Being an American icon isn’t easy, but improving on one sure is much harder. As we near the close of the true American muscle era and boisterous V8s are being swapped out, Mustangs are no longer immune to the changes that this new era presides over. The new generation Mustang gets revealed in a little under a month and will change the nameplate forever but in the meantime Shelby America is doing what Carroll Shelby would’ve wanted.
In a strange twist of events Shelby has decided to ditch the supercharger and opt for a twin-turbo setup. Named the CODE RED, this new setup is the first twin turbocharged example that has ever come out of a Shelby factory and is good for an incredible 1,300 horsepower and 780 ft-lbs of torque. That’s 540 horsepower and 155 ft-lbs better than the relatively mild normal GT500. Shelby says the consumer demand from a 2008 CODE RED prototype and the want for a twin-turbo setup compelled them to make such a wild animal, and will offer the CODE RED in a limited quantity at 10 units per model year.
The CODE RED is the first experimental car to make it past the prototype phase in Shelby’s history. Other experimental cars include the Super Snake, Green Hornet, and the Little Red. Unlike those that came before it though, the CODE RED had multiple upgrades to get it past the twilight zone of vehicle production. Suspension upgrades, a widebody kit, axles, and a carbon fiber kit make this one of the most drag strip ready Mustangs yet.
The interesting part is that Shelby tells you exactly what this car is meant for. The drag strip, not the track. Shelby says that the CODE RED can take turns at moderate speeds but letting the turbos spool up and letting them eat in a straight line is what this car is meant to be. This special GT500 was built in collaboration with Fathouse Performance to give the CODE RED a new transmission, a revamped engine management system, and a tried and true fuel system.
Shelby says they’ve spent countless hours testing it, perfecting and tuning it to Shelby’s very own standards. And while the CODE RED will not be street legal, it will be expensive. Starting at $209,995, the CODE RED certainly doesn’t come cheap and your wallet will be yelling CODE RED.
