Give Up Any Hope Of A Drop Top Shelby GT500

In years past, Ford built the Shelby GT500 in a convertible bodystyle. Anyone who has been waiting to buy a GT500 in hope that the new S550 generation GT500 would eventually be offered in a convertible, should just stop waiting. It has been confirmed by a Ford executive named Hua Thai-Thang that a convertible version of the current GT500 will not happen.

The reason no convertible will be offered is said to be a limitation of the S550 platform. The executive says that when the S550 was designed the team looked to the future and the GT500 maxes the platform out. He said the platform lacks the "bandwidth" for a convertible.

However, there are rumors that suggest the next generation Mustang might be very close. That car will use the S650 platform. That platform is said to be extensively revised, but not all-new. It remains to be seen if the S650 platform might support a convertible GT500. However, the platform is expected to bring an all-new interior and exterior with powertrains carrying over from the S550 platform.

Something that will anger the Mustang faithfull is that a sedan version of the Mustang is expected. However, speculation suggests that the vehicle will be electric. Sadly there is also speculation suggesting the Mustang coupe we know and love will go electric by 2028. No combustion engines in the Mustang will be a blow to fans who have always associated the Mustang with big V8 engines and V8 sound.

Tightening emissions regulations are essentially forcing automakers to abandon pure combustion powered vehicles. As much as some enthusiasts hated the Mach-E because it had the Mustang name, Thai-Tang says that the Mach-E helps Ford with its fleetwide emissions mandates essentially keeping the Mustang alive.