Mustang fans, fret no more. Hot on the heels of the L.A. Auto Show introduction of the 2010 Mustang and Mustang GT, Ford has just announced the production of the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 in coupe and convertible body styles.

As the afterglow of the 2010 model's introduction waned, the Mustang faithful were stung by the GT's dearth of power compared to the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and the upcoming 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. With a standard 315 horsepower, the Mustang GT gets walloped by the R/T's 372 ponies. Even worse, the base Camaro with a 3.6-liter V-6 produces 300 horsepower. Ouch! The muscle car game is often played by numbers, and Ford was coming up shy with the 2010 Mustang.

Now, Ford has announced what we all knew was coming: the high-performance 2010 Shelby GT500. It will debut at the Detroit Auto Show. With 540 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 510 lb-ft torque at 4,500 rpm, all is right again in the Mustang corral.

The new Shelby gets its power from a supercharged 5.4-liter overhead cam V-8 with an iron block and aluminum heads. Compared to the 2009 GT500, the 2010 model is up 40 horsepower from 2009, and matches that of the limited-production GT500KR, but at a fraction of the price. Ford estimates the 2010 Shelby GT500 to run 0-60 mph in about 4.1 seconds, through the quarter mile in 12.1 seconds, and top out at an electronically-limited 155 mph.

Power gains come (in part) from less restrictive exhaust and intake systems. In back, the new exhaust is finished with four-inch round polished tips. Up front, a totally new intake funnels colder air into the manifold. This change necessitated that the Cobra logo move from the driver's side of the grill to the passenger side because that's where the air intake is positioned. The six-speed manual gearbox is a re-cogged T56 that has taller gears in 5th and 6th for better highway cruising. Initial acceleration should be quicker because of the move from a 3.31:1 rear axle ratio to a shorter 3.55. EPA mpg numbers aren't yet available, but highway fuel economy may increase by a couple, coming in somewhere around 22 mpg, or about what the less powerful Mustang GT achieved in 2009.

Suspension components are retuned to deal with the GT500's extra power. The new bracing that yielded a much-improved ride on the 2010 Mustang GT should help the GT500 handle even better than the outgoing model. As expected for the ultimate steed, brakes are by Brembo, and the calipers up front sport four pistons apiece.

The new Ford Shelby GT500 carries over the lines of the re-drawn 2010 Mustang … mostly. The hood and grill are simplified and in our eyes, beefed up. Functional air extractors are visible on the hood's leading edge. A special front air dam with an operative splitter reduces aerodynamic drag and lift. The Shelby also gets unique forged and CNC-milled 19-inch wheels on the coupe (18-inchers on the convertible). It's bold stripes can't be missed, even from the inside. The rear spoiler incorporates a Gurney Flap that helps improve downforce at speed.

Exterior colors gets matched to specific versions of the upgraded 2010 Mustang's interior. The exterior stripes carry through the center sections of the leather-covered front and rear seats. Even the ball topping the short-throw shifter is striped. The door sill plate includes an SVT (Special Vehicle Team) logo that glows when the ambient lighting is operational.

In terms of equipment, the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 carries the best of what can be found on the Mustang line. Standards include the requisite tilt steering wheel, cruise control, air conditioning, high-powered audio system, and power windows. The GT500 also includes the SYNC infotainment interface and ambient lighting (offering 125 different available interior lighting combinations … ohhhh, ahhhh). Sirius NAV system with Travel Link is optional.

While pony car buyers aren't necessarily interested in crash test performance, the new Shelby GT500 delivers on safety with a standard complement of features including; ABS, traction control, electronic stability control (with "track" and full-off positions), tire-pressure monitoring system, remote keyless entry, and four airbags. SYNC's 911 Assist is also standard.  The 2010 Mustang has not yet been tested, but we expect results similar to what was measured by the government on a 2009 Mustang; full five-star performance. The IIHS hasn't recently tested a Mustang Coupe, but when they tested a 2007 Mustang Convertible, the results were "Acceptable" for frontal offset crashes and "Good" for side impacts.

While Ford Motor Company is certainly struggling with the same challenges that have caused Toyota to close 2008 in the red, the Dearborn-based manufacturer continues to roll out new models. The 2010 Shelby GT500 is the latest, and more are coming.  Stay tuned to TheCarConnection.com for more from the 2009 Detroit auto show, but until then you can see more pictures over at our 2010 Ford Mustang page.

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Even though most folks have been in holiday mode, there's been a lot of auto-related news filtering across the airwaves--so much, in fact, that I had to split them into a couple of posts. Here are a few more items to ensure you remain the savvy, up-to-date carhound I know you are:

• Foreign automakers scale back: Yeah, we all know that automakers around the globe are feeling the economic pinch. What's slightly different is the way that some of them are handling it. Case in point: when Chrysler puts workers on hiatus, it pays them 70% of their salary and tells 'em to stay home, but Toyota's U.S. factories pay workers their full rate and offer training seminars as well as community volunteer opportunities. Which would you prefer?
• GMAC becomes bank, gets bankrolled: The details of the $6 billion are mind-bogglingly complex, but don't sweat the small stuff: all you really need to know is that GMAC is in better shape than it was before, and folks with credit scores below 700 should have an easier time financing their car purchases. (Or maybe not.) See--how hard was that?
• Locomotion through liposuction: Anyone who's ever snuggled up to a big, greasy cheeseburger knows that fat = flavor. For California doctor Craig Alan Bittner, however, fat = fuel. The enterprising cosmetic surgeon took the fat he'd extracted from his patients and turned it into Beverly Hills biodiesel for his car and that of his girlfriend. Sadly, that's illegal--which is a shame because using oil from our bodies in place of oil from the ground seems like the greenest technology ever.
• Wackiest green cars not necessarily green: In classic year-end fashion, the folks at Hybrid Cars have culled a list of the 10 craziest green concept cars revealed in 2008. They're all fabulously far-fetched, but IMHO, the built-in mood-lighting--and mood-fragrance--of the Citroën Hypnos take it where no car has gone before.
• Toyota recalls over 120,000 cars in China: A recall is better than potential lawsuits to be sure, but I certainly wouldn't want to be the guilty designer. How do you say "ouch" in Mandarin, again?
• Bad driving punished by tunes from the Hoffmeister: Taking a cue from the shock therapy used in days of yore, a group of designers have cobbled together a training device that punishes bad driving with bad music. How bad? I supposes that depends on how much you like David Hasselhoff. (via Jalopnik)
• Lincolns get help with parallel parking: Yes, apparently Ford is adding a self-park system to new models of the Lincoln MKS and MKT (video). That's good news to city dwellers, but old-timers like me can't help looking back fondly on the days of the parking portion of our driving exams. These kids today....yeesh.

--Richard Read

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My, how things have changes: Consider that the 2000 Escalade is credited with helping save Cadillac from certain disaster. Now that vehicle is somewhat of a pariah. Small is the new big, and that's the direction GM is going with their 2010 Cadillac SRX, which will land in dealers this spring. The new, smaller mid-size crossover is no longer built on the CTS's rear-drive Sigma architecture, nor will it offer V-8 power, but it promises to be a better crossover and a better Cadillac.

Regarding styling, the 2010 Cadillac SRX is a huge improvement over the outgoing model, a vehicle that looked too tall and long for its narrow width. The new SRX is more than six inches shorter and two inches wider than the outgoing model. Importantly, there's less front and rear overhang. This combination helps tighten up the crossover's proportions.

Vertically stacked headlights and trapezoidal chrome grille give the SRX a Cadillac family look without it looking cookie cutter. The dramatic side sections out-RX's Lexus's popular RX in terms of style. A powerful character line beginning at the trailing edge of the front wheel well culminates at the taillight lens. These lens looks to be vestigial tailfins, but unlike the fins of the 1950s, this design actually help aerodynamically by breaking the airflow from the body. An integrated spoiler on the rearward edge of the roof extends the sleek lines and improves aerodynamics. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard and 20-inch wheels are offered. We're not so crazy about the side vents.

Inside the 2010 Cadillac SRX, hand-cut-and-sewn coverings on the instrument panel and ambient lighting make for a rich environment. An integrated center stack houses controls for climate and audio systems, while the navigation system rises from the center of the instrument panel just like it does on the current CTS. As is becoming a required bling feature, an illuminated logo glows through the front door sill plates when the doors open (but like lights in refrigerators, how do we know that they turn off?).

Following the trend TheCarConnection.com sees happening from many major manufacturers, the 2010 SRX is doing more with less in the performance department. The outgoing SRX offered a 3.6-liter V-6 and a 4.6-liter V-8. The 2010 SRX comes standard with a new, 260-horsepower 3.0-liter direct injected V-6 engine. This engine is a de-stroked and de-bored version of the well-liked 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 used by GM in many vehicles. Fuel economy figures haven't been released, but highway mpg for the 3.0-liter is expected to be in the mid-20s.

GM's 2.8-liter turbocharged V-6 (used in the Saab 9-3) is optional. Horsepower for the 2.8-liter in this application is expected to be 300 even. The engine performs beautifully in the Saab applications, and should provide plenty of thrust for the SRX.
Both engines utilize a six-speed automatic that powers the front wheels. The new SRX includes a driver-selectable “eco mode” that alters transmission shift points to maximize fuel economy. All-wheel drive is optional, and includes an electronic limited-slip rear differential. The powertrain package provides a towing rating of 3,500 pounds.

Our main concern for the new Cadillac crossover is that the Theta platform has never been much of a performer (the Chevy Equinox/Pontiac Torrent are lame drivers). We fully expect that the SRX's chassis has been properly stiffened to provide the solidity and ride quality befitting the Wreath and Crest, but we'll have to wait and see. The new suspension gives us reason to hope, as it includes a real-time damping system in conjunction with AWD that adjusts shock damping rates in response to road conditions.

Riding on its shortened wheelbase, the 2010 Cadillac SRX gives up its optional seven-passenger seating, but provides plenty of room for five and cargo. The stylish roof rack is optional, and we prefer the look of the vehicle without it.

The 2010 SRX features numerous electronic gadgets and systems. Highlights include adaptive forward lighting that swivels the headlamps in synch with vehicle steering; power liftgate with adjustable height setting (so it doesn't hit your garage door if opened while parked inside); integrated hard disc drive for audio storage and a dual-screen video system for rear entertainment. Bluetooth compatibility is standard, as is OnStar’s turn-by-turn navigation service for buyers who do not opt the car’s navigation system option.

The 2010 Cadillac SRX carries all of the safety equipment one expects in a premium crossover; standard head curtain side airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, safety belts with dual pretensioners and load limiters, trailer stability assist, and OnStar. The SRX also introduces the use of Martensitic steel, one of the strongest available. Its use in the rockers helps protect against intrusion during a side-impact, while also maintaining the structure during front and rear crashes. The SRX hasn't been tested by the government or the IIHS, but we'll keep you posted on results as these tests are completed.

For 2010, Cadillac is going in the right direction with their new SRX. This time, the Lexus RX likely has a genuine competitor to worry about.

We'll bring you more on the SRX next week from the 2009 Detroit auto show--in the meantime, see more photos on our 2010 Cadillac SRX page, and check out GM's video showcase below:

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