2005 Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 Concept

While there will be many wanting to opt for the new Shelby Mustang only for its styling upgrades, Ford promises it will also

Ford promises it will be the most powerful factory-built steed to ever take to the street when it arrives next year. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

be the most powerful factory-built steed to ever take to the street when it arrives next year. Boasting more than 450-horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, which will make it dramatically more capable than anything to ever rumble up to the starting line in the '60s or '70s; the new Shelby features an adaptation of the current SVT Cobra's 32-valve 5.4-litre supercharged V8.

Like the original '60s cars, the new 5.4 features a cast-iron block, but leaving these old mills in the dust are two 16-valve heads, one on each bank of cylinders, and a force-fed air-and-fuel mixture via a screw-type supercharger at 8.5 pounds per square inch of boost. The cylinder heads are aluminum, piston rings and bearings sourced from Ford's GT racing program, plus an upgraded cooling system add to the engine's potential for longevity. Finishing

The SVT team signs the camshaft covers with a "Powered by SVT" logo. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

the engine treatment off, the SVT team signs the camshaft covers with a "Powered by SVT" logo.

"This version of the 5.4-liter V-8 has a higher horsepower rating than any other factory Mustang in history," commented Jay O'Connell, SVT chief vehicle engineer. "It really delivers on the essence of two great names in Ford performance - a mix of SVT's modern-day experience with supercharging and the Shelby GT500's heritage of big-block power."

This should translate into an approximate four second sprint to 100 km/h, on paper at least, with a standing quarter mile attainable in the low 12-second range or even the high 11s. Not bad at all.