2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible celebrates SVT 20th anniversary

In a new statement issued by Ford yesterday, the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible will serve as the celebratory vehicle to mark the 20th anniversary of Ford’s Special Vehicles Team (SVT). And the only thing better than a 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 with the most powerful production V8 in North America, would be an open-air version to enjoy that 662 horsepower even more.

The new Shelby GT500 will be the fastest convertible Ford has ever built. Ford says the newest GT500 version is nearly 3.5 seconds faster than the outgoing model at Sebring International Raceway. And in order to celebrate SVT’s 20-year history, a special commemorative lighted sill plate will be used in the 2013 Shelby GT500 to celebrate the one of the oldest and most storied automotive performance groups in the world.

The history of SVT vehicles

The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Since that time more than seven different SVT vehicles have been produced, including several versions of the Cobra and the Shelby GT500, the F-150 Lightning performance pickup and Raptor off-road versions. It also included the SVT Contour sports sedan, the SVT Focus and SVT Mustang Cobra 'R' models in 1993, '95 and 2000.

Ford was looking to develop niche market vehicles that were factory-built that would add luster to the companies lineup. All were low-volume limited production high-performance “halo” vehicles that are fast, have exceptional handling and most of all, fun to drive.

“In the past 20 years, SVT has engineered world-class mid-engine supercars, front-wheel-drive performance cars, rear-wheel-drive muscle cars and high-performance on-road and off-road pickup trucks,” said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. “There is no other performance house in the world that can match that diverse résumé.”

The 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible is fastest open-air Mustang ever

Like the 2013 Shelby GT500 coupe, the convertible gets the same 5.8-liter supercharged V8 producing 662 horsepower, as well as the SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the Performance Package and the all-new chassis tuning. Also like the coupe, the convertible is offered with two performance packages, a Performance Package and a Track Package, complete with an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler for further durability.

Ford says that each of the more than 210,000 SVT vehicles produced since 1993 have been designed and developed with the four SVT attributes in mind: Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value. And we definitely see those four values displayed in the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible.

Click here for full details on the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500.