please bring it back!

No Boss or Dark Horse....I'm out.

 

[DeluxeStang]

No Boss or Dark Horse....I'm out.

What about combining some names and calling this new car the Dark Boss Horse Cobra Raptor? That name just rolls off the tongue.

 

[Zig]

What about combining some names and calling this new car the Dark Boss Horse Cobra Raptor? That name just rolls off the tongue.

Or they could do something completely different and cement it instantly into the lexicon. Darkpower boss

 

[MustangMitch69]

Ford will have to make a business decision (if they haven't already) whether to pay the licensing fee for the "GT500" name. They could easily call it the Cobra or Boss without having to pay anybody anything, and probably not give up much in sales because the name GT500 means nothing to younger people who will probably be their target demographic. I'd lean toward Boss since Cobra has to share history with the 2-seater AC or Shelby Cobras.

If it aligns with past GT500's, I expect it to be a supercharged 5.2 or 5.4 pushing 1,000 horsepower, and they'll charge $110K-$130K for it, which to the young and reckless demographic could be an attractive value proposition (horsepower per dollar) and on that metric would enter the ring with the C8's and the new chargers with V8 variants, and if mass produced could actually neuter the V8 chargers before they even make it out of the gate.

That's the GT500 route, but what I HOPE they do with the new variant is:

A new naturally aspirated V8 (with a convertible trim of course) that can be configured on Ford's website with all the bells and whistles starting at $79K and increasing with options. Ford's strength is mass production, not hand crafting, so I'm hoping they go this more affordable NA route. It would only be a matter of time until Ford performance, whipple, and the others come out with superchargers for it which could open up the floodgates for 1,000+ hp mustangs for less than $100K.

The 5.0 is iconic, but similar to GT500 the name means nothing to the younger demographic, so this new mustang variant could introduce the Coyote's longer-term successor. It might be more important for Ford to compete with the new chargers with V8's and make sure Chevy doesn't take advantage of a blind spot and bring the Camaro back, which Ford does NOT want happening.

Chevy has the C8, but quite frankly I don't know anyone under the age of 65 who wants one. For a 2-seater in that price range they'd all rather have Porsches. So Chevy could just ride the wave of the C8 without changing much and shift focus to bringing the Camaro back.

All speculation of course, although I'm just grateful they aren't going all electric or doing away with V8's all together. Ford still has balls, which can't be said for a lot of the other manufacturers these days.

 

[MidwayJ]

Chevy has the C8, but quite frankly I don't know anyone under the age of 65 who wants one. For a 2-seater in that price range they'd all rather have Porsches.

That's a little surprising because there seem to be plenty of old Corvette die hards critical of the C8 for its styling and no manual transmission. The 4 C8 owners I personally know are mid 40s, mid 50s, early 60s, and early 70s. With the 3 younger ones it's their first Vette. The oldest guy has owned every generation starting with the C5, lol.

 

[MustangMitch69]

That's a little surprising because there seem to be plenty of old Corvette die hards critical of the C8 for its styling and no manual transmission. The 4 C8 owners I personally know are mid 40s, mid 50s, early 60s, and early 70s. With the 3 younger ones it's their first Vette. The oldest guy has owned every generation starting with the C5, lol.

Yep, its a mystery to me who's buying them. Most of the people I talk to prefer the older gens. But someone is because 30k of them were sold last year. Maybe the single mid-life crisis type?

 

[MidwayJ]

Yep, its a mystery to me who's buying them. Most of the people I talk to prefer the older gens. But someone is because 30k of them were sold last year. Maybe the single mid-life crisis type?

Yes, somebody is buying them because they're all over the place where I live. The "younger" guys I know who bought C8s view them as a very good value proposition. A more "modern" car (mid engined and exotic styled) for not much more than a Dark Horse. They like Porsches but the ones they would actually want would cost a lot more than C8 Stingrays. The two youngest guys are married and consider their C8s a nice upgrade from previously owned Mustangs. The guy in his 50s might have been having a midlife crisis when he bought his Mustang a few years ago, lol.

 

[Upacurb]

I see tons of guys in their 30s driving C8s around here...used ones are dipping into the 50s now....tons for sale in the 60s

If you have never driven one, I suggest you do......they dont have the feedback of the Dark Horse.....but still a VERY fun car and the acceleration.....they definitely get out of the hole....in stop light encounters .....Mustangs going to lose that battle unless you have some serious upgrades with the traction to back it up.....

 

[AZ_Ryan]

I see a lot C8s in my area. I don't think I've ever seen a guy under 50 driving one.

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