Everything To Know About The Shelby GT500 Code Red

Here’s all you need to know about the astonishingly exclusive GT500 Code Red; the most powerful Shelby built to date!

Shelby is offering 30 lucky (and seemingly rich) customers the opportunity to own a twin-turbocharged Ford Mustang, dubbed the GT500 Code Red. We’ve seen some immensely powerful muscle cars in recent years, such as the Dodge Demon, although it’s clear that this Shelby takes the crown. Developed initially as one of their experimental cars, Shelby has made the decision to offer this 1,300 horsepower Ford as a production model. Here’s all the info you’re looking for.

This Twin-Turbo Shelby Isn’t The First Experimental Project From The Brand

This isn’t the first experimental project (or EXP for short) from Shelby, although what is interesting, is that the 2022 GT500 Code Red is the first time one such mode has made it into production. Prior to this, Shelby manufactured a total of 4 other EXP cars, dating back over 50 years. Here is a quick run-down of those previous models, and what made them interesting.

• 1967 Little Red – this big block Mustang was one of a kind, but sadly went missing just a few years after its manufacture. Fast-forward to 2018, and this most legendary of muscle cars was found neglected in rural Texas, but then fortunately restored to its former glory.
• 1967 Super Snake – finished in the famous white with blue stripes, this iconic Mustang looks every part a Shelby. Prior to the sale of that green car from Bullitt, this was the most expensive Mustang in history, with a 2019 auction price of $2.2 million achieved!
• 1968 Green Hornet – the sister car to Shelby’s ‘Little Red’, this EXP car also featured a much-upgraded engine from factory and is without a doubt one of the most desirable Shelby cars ever built.
• 2008 GT500 Code Red – this 5.4-liter V8 Mustang is the predecessor to the model we focus on today, with over 900 horsepower making it to the rear wheels. Sadly, it was deemed ‘too much’ for a production car back in 2008, but technological advancements mean a high-power muscle car can be easier tamed for production purposes in 2020.

Here’s How The Code Red Differs From A Standard Shelby Mustang

While the standard Shelby GT500 is a pretty formidable-looking muscle car, this Code Red car is just outright devilish to look at. Featuring so much more than a slight redesign and a few flashes of red, here’s exactly what Shelby did to transform the GT500 into a truly special car, worthy of a mind-blowing price tag (more on that below).

2022 Shelby Mustang GT500 Code Red Exterior Modifications

• Most notable is the widebody package, which provides more than just a mean stance. A wider track provides room for more rubber, and will surely have a profound effect on handling too; we can only imagine that more grip is a good thing when attempting to pilot a 1,300 horsepower Mustang!
• As such, Shelby has equipped the GT500 Code Red with wider wheels and tires; grippy Michelin’s hunker down under the arches, while the large alloy wheels allow for upgraded Shelby/Baer calipers and rotors.
• Finished off with custom badges and a light but strong carbon-fiber hood, the Code Red looks every part as special as it should.

2022 Shelby Mustang GT500 Code Red Performance Modifications

• In order to create the monstrous output, Shelby has equipped their GT500 with an inter-cooled twin-turbocharger setup – their first ever twin-turbocharged production car.
• Improved fuel management is necessary on the Code Red, so Shelby has opted for ID1300x injectors, billet fuel rails and upgraded fuel pumps. A quality fuel delivery system is essential, and ensures reliable fuel delivery, even when pushing the 5.2-liter V8 to the very limit.
• MoTec engine management systems have been selected by Shelby to guarantee everything operates as it should; really everything under the hood has been upgraded in some way!

Shelby’s Exclusive Muscle Car Produces An Absurd Amount Of Power

2022 Shelby Mustang GT500 Code Red Maximum Power Output: 1,300 Horsepower On E85 Ethanol

Whereas some sports cars are famed for their driving experience, this muscle car is all about the numbers. On regular 93 Octane fuel, the GT500 Code Red produces a hearty 1,000 horsepower, but this quickly escalates into hypercar levels of power once E85 Ethanol fuel is introduced into the mix.

2022 Shelby Mustang GT500 Code Red Performance Specs

0 to 60 MPH	Sub 3 seconds estimated
Top Speed	200 MPH+ estimated
Curb Weight	4,225 lbs estimated
Power	1,000 horsepower (93 Octane) or 1,300 horsepower (E85 Ethanol)
Torque	780 lb-ft (93 Octane) or 1,000 lb-ft (E85 Ethanol)
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive

When running on the more specialist fuel, this menacing muscle car churns out a barely believable 1,300 horsepower and roughly 1,000 lb-ft of torque. To put that into context, the standard 2022 Shelby GT500 produces ‘just’ 760 horsepower – hardly a number to be sniffed at, but the Code Red gets close to doubling this figure.

Exact figures, such as 0 to 60 MPH times and a top speed, have not been confirmed by Shelby yet, however, others have speculated about the Code Red performance, based on what we know of the regular GT500. The standard car achieves 0 to 60 MPH in 3.4 seconds, and will continue on to 180 MPH – so we can only assume a sub-3-second acceleration time, and 200 MPH plus top speed is perfectly plausible, in this 1,300 horsepower special edition.

This Limited Edition Shelby Does Not Come Cheap

As mentioned earlier, virtually everything under the hood has been upgraded or re-designed, and it’s much the same for the body and interior too. Naturally then, given the high-performance nature of these custom parts, the cost of this Code Red conversion is going to be anything but affordable. What’s more, Shelby is only producing 10 for each model year of the GT500 (so 30 in total, for 2020, 2021, and 2022), so the costs can’t even be spread over a large production run.

2022 Shelby Mustang GT500 Code Red Pricing

Model	Starting Price
2020 Shelby Mustang GT500	$73,995
Shelby Code Red Package	$224,995

As a result, the Code Red package costs a chunky $224,995 – and that doesn’t even include the base car, which carried an MSRP of $73,995. While $300k+ for a hot Mustang may seem ludicrous to some, it’s worth revisiting those other EXP cars from the top of this article; those classic models are now all multimillion-dollar cars; could this Shelby be just as shrewd an investment? When shopping around for 1,000 horsepower plus sports cars, $300k is pocket change too, so perhaps this exclusive Shelby offers value in comparison? We’ll let you be the judge of that!

Credits: Daniel Clougher / Hotcars