2020 Shelby GT500 Exhaust Sings in the Key of Brutality

Ford’s new supercar sounds great in every drive setting, but Track Mode is a pure heart-melter.

The video above comes to us from the Road and Track YouTube channel and it features the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 revving its engine while parked at the curb somewhere in New York. This footage gives us a chance to hear the supercharged V8 roar in each of the four exhaust modes from inside and outside of the car. While it sounds great in every situation, the Track Mode is the one that gearheads are going to like the most.

Rear View Revving

The audible glory that is the 2020 Shelby GT500 Mustang revving its engine begins with the camera located behind the car. The car roars to life in its Normal Mode followed by a quick rev of the supercharged engine and while it isn’t deafening, no one is going to complain about that exhaust note.

Next, the driver switches to Sport Mode and pops the throttle, with the V8 announcing its presence a bit louder with a bit more crackle as engine speeds drop. It isn’t drastically louder or more aggressive than Normal Mode, perhaps leading you to wonder if the active exhaust system really makes that big of a difference, until we get to Track Mode.

In Track Mode, the new GT500 is deafening. The tone is much raspier, much louder and there is far more crackle through the pipes, presenting the kind of sound that we expect from a 700+ horsepower Mustang.

In-Car Listening

The second segment in the video is recorded from the cabin with the windows open, with the driver cycling through each of the modes. This time, the display starts with the car running and in Quiet Mode, the new GT500 is a bit quieter inside than it is in Normal Mode.

There is a little more grumble inside of the car when Sport Mode is selected, with the footage giving us a close-up look at the exhaust mode selection screen on the gauge cluster. As was the case from behind the car, the new Shelby isn’t drastically louder in Sport Mode, but once you get to Track Mode, you don’t care about the rest.

The Track Mode exhaust setting in the 2020 GT500 fills the cabin with the deep, throaty tone that owners are going to want. It sounds like an aftermarket system, but with the push of a button, you can dial back to the quietest setting.

Long, Slow Pull

The video ends with another clip shot from behind the car and in this final segment, the new Shelby Mustang is in Track Mode for a few revs followed by a long, slow climb into the higher engine speed range. This clip gives us a good idea of what the supercharged 5.2-liter V8 will sound like as it races off into the sunset.

In short, the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 sounds great in every exhaust setting, but the Track Mode is clearly the one that owners will want to pick when they are about to show a slower car its taillights.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy!

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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