The Ford Mustang Dark Horse is a killer in its own right, packing the legendary 5.0L Coyote V8 to the tune of 500 horsepower in harness under the hood. Naturally, Shelby American couldn’t keep its hands off the go-fast pony, officially revealing the 2026 Shelby Super Snake-R as the latest rendition of the supercharged S650 Mustang.
The limited-edition build is based on the S650 Mustang Dark Horse, packing a number of upgrades that put it in league with high-performance sports cars. Shelby saw fit to slap a supercharger on the Dark Horse’s already mean 5.0L V8, coaxing upwards of 850 horsepower from that howling Coyote. All that power is routed to the rear two wheels (RWD) via either the Tremec TR-3160 six-speed manual transmission, or the 10-speed automatic transmission.
Though the horsepower is the star of the show, the 2026 Shelby Super Snake-R packs a fully adjustable coil over suspension system. It’s been given a wider stance, too, helping to keep it planted at any speed, along with special bodywork and a Shelby-spec chassis stiffening system. Designers opted for extensive carbon fiber and lightweight aluminum components, keeping the pony car light on its feet despite its extra equipment. In fact, the tuner states that the 2026 Shelby Super Snake-R is just 116 pounds heavier than the stock S650 Mustang Dark Horse.
“The 2026 Shelby Super Snake-R simply has the best handling prowess that we’ve ever offered in the history of the car,” said Vince LaViolette, Shelby American Vice President of Operations and Senior Designer. “From the fully adjustable coil overs to replacing rubber bushings with metal spherical bearings and a harness strut bar that ties together the rear shock towers, this advanced suspension is very impressive. We tuck everything underneath a gorgeous wide body package that allows us to fit massive tires on the car to maximize traction.”
He added, “We were obsessive in our efforts to reduce weight and improve the car’s balance. From our proprietary hood to the splitter and other key components, we used carbon fiber components to minimize weight and redirect the wind for better cooling. The power to weight ratio of the Shelby Super Snake-R is staggering.”
The 2026 Shelby Super Snake-R starts at $224,995, including the price of the base Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Interested buyers must reach out to Shelby American, after which a sales representative will put them in touch with the authorized Shelby distributor of their choice.
The Super Snake-R is Shelby’s third vehicle based on the S650 Ford Mustang, joining the likes of the 2024 Shelby Super Snake.
Interest-free financing and more on 2024 model.
For a longer-range variant(s).
Ford has more than one new hi-po pony car coming.
Another way to potentially help identify quality issues.
A very nice example of the discontinued hatch.
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It also prob beats the GTD🤣