Strange Mustang Prototype Spied Near Dearborn, Could Be Test Mule For New GT500

For 2019, the Ford Motor Company is poised to duke it out with the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 by introducing a brand new Shelby GT500. The ultimate expression of the S550 Mustang, the finer details about the GT500 are debatable even in this day and age.

Spy photos didn’t help with giving clues as to what to expect, although a low-resolution spy video did confirm a thumpin’ great V8 hiding under the hood. On this occasion, Mustang 6G got its hands on a high-res video of a camo’d prototype the enthusiast forum refers to as the GT500.

Described as an M1 build due to the pre-facelift body shell and exterior elements, the clip offers two clues about what’s propelling the big bad ‘Stang. Other than the fact it’s a V8, the sound the test mule produces under acceleration doesn’t feature a turbo note or a supercharger whine.

The hubbub coming out of the exhaust, meanwhile, isn’t that of the 5.0-liter Coyote V8. It’s the 5.2-liter Voodoo V8, though it sounds rougher and more bellowing than in the case of the Shelby GT350. This, in turn, led some people to believe that this might be the cross-plane crank variant of the Voodoo. The configuration is currently used by the Mustang GT4 racing car that competes in the 2017 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.

The truth of the matter is, the rumor mill is also considering the possibility of Ford shoehorning a 7.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 in the engine bay. As a conclusion to Ford Motor Company’s game of “guess what’s hiding under the hood,” it is worth remembering that the Romeo Engine Plant has confirmed that production of the 5.2L Voodoo V8 will continue, “with upgrade.”