Now that the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R has brought the V8 firepower back to the dune runner following a generation-long hiatus, we can’t help but feel there’s another Ford Performance product that could benefit from the addition of the Mustang Shelby GT500’s supercharged V8. That would be the GT supercar, of course, with this digital proposal restoring its eight-cylinder fury under the Ford GT 500 banner.
Along with the extra pair of cylinders and the blower, the GT 500 also borrows the muscle car’s front fascia and carbon fiber wheels. Of course, the latter are here just to make a point, since the supercar, which uses carbon for its body, can be had with wheels made of the wonder material. And we’ll thank graphic designer Jim (aka jlord8) for the rendering portraying the machine.
As for what that point may be, the fact that production of the second-gen GT is ending this year, with no updates in sight, doesn’t mean enthusiasts have forgotten the dream of a V8 special.
Why the Gen II Ford GT is a V6 affair
Describing the feelings we got when Ford Performance unleashed its full might back at the 2015 NAIAS show is complicated. Sure, the Mustang Shelby GT350 was a brilliant production model, while the F-150 Raptor and GT concepts previewing the second-generation showroom models were also a blast. But while the muscle car kept its V8, the super-truck and the supercar ditched that configuration in favor of a twin-turbo V6.
Back then, carmakers around the world were still working on the large-scale electrification plans that are currently used to deal with the ever-stricter emission legislation. As such, downsizing was the name of the game and this is precisely what the 3.5L EcoBoost V6-animated Gen II Ford GT does.
Now, I’ve had the pleasure of sampling the driving experience of the current Ford GT. It happened on the tight, short circuit hosted by British motorsport engineering company M-Sport. And while the Blue Oval machine might not be the quickest, the most menacing, or the most tech-laden supercar out there, its race car-like feel certainly sets the thing apart from its competitors.
The formula of the machine is also proven by its racing laurels. Sure, the victory it achieved over Ferrari back in 2016 at Le Mans wasn’t as important as the 1960s feat of its GT40 ancestor, but it still matters, especially given the said close resemblance between the motorsport version and the road car.
Even so, the brute force and torquey feeling of the Shelby GT500’s supercharged 5.2L V8 would only add to the experience—the motor makes 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet in the muscle car, while power goes slightly down and torque is a bit increased for the Raptor R special.
A V8-powered Ford GT? Not even a swap seems possible
However, it doesn’t seem too likely for the Blue Oval—or anybody else—to offer the world a V8 GT. You see, when transitioning from the Gen I of the 2000s to the current GT, the carmaker moved the vehicle upmarket and capped production to just 1,350 units. The changes were worth it, turning the GT into a financial success for both its maker and the first owners whom the company so carefully selected. Heck, if you check out the used car market, you’ll find that second-gen GTs now trade hands for over $1M.
Hoping for an aftermarket V8 swap for the GT? Well, John Hennessey, founder of the namesake American performance vehicle manufacturer (here’s their supercharged Mustang Mach 1) and a GT owner himself, says there’s no room for such an engine in American supercar. So we’ll probably have to stick with the pixel route for this one…
