By now everyone is well aware that Ford Performance created a masterpiece with the 2020 Shelby GT500. The engine packs 760 flywheel horsepower from the factory that is applied to the pavement through a TREMEC seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Predator-powered S550 is a monster right off the dealer lot. However, it is also a tempting platform for modifications.

“I know a lot of people hate on it because of the DCT, but it is a Mustang, and whether it has a DCT or not, it’s awesome,” Jared Rosen, CEO of Lethal Performance, proclaimed.

I don’t necessarily know I’m going to be the quickest, because I’m not really looking to tear the car apart. — Jared Rosen, Lethal Performance

With some sticky tires, a Whipple supercharger, and some select supporting mods, Lethal Performance’s Jared Rosen has the company’s 2020 Shelby GT500 CFTP knocking on the 8-second door with a stock engine, stock suspension, and a stock transmission. (Photo Credit: Christina High/Lethal Performance)

For Lethal Performance the mantra for its project Mustangs is familiar and consistent — install a Whipple supercharger and supporting mods to see just how much power it can generate and how quickly the car can run down the drag strip. That hasn’t changed with the company’s latest GT500. The new GT500 coming equipped with the Carbon Fiber Track Package, known as the Golden Ticket.

Dyno and Drag

While that option is meant to improve performance on the road course, Team Lethal’s primary performance playgrounds are the dyno and the drag strip. To amplify its in-house Shelby for those venues, Jared and company dialed up a well-rounded but short list of modifications (see sidebar) highlighted by — you guessed it — a Whipple Gen 5 3.8L supercharger, which is now fitted with a Griptec 3-inch pulley for more slip-free boost.

With these mods in place and a Lund Racing custom tune calling the shots, the Lethal GT500’s rear wheel output leaped from 674 horsepower and 515 lb-ft of torque in stock form to a whopping 1,122 horsepower and 844 lb-ft of torque on a notoriously conservative Mustang Dynamometer. The car was then taken to the drag strip for a private test session at Palm Beach International Raceway.

“Compared to our Goldmember GT, it seems like it’s harder to drive, but in actuality, once you learn the process of the burnout with the line lock and the two-step, it works really well,” Jared said. “It’s actually probably the easiest car to launch, because you just put your foot down to the floor, and as soon as you let off that brake, man, it’s gone.”

While the Carbon Fiber Track Pack wing helps on the road course, Jared unbolted the downforce generator for the drag runs and it seemed to help the car’s top speed.

Results

He isn’t kidding, as the freshly tuned GT500 clicked off a 9.15 at 155 mph with a 1.43-second 60-foot. On earlier runs, Jared had the car in Drag Mode. He then graduated to running in Track Mode allowing manual shifts with the paddle shifters. This allows full advantage of the elevated rev limiter. In addition to lifting that limiter, Lund Racing also applied some tuning tricks. This included eliminating the issues Jared fought with the car triggering a transmission temperature warning. The calibration eliminated that issue and allowed a clean, repeatable launch.

“The next pass sure looked like the eight we’ve been searching for as it pulled off a 1.39-second 60-foot, but the supercharger belt snapped on the 1-2 shift ending the evening for us with the GT500,” Jared said. “No worries though, we’ve got some extra belts here now and are ready to take another shot at eights for the next track outing.”

If he achieves that goal, Jared might increase the boost a bit. He doesn’t plan to go crazy and try to build the quickest latest model Shelby GT500 around.

“I might like totally — once I run an eight — Antonio Brown-it like I did the Bronco video — just take my shirt off, throw my gloves and be like, ‘I’m good.’ I don’t necessarily know I’m going to be the quickest, because I’m not really looking to tear the car apart.”