Shelby GT500 Gets Carbon Pack and More for 2021

By John Coyle - February 15, 2021

New colors and carbon fiber wheels are some of the hot options for the 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

There aren’t a tons of changes coming for the 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, which isn’t a surprise, given the vicious snake was just introduced last year. With a 5.2-liter supercharged V-8 under the hood and 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque of tap, it’s a proper beast right out of the box. So the Blue Oval rightly felt it didn’t need to add any more poke just yet. That said, there are a few interesting additions to the options list for the new year.

The new Carbon Fiber Handling Package doesn’t come with big wing and Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 tires that the more hardcore Carbon Fiber Track Pack does. But it does get some killer kit, starting with 20-inch carbon fiber rims. While the Blue Oval hasn’t said exactly how much weight saving buyers can expect to see, they’re sure to significantly drop rotational mass and make this Mustang even sharper in the bends.

Also included in the Carbon Fiber Handling Package are adjustable strut top mounts, an oil catch can, Gurney flap, and front splitter wickers. This is the package you want to get if you don’t need all the hyper-aggressive track-day stuff, and while it’s not cheap at 10k, the wheels alone probably make it worth the extra coin. Just a few years ago it felt like carbon fiber wheels were only for crazy exotic cars!

Ford has also tweaked the paint box for the GT500. Grabber Lime, Kona Blue, Magnetic Gray, and Wimbledon White will no longer be available, but buyers can opt for Grabber Yellow, Antimatter Blue, or Carbonized Gray. Now, I haven’t seen Grabber Yellow in person, but from these pictures, I’m not sure it’s really working for me. Personally, I think Grabber Blue is probably the best color to ever grace a Mustang, so when Grabber is in front of a color, I tend to get critical.

The configurator for the 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is live on Ford’s website right now, so if you’re lucky enough to be shopping for a 180-mph rocket ship, head over and check it out. Also, if you happen to catch a Grabber Yellow Mustang in the wild, snap a pic and send it over to me. I’d love to see how it looks in some natural light, as these press photos are a little weird!

Photos: Ford