Ford is making a big deal out of the 2013 Shelby GT500, and rightly so; it is the fastest, most powerful factory Mustang ever built. As we’ve come to find out though, it was simply a matter of adding power to the GT500; the entire car had to be upgraded to achieved the SVT team’s own goals of going 200 mph.

The latest entry in Ford’s videos series documenting the 2013 GT500 has to deal with the high-tech launch control system that helps the Shelby put that 662 horsepower down to the ground.

All the horsepower in the world isn’t worth much if you can’t put that power to the ground, and the SVT team had a major challenge in that regard. Traditional traction control systems can get in the way of a proper launch at the drag strip, and turning these systems off often means tire traction is extremely limited.

Ford has worked around these issues by making the Launch Control system more user friendly. GT500 owners can input an RPM speed into the Shelby’s new tech screen. This allows the car to launch consistently at a pre-set RPM. Launch control is designed with professional racers and novices alike in mind, and we bet it will become on of the 2013 Shelby’s most endearing features in the coming years.

And of course there is always the option of turning Launch Control off. Good luck getting any grip though…