Lately the Ford rumor mill’s been spinning faster than a Voodoo engine at redline. First there was news of a Boss/Dark Horse Boss trademark filing, then word of a potential Mach 4 four-door sedan hit the Internet, and now there is a rumor of the return of the king.

Enthusiasts have long wondered when the Shelby GT500 nameplate might return in the S650 era, and an unverified posting lifted from what appears to be the UAW Local 600 newsletter seems to confirm that the Shelby GT500 will return for the 2026 model year. Adding fuel to the fire, the document also discusses a new engine with a tantalizing codename.

What looks like a leak from a United Auto Workers group teases the return of the Shelby GT500 for the 2026 model year. (Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company)

“I also anticipate an afternoon shift being added towards the end of 2025 on the Niche Assembly Line,” the document says while discussing the addition of shifts at the Dearborn Assembly Plant. “This volume increase is for the 2026 Mustang Shelby GT 500. I can’t wait until we start building engines for such an iconic vehicle with an engine that will be named ‘Legend.’”

This unverified document, which does fit the format of the Local UAW 600 newsletter, seems to verify the production of a 2026 Shelby GT500 and a new engine carrying the codename “Legend.”

It remains to be seen if this information is accurate, but it will certainly get enthusiasts excited and curious about what level of performance this new halo Mustang could deliver. With top Corvettes delivering four-digit horsepower, could the next Shelby’s Legend powerplant join the 1,000-plus-horsepower club? And, what engine family is the Legend based on? Will it be a variant of the Coyote engine family, or will the pushrod Godzilla finally find a home under a Mustang hood?

As a successor to the vaunted 760-horsepower, 5.2-liter Predator engine, the 2026 Shelby GT500 is allegedly powered by the ‘Legend’ engine, which will be constructed on the Niche Assembly Line at the Dearborn Assembly Plant.

All we can say is that we hope this leak is accurate, because we can’t wait to see how Ford engineers can push a next-gen Shelby to eclipse its amazing predecessor.