Ford ‘cranks’ it up with another big V8 for Mustang

When Ford introduced the Mustang Shelby GT350 in 2015, it was the pinnacle of Mustang-ness thanks to its 5.2-L DOHC “Voodoo” V8 that featured a flat-plane crankshaft design to enable sky-high revs (the GT350's 8200-rpm redline is one reason Ferrari has long specified flat-plane V8s) and a rollicking 526 hp at 7,500. Then there's the exotic “rip” exhaust note unique to flat-plane V8s.

But contemporary musclecar development times seemingly are as quick as their ever-dropping 0-to-60 mph runs-and before Ford released the Shelby GT350, its SAE-certified 526 hp already had been eclipsed by the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-L Hemi V8 in the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and later the 797-hp Hellcat Redeye. Prior to all this, GM's Chevrolet started the hyper-power frenzy by generating 650 hp from the supercharged 6.2-L OHV V8 launched for the 2012 Camaro ZL1.