By any account, the current Shelby GT500 Mustang is the best Mustang ever built, with serious horsepower, impeccable road manners and no gas guzzler tax. For the 2012 model, Ford has quietly announced some changes to the car, designed to improve driving performance and comfort.

New, optional leather-trimmed sport bucket front seats were designed by SVT in cooperation with Recaro to enhance high-performance driving. Bolsters in the cushion and seat back are provided to deliver the support needed on track during hard cornering, while still providing a comfortable ride at other times. Also also available in the 2012 Mustang Boss 302, these Recaro seats are the result of a global team effort led by SVT along with the Mustang engineering group in North America, Team RS in Europe and Recaro.

The seats sport an embroidered cobra logo and stripes color-matched to the car’s exterior stripes. A nice improvement over the regular seats is that their integrated head restraints provide ample room for drivers and passengers wearing helmets on the track. For anyone that regularly engages in high performance driving events, the $1595 option is well worth it.

For 2012, all Mustangs receive a Selectable Steering Option, which allows steering effort and response to be adjusted to the driver’s preference. For the GT500, those settings have been custom tailored for both the base car and with the SVT Performance Package installed.

This option could be made available as a result of electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), first introduced on the 2011 Shelby GT500. Three steering modes are available; Comfort, Sport and Standard. Sport mode delivers the most road feel and requires the highest level of steering effort. As well, active nibble control and drift pull compensation are shut off to provide the driver with more feedback on how the vehicle is reacting to the road.

Comfort mode provides the least amount of road force feel through the steering wheel, and requires the least amount of steering effort, making it ideal for long drives. Standard mode is a balance between the Comfort and Sport settings.

Ride quality is also enhanced with the new models. Improvements in high-frequency noise soundproofing as well as new door seals and a rear wheel arch liner reduce road noise for a quieter, more pleasant drive. Having the best of both worlds just got a lot easier with a GT500 in your driveway.