AutoTopNL takes an old school ’07 Supercharged V-8 GT500 for an Autobahn blast to show us as to what exactly happens when the ponies are let loose on a de-restricted highway. Spoiler alert; Brutal.

Overview

The guys at AutoTopNL (based in the Netherlands) are ace when it comes to reviewing some truly potent machines. They have been at it for the better part of a decade and I have been binging on their content for the longest time. Why?

Well, it's because they pop over the border into neighboring Germany, where they take these mental machines to their absolute limit on the Autobahn, which as everyone knows is renowned the world over for having no speed limits. I mean what’s the point of getting your hands on an absolute beast of a machine and then being confined to 65 mph. These guys face no such problem.

The GT500 Name

Today, Max is checking out Tom’s (dutchshelbygt500) ’07 Shelby Mustang GT500. This model year was in fact the very first modern iteration of the car, that revived this once famous muscle car nameplate from the late 60s. The original GT500 was built from ’67 through 1970.

The newly revived nameplate was also offered as the GT500 KR (King of the Road) which you could get from your local Ford dealer. While you could buy the lethal Super Snake version directly from Shelby. History lesson done, let’s get back to today’s car.

The 07 GT500

Tom’s pony car has traditional Mustang traits, finished in a classic shade of white with pinstripes running down the middle. No Ford or Shelby logo here, it's just that cobra on the grill. Moving to the side, we have the car sitting on some really nice 18” SVT wheels, which Max says might have been re-sprayed at least once during its lifetime. You also have Ford performance brakes on this GT line Mustang and yet another Cobra badge and more strips. At the back, you have the Shelby name proudly sitting on the Trunk with an even bigger Cobra badge, a spoiler, a diffuser, and a pair of proper old-school pipes.

Next, it's time to take a peek under the hood. The GT500 features a 5.4-liter Supercharged V-8 engine, that produces 506 horsepower and 413-pound feet of torque. It is mated to a Tremec six-speed stick shift transmission. According to Max, the same engine was used in the Ford GT, but it featured an aluminum block and was mainly tuned for high-speed performance. The GT500 meanwhile uses an iron block and is mainly tuned in a manner that provides muscle car-like performance with that low-end grunt.

Tom has carried out some mods. First, he has installed a brand new cold air intake for more power, and some bypass valves, before the center silencer. Open this valve and the noise that this thing makes is something else. Don’t take my word for it, listen to it yourself in the video attached below.

Moving on, Max hops inside and takes a look around, and being a Ford from the 2000s, it’s just cheap plastic everywhere. But no one really bought a Mustang for the interior, it was all about one thing, the way that it drives, and on that front, the Mustang certainly delivers. While Max was never a fan of the ’07, he has grown fond of them, however, the ’09 facelift was the sweet spot for him.

He also says that it offers tremendous value. Lastly, Max fires up that V-8, which gives off a deep rumbly noise. He flicks a switch and opens the valve, and the exhaust gives an even deeper bellow. Soundcheck done, it's time to hit the Autobahn.

Schnell on the Autobahn

While on his way to the Autobahn, Max says that it takes considerable effort to drive the GT500. According to him, the clutch is very firm, and slotting the thing into gear is difficult, to the extent that he actually broke the gear knob on Tom’s car. The GT500 is tail happy with a live rear axle and all those 500 ponies directed to the back wheels. Max also manages to do some quick flybys through some underpass, as he just can’t enough of that addictive V-8 soundtrack.

Before you know it, Max has made it to the entrance ramp of the highway and the moment he gets onto the Autobahn, he mashes the gas pedal. The Mustang is now in its element with its raw power unleashed. The acceleration is savage, to say the least. The raw sound and power can be felt as Max pushes this old brute. It redlines at 6000 rpm and maxes out at 160 mph. The speedo read no more. Max had to manhandle the gearbox and the journey to 160 was so violent that the speedo cam came loose. According to him, this car can easily go past 180 mph, given the space. He swiftly exits the Autobahn, turns around, and goes back for another run. As he does, he’s baffled yet again, hanging on for dear life. While Max has driven several V-12 exotics in the past, he really has come away impressed with the V-8’s found on these muscle cars.

To Sum it Up

While Max did have to Muscle his way to eke out every ounce of performance from this brute, it was all worth it in the end. In fact, despite using a live rear axle, which was obsolete even by ’07 standards, he says that it is the very thing that adds character to the GT500’s drive and it was totally worth it in the end.

Watch Max unleash the GT500's fury on the Autobahn in the video below