Shelby GT500 will make the ground shake
The most powerful, street-legal Ford ever, the Mustang goes 0-100 km/h in mid-three-seconds
While Ford winds down its production of cars, except for the Mustang, its focus at this year’s Canadian International AutoShow will be on its line of crossover and sport utility vehicles.
In its all-new display area, Ford will present the Canadian introduction of its most powerful Mustang to date, the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500. Ford will also introduce the regional premier of the 2020 Explorer and the Lincoln Aviator.
With a performance heritage dating back more than 50 years, Shelby versions of the iconic Mustang have always been one of the most desirable cars for enthusiasts. And the new GT500, slated to be available later this year, continues the tradition.
Wrapped with athletic styling cues befitting the performance underneath, this sixth-generation GT500 is the most powerful street-legal Ford ever. Its supercharged aluminum 5.2-litre V8 produces 700-plus horsepower and it is mated to a new TREMEC seven-speed dualclutch transmission. There are several drive modes for the new powertrain, and the new trans- mission can shift in less than 100 milliseconds.
The new GT500 is capable of zero-100 km/h times in the mid-three-second range, and blasting down the quarter-mile in less than 11 seconds. But the new GT500 has not been developed solely for straight-line acceleration. With race-bred technology from the Ford GT, the power and torque of this Mustang has been harnessed with the latest in advanced drive mode technologies, including MagneRide suspension, 41.91-centimetre twopiece brake rotors with six-piston caliper Brembo brakes, and spec Michelin Pilot Sport S4 tires mounted on the 20 by 11.5inch wheels. For the ultimate GT500, wheel and body part carbon fiber packages are available.
Inside, the new GT500 will present a driver-enhanced performance theme but offers civility, with carbon-fiber appliqués, Recaro seating, a 30.48centimetre full colour LCD instrument cluster, and 12-speaker B&O sound system.
Ford will also be introducing its 2020 Explorer at the AutoShow, and this popular SUV has been redesigned from the ground up. The new Explorer offers its broadest model lineup ever and more power and space with its three-row seating, reardrive architecture, and variety of EcoBoost engines.
A more powerful design of the new Explorer offers improved on-and off-road capabilities, a 272.125-kilogram increase in towing capacity, and a new allwheel drive system with seven driving modes for all road conditions.
Two new models will grace the Explorer lineup. A performance ST version, with a 400horsepower 3.0-litre EcoBoost engine, and the fuel-efficient Explorer Hybrid, using a 318horsepower powertrain and an estimated 800 kilometres be- tween fuel stops. All Explorer models will use a10-speed automatic transmission.
The new Explorer will be available in six trim versions. Along with re-engineered seating and cargo capacities, the new Explorer will be available with a broad range of driver-enhancing technological packages, including pre-collision assist, blind-spot warning, lanekeeping system, rearview camera (with built-in lens cleaner), 4G LTE Wi-Fi, wireless charging pad, and a 14-speaker B&O sound system.
The recently introduced Ford Ranger pickup will be at the CIAS, a mid-size pickup which has returned after a hiatus of several years, and now available at Ford dealerships.
There are new and recently introduced vehicles in the Lincoln lineup, as well. Making its regional debut will be the 2020 Lincoln Aviator, an all-new SUV in the Lincoln stable placed between the Nautilus and the Navigator.
As with other Lincoln vehicles, the Aviator will provide luxurious motoring with intuitive technologies and a premium driving experience with three-seat capability. All-wheel drive is available with the new Aviator, as is a hybrid version. The standard EcoBoost V6 engine provides 400 horsepower and a10-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Touring edition will offer 450 horsepower and a whopping 600 lb-ft of torque through its twin-turbocharged engine and electrified technology.
Visitors to the Ford and Lincoln displays will have the opportunity to see how technology is helping to build vehicles with the EksoVest.
EksoVest is the latest example of advanced technology Ford is using to reduce the physical toll on employees during the vehicle assembly process, lessening the chance of worker fatigue, injury or discomfort.
Ford employees in 15 plants globally, including Oakville Assembly Complex, who perform repetitive overhead tasks are able to get assistance from a new upper-body exoskeletal technology.
Ford partnered with Ekso Bionics to enhance this wearable technology that elevates and supports a worker’s arms while performing overhead tasks such as reaching up with a power tool to screw bolts to secure the car’s brace — all while standing underneath the vehicle.