Footage of a development mule for the 2018 Shelby Mustang GT500 has found its way online, giving us a first taste of the upcoming tire slayer.

The car in the video, uploaded by the guys over at Mustang6g, was spotted near Ford’s Dearborn development grounds and as you can see has a covered front end to hide not only the GT500’s differences from lesser models, but also the scheduled facelift of the whole range which is set to bring things like redesigned headlights.

The rest of the car looks pretty much standard GT350 but a windshield sticker reading "TT-0081" is probably revealing what’s underneath the bonnet. The same TT initials can be found on some Raptor pickup trucks and they are using a twin-turbo engine.

In the case of the GT500, Ford is probably going to install a biturbo V8 engine to offer unprecedented levels of performance. Although he didn’t capture it on video, the uploader claims that the prototype did sound like a proper angry turbocharged V8.

The company needs a good answer to Chevrolet’s 650hp Camaro ZL1 and Dodge’s 707hp Hellcat and the new GT500 is expected to be exactly that.

The special 2016 Ford Mustang HPE800 created by Hennessey Performance to celebrate its 25th anniversary is currently up for sale from $105,000 on eBay.

No bids have been placed and at the time of writing, just over four days are left on the sale. Considering the Buy It Now price is an identical $105k to the starting bid, it wouldn't make any sense for prospective buyers to place bids.

As the name of the upgraded Mustang suggests, it has been tuned to deliver a 800 hp (804 to be precise) and delivers 648 lb-ft of ferocious twisting power. To achieve those power gains, the muscle car's 5.0-liter V8 engine has been complemented with a 2.9-liter supercharger, a carbon fiber high-flow air induction system, an axle-back exhaust system and an upgraded fuel pump system.

All told, Hennessey claims this brute can monster the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in just 3.1 seconds, demolish the quarter mile in 10.7 seconds at 133 mph (214 km/h) and power through to a supercar-rivalling 207.9 mph (334 km/h) top speed.

Inspired by both the Shelby GT and GT-H programs, the new GTE is meant to offer fans increased performance at an affordable price.

According to Shelby, the GTE is by no means a "secretary's car", and judging by what you find under the hood, we kind of get what they mean. Customers can choose between either Ford's 5.0-liter Coyote engine, good for an estimated 456 HP and 424 lb-ft (574 Nm) of torque, and the smaller 2.3-liter EcoBoost which delivers an estimated 340 HP and 390 lb-ft (528 Nm) of torque.

The cars also feature improved handling and aesthetics that make them instantly recognizable as Shelby-tuned Mustangs - though if you really want to go all out you can do so by fitting the optional supercharger on the 5.0-liter model, bringing the total output to around 670 HP.

In terms of looks, the Shelby GTE comes with iconic Le Mans-style striping as well as Shelby badges. Further attention should go to the exhaust co-developed by Ford Performance alongside Borla, said to deliver noise worthy of "true American muscle".

Inside, the car features more Shelby badging and additional gauges, but other than that it remains instantly recognizable as a Mustang, which is something we've grown accustomed to when it comes to Shelby products.

What is a bit curious is the Mustang logo on the steering wheel as opposed to the Shelby logo, but we're guessing that's an optional extra.

Unveiled at the end of 2013, the sixth generation Ford Mustang is now getting ready to be updated, as a facelifted version is already in the pipeline.

Besides the usual exterior tweaks that will include an updated grille, different lighting units on both ends and modified front and rear bumpers, joined by possible trim mods inside, the popular muscle car will share an important feature with the Chevrolet Camaro: a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

Expected to show its fresh face sometime in 2018, according to Autocar, the Ford Mustang will retain its 2.3-liter EcoBoost and 5.0-liter V8 engines, along with the 3.7-liter V6 that is offered in the US, and the most probable scenario is that the new transmission will be offered as an option to the V8.

Sources within the Michigan-based giant state that the gearbox will be offered in the USA, but have yet to confirm whether it will be launched in Europe too.

Word on the street has it that Ford will probably make an announcement of the facelifted Mustang at either the 2016 LA Auto Show next month, or at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show in January.

The potent Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R twins may receive an optional dual-clutch automatic transmission in the coming years.

An article from Road & Track cites a report from the Mustang6G forums who have uncovered evidence that Ford will soon offer the GT350 with a dual-clutch auto while retaining the current six-speed manual 'box.

It isn't yet known if the automatic transmission in question will have six speeds or like the new Ford GT, seven gears. Whatever the case may be, the reason to offer the GT350 models with a second gearbox option is quite simple; improved performance.

The manual-only GT350R has already proven itself to be a rival to much more expensiveEuropean sports cars and supercars on a racetrack. The inclusion of a quick-shifting dual-clutch would make the muscle car that much more capable, both in a straight line, along twisty canyon roads and of course, at a circuit.

As is, the 526 hp, 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V8 of the GT350 duo is enough for a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) sprint of around 3.5 seconds.

Ford has chosen a convertible version of their V8-powered Mustang to take part in this year's MPG Marathon.

The Mustang is just one of Ford's entries in this annual fuel economy challenge, which is probably good since this is a car with 421 PS (415 HP) and 530 Nm (391 lb-ft) of torque.

In terms of performance, this translates into a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 4.8 seconds, but this is hardly the venue for any of that, which means we'll be focusing on this Mustang's 20 mpg (14.1l/100km) average fuel consumption figure instead of its straight line prowess.

"The great thing about the MPG Marathon is that it's as much about driving style as it is about eco vehicles," said event organizer, Jerry Ramsdale. "By entering a car like the Mustang and showing the world how much the crew can improve the fuel economy over the standard MPG figure, Ford is demonstrating how even the most performance-oriented of cars can be fuel efficient if driven in a responsible, eco-friendly manner."

Driving the 5.0-liter V8 Mustang Convertible will be former Ford works rally crew Andy Dawson and Andy Marriott - former winners of the event back in 2012 on board a Ford Fiesta ECOnetic 1.6 TDCi.

"Since right-hand drive Mustangs arrived here for the beginning of the year, over 3,000 have been delivered to proud new owners – two thirds of them with 5.0-litre V8 engines," stated Ford UK sales director Kevin Griffin. "They powered Mustang to the top of the sales charts as the UK's top selling high performance sales car. But a high power rating need not necessarily mean excessive fuel consumption – as this year’s MPG Marathon is set to demonstrate."

Also, if you're looking to get a sense for the diversity you'll be seeing during this year'sMPG Marathon, try picturing this Mustang alongside something like the hydrogen fuel-cell powered Hyundai ix35.

The event takes place on Oct 18-19, when competitors will try to achieve the highest possible MPG figure while driving to different venues across the country - including the iconic Silverstone race track in Northamptonshire.

One Ford owner in Houston has done very little to help the Mustang stereotype after crashing while leavinga Cars and Coffee event over the weekend.

Captured on film, the driver can be seen kicking out the tail of the stunning blue Shelby GT350 for the hoards of people lining the road.

Unfortunately for the driver, he didn't have the skills to control the burnout as just after the car started to straighten out after the initial slide, the tail violently spun the other way. Despite the driver's frantic attempt to brake, the Mustang ploughed into a curb, narrowly missing dozens of spectators.

As if things couldn't get worse for the driver, the moment he steps out of the car, furious onlookers
'remind' him of just how stupid he is.

One young onlooker can be heard screaming “You shouldn't have a car that fast if you can't fu**ing drive it!”

As for the damage sustained to the Mustang, both the passenger side front and rear wheels made heavy contact with the curb and will probably have to be replaced. It's possible that some suspension components were also damaged.

Ford will halt production of the Mustang this week on the back of falling demand for the model and a rising inventory.

The Detroit News reports that Ford's Mustang inventory stood at 89 days at the end of September, much higher than the 60 days supply which analysts believes is a healthy target.

This comes as sales of the sixth-generation Mustang continue to fall and are down by 32 per cent last month alone. Year-to-date sales are also down 9.3 per cent to 87,258 compared to the same time period last year.

In an email, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said “We continue to match production with demand. Mustang remains the top seller in its segment in total and retail sales.”

While that's true for year-to-date sales, last month, the Camaro became the best selling vehicle in the muscle car segment after incentives for the car were nearly tripled.

Buy a Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] Mustang Shelby GT350, get Hennessey Performance to install its HPE800 supercharger package on it, and you’re instantly the biggest badass on the block.

Don’t believe us? Just hit play on that video above. Make sure to dial the volume down first, though, as the car in the clip is seriously loud, especially when it’s screaming on the dyno.

The stock 5.2-liter V-8 in the Shelby GT350 is already one of the best engines in production. Its sound, its thrust, and soaring 8,250 redline are already the thing of dreams. However, strap a supercharger on it and all the necessary modifications to keep it running smoothly and you end up with a beast of an engine.



The dyno chart shows the stock engine is delivering about 474 horsepower at the wheels. That’s a 10 percent drivetrain loss when you consider the engine’s flywheel rating of 526 hp. With Hennessey’s upgrades, you’re getting a massive 733 hp at the wheels. Add the extra 10 percent due to the drivetrain loss and you’re looking at a flywheel output of just over 800 hp! But what’s more impressive is the torque curve, which remains flat almost completely across the rev range.

The HPE800 supercharger package, in addition to its 2.9-liter supercharger, includes forged internals, breathing mods and an upgraded fuel system. Boost pressure is mild since it remains below 8 psi, although Hennessey still lowers the compression ratio from the stock 12.0:01 to 11.0:1.

On the drag strip, Hennessy estimates 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.3 seconds and a quarter mile elapsed time of 10.8 seconds at 133 mph.

Rejoice, EcoBoost Ford Mustang fans. No longer are V8 Mustang owners the only ones able to get Ford Performance power upgrades. The company is now offering an engine calibration and cold air intake that adds more power and loads of torque to the already-potent four-cylinder model.

Specifically, the EcoBoost Mustang power package gives the four-cylinder 25 more peak horsepower and a whopping 70 more lb-ft peak of torque. That brings numbers up to 335 hp and 390 lb-ft. You might notice that the torque number is just 10 lb-ft away from the stock Mustang GT.

While those are the peak figures, there's other nice gains throughout the band, including as high as 100 more hp at 6,000 rpm. All of this could be yours for the price of $699. And if the package is installed by a Ford Performance-authorized dealer, you'll still be covered by either the factory or Ford Performance warranty. It's even legal in all 50 states, so if you have emissions testing, you're good to go.

When it comes to the Mustang, Ford is putting on a brave face, both figuratively and literally speaking.

The Blue Oval responded to reports about dwindling demand resulting in a higher-than-normal inventory and a temporary halt in production, as well as the Chevy Camaro beating it last monthin US deliveries, by stating that it still is the best seller in its segment year-to-date.

At the same time, it is working on a revamped version that should bow out some time next year as a 2018 MY car. Heavily camouflaged cars are already out on the streets of Detroit in both coupe and convertible guise, which suggests that both body styles will be available when the order books open.

The cladding on the prototypes prevents us from figuring out the changes Ford’s designers will implement, but they are rumored to be substantial enough to make it stand out from the current model. The focus seems to be up front where we can see new LED rings on the headlights peeking out from the camouflage.

What we do know is that the 2018 Mustang will get a new, 10-speed auto transmission, which (ironically) has been co-developed with GM and is already available in the Camaro. If we had to guess, we’d put our money in the engine range receiving some fine-tuning, too, and the cabin getting a mild freshening up, too.