The new Ford Shelby GT500 Dragon Snake concept has been unveiled at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, with its supercharged V8 offering “more than 800 hp [597 kW]” and boasting “especially raw acceleration”.

In the 1960s, Shelby American offered a drag-racing version of the Shelby Cobra called the “Dragonsnake”, and the new concept is billed as a “modern take on a proven Shelby philosophy”.

The 5,2-litre eight-cylinder engine is mated with a “retuned” dual-clutch transmission, while the suspension has also been revised “for maximum grip and straight-line acceleration”.

Shelby American has furthermore added high-flow catalytic converters, new lightweight glasswork and “other innovations”. Of course, the bodywork has also been tweaked (Shelby says a widebody option is "being considered”), while unique wheels have been added, too.

“The 2020 Shelby GT500 is truly amazing in stock configuration, but we wanted to explore its pure acceleration capabilities,” said Vince LaViolette, Shelby American vice-president of operations and chief of R&D.

“So we worked closely with Ford Performance and other partners to create the ultimate ‘weapon of track destruction’ in the quartermile.”

Original article from Car