Muscle car vs supercar and elephant-sized egos in between
by Tudor Rus, onIf you’re a regular TopSpeed reader, then you’re no stranger to what the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 can do in a straight-line race. We’ve covered a lot of situations where the muscle car destroyed its peers in a drag race or it bravely held its ground in front of the likes of Ferrari 812 Superfast and Porsche 911 GT3 RS, even on a twisty track.
This time, though, the GT500 found its match in the McLaren 720S. Not only that, but the GT500 you’re about to see getting a beating (repeatedly) from the Macca isn’t running on stock gear, as it has been modded to churn out 800 horsepower.
Carbon Fiber Meets Steel… and Wins
Both cars have one thing in common: the all-out performance they offer, albeit from very different concepts. Let’s start with the McLaren 720S. Virtually the definition of what a supercar should be, the 720S relies on a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 good for 710 horsepower at 7,500 rpm.
Torque comes in at 568 pound-feet (770 Newton-meters) around the 5,500 rpm mark, while a seven-speed SSG transmission makes sure every drop of it reaches the rear wheels and then the asphalt as efficiently as possible.
With all the fluids in and a 90% full fuel tank, the 720S tips the scales at 3,128 pounds - remember this number because it will bear some importance later on. Oh, and 0-60 mph takes just 2.8 seconds inside the McLaren 720S.
In bog-standard spec, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, America’s entry in this duel, makes do with an updated 5.2-liter Voodoo V-8 slapped with a 2.65-liter supercharger. As a result, the engine cranks out 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque handled by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Shelby in the video, however, is said to pack 800 horsepower and Toyo R888R tires on the rear axle.
Unfortunately, Ford doesn’t offer info on the GT500’s weight, so we can only guess that it’s way over the 720S’ 3,128-pound rating and most likely one of the culprits for why the Mustang can’t keep up with the McLaren on the straight not even when it jumps the start.
