From the 1960s to today, the muscle car market has attracted tuners and small manufacturers eager to take these performance machines one step beyond what the factory ever envisioned. The names are written in automotive history: Yenko, Royal Pontiac, Dana, Hurst, Mr. Norm, Saleen – and, of course, Shelby American, which put the Mustang on the performance map with the Shelby GT350 Mustang in 1965.
Shelby is still brewing up Mustangs with capabilities far beyond anything that ever rolled off a Ford Motor Company assembly line. Arguably the most extreme of these modern-day super cars was the Shelby GT500 Code Red, based off the 2020-2022 Ford Shelby GT500. The Code Red Shelby reached levels of performance that can only be classified as three, maybe four steps beyond anything the factory ever attempted. On 93 octane pump gas they produced 1000+ horsepower, and on E85 ethanol delivered 1,300 horsepower.
These cars are extreme in their rarity as well, with production limited to only 10 cars from each of the 2020-22 model years. One of those 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 Code Reds will be offered with No Reserve at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale Fall Auction.
The Code Red program originated with an experimental build in 2008. Shelby swapped out the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 in a GT500 for a hand-built twin-turbo engine with enhanced cooling capacity and strengthened drivetrain. The 2008 experiment was never put into production, but the idea lived on, and when the capable 2020 GT500 arrived, the Code Red was given a new lease on life.
To hit those astronomical horsepower numbers, the 2020 GT500’s 5.2-liter DOHC V8 had its factory supercharger replaced by a Shelby by Fathouse Performance twin-turbo system, with intercooler, new engine management and new fuel systems. Internals were strengthened with Manley pistons and rods, ARP studs, Ferrea valves and more.
To keep the power under control, the Code Red received performance half-shafts, ride-height adjustable springs, Ford Performance sway bars, caster-camber plates, a MagneRide suspension calibration and Shelby one-piece forged aluminum 20-inch wheels. All Code Reds had the widebody configuration, along with a carbon-fiber pedestal wing, carbon-fiber hood, and carbon-fiber rocker wings and rear diffuser.
The Code Red treatment was optimized for the dragstrip and Shelby American posted a video to its YouTube channel showing a Code Red Mustang scorching through the quarter-mile in 8.59 seconds at 161 mph.
“The unique nature of this new car required us to pour in lessons learned from extreme vehicles like the 2008 Code Red, Shelby 1000 and 2020 Shelby GT500 Dragon Snake concept,” said Vince LaViolette, Shelby American Vice President of Operations and Chief of R&D, at the time of the car’s release. “All of the massive horsepower and torque we develop with the new Code Red car required us to focus on optimizing traction. That is why Code Red is more of a straight-line performer than a road course warrior, although it’s very capable at moderate speeds in most any curve. But when the turbos spool up, the car is best enjoyed moving straight ahead.”
The interior likewise reflects the serious nature of the car with rear-seat delete and harness bar. The purposeful seat recovers feature Shelby and Code Red logos, and, like every Shelby, the car has a numbered dash plaque and a spot in the Shelby Registry.
The astonishing capabilities of the Code Red Shelby were reflected in the price, which was $224,995 on top of the base GT500. Yet it is entirely possible that these 30 cars may represent the absolute peak of American muscle-car performance. On the drag strip or on a show field, a Code Red Shelby signals a veritable storm of performance has arrived.
Register to bid today for a chance to take home this powerhouse during the 2024 Scottsdale Fall Auction, Oct. 10-13 at WestWorld.
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