The Next Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Already Looks More Track-Focused

• The next Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 was spotted testing in Michigan.
• A few key giveaways prove this prototype is the top-dog Shelby.
• We think it's going to take track-focused 'Stangs to a much higher level. 

On first blush, these prototypes look just like beat-up Dark Horses, but as you dig in, there are some clear signs that this is something more. The most obvious giveaway is how part of the front bumper has been cut and squared off to make room for a large radiator opening. We don't expect this botch job to exactly preview the GT500's looks, but we know the last car needed a more open grille to let air cool its supercharged V8. 

The radiator itself appears beefier than the one directly opposite (the one that's still shrouded by a mesh grille). The grille in the middle is also almost completely uncovered, but the radiator behind it looks similar to the one on the Dark Horse. These might be thicker for the sake of handling the excess heat the GT500's engine undoubtedly makes, but it's hard to know without getting a look into the engine bay. 

Look behind the front bumper and you'll no doubt notice the cut and flared fenders over the front wheel arches. They're not there to give this mule a Mad Max look but to accommodate some much wider front tires. These test cars are wearing the same carbon-fiber wheels from the last GT500, but not the same tires. This car is wearing Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires that measure 305/30 R20 up front and 315/30 R20 at the rear. 

The R signifies that this is a much more serious tire — one that prioritizes ultimate grip on track — and an R compound like this wasn't offered on the previous GT500. It also needs to be sticky since it will have to handle even more power from the supercharged 5.2-liter V8. The last GT500 made 760 horsepower and 623 lb-ft of torque, but we expect both numbers to rise thanks to learnings from the 815-hp Mustang GTD. Expect outputs to be around 785 horsepower and torque to rise to around 650 lb-ft. 

Another GT500 mule was spotted wearing the previous car's standard alloy wheels, but this time with R-compound Pirelli tires. All signs point to the next GT500 being an even more potent track weapon, and we can't wait to learn more about the next ultimate 'Stang. Stay tuned.