2013 Ford Shelby GT500 rated at 662 hp, for the love of all that’s holy

Speaking to a gathering of Mustang and Shelby fans in Los Angeles last week, the chief engineer of the upcoming 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 let slip the car's official stats: 662 hp, 631 ft-lbs of torque, and enough miles per gallon to avoid the gas guzzler tax. We've managed to confirm the numbers and add a few more that shows Ford will soon create not just the most powerful street-ready Mustang ever, but the most powerful sports car from any Detroit automaker.

For those who may get confused by the permutations of Shelby, Cobras and Mustangs on the market, the 2013 Shelby GT500 will still be rated below the altered Mustangs built by Carroll Shelby's own Shelby American shop, which can be tuned up to 1,000 hp. But it's still enough for the full factory-warrantied Ford to beat not just any Chevrolet Camaro, but the Chevy Corvette ZR1 and even the claimed 640 hp from the V-10 in the revived 2013 SRT Viper.

Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer for Ford's SVT division and the man in charge of the Shelby, told the gathering that the 2013 would get fuel economy of 15 mpg in the city and 24 mpg highway, for 18 mph combined -- a sufficient level to avoid a federal gas penalty, and 5 mpg better than the Chevy Camaro ZL1. He also said the GT500 has enough torque to snap to 60 mph in first gear; how it keeps from shredding tires at every stoplight remains an open question.

Ford shared with us a few other notes about the Shelby: It's still claiming the most powerful production V8 in the world, although Koenigsegg would disagree about what defines "production." Unlike the peaky engines of years past, 90 percent of the GT500's power from the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 is available between 2,000 revs and its redline; at just above idle, it's making nearly as much torque -- 395 ft-lbs -- as the Camaro SS makes at its peak.

One other tidbit, according to the Team Shelby forums: The engine runs so hot and requires so much cooling that the GT500 will do without any front grille. At a top speed supposedly near 200 mph, who would notice it's gone?

Ford also sent over this graphic showing the power curves of the Shelby. Viper who?