Is the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Going to Return in 2026?

The Nurburgring-smashing Ford Mustang GTD promises to be the most extreme version of the pony car that we’ve ever seen. That said, getting your hands on one of the limited-production, $300,000-plus machines isn’t exactly as easy as heading to the dealer. But according to a post on the r/Mustang Reddit page, that racing-inspired pony might not be Ford's only super-potent Mustang for long; A document that appears to be a leaked memo from a branch of the United Auto Workers shared on the site appears to confirm the existence of a Shelby GT500 coming for 2026.

The memo, which features the URL to the UAW Local 600 website at the bottom, details some recent adjustments within Ford’s Dearborn Engine Plant. While most of the piece focuses on Ford’s profit-driving items within the plant, it makes mention of potentially adding shifts to the plant’s Niche engine line, which produces the supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 for the F-150 Raptor R. The reason for that expansion is what really caught the eye of fans, as the memo bluntly calls out the 2026 Shelby GT500 as the culprit.

“I can’t wait until we start building engines for such an iconic vehicle with an engine that will be named Legend,” the UAW 600-branded memo continues.

R&T has not been able to confirm the authenticity of these documents. We've reached out to both Ford and the UAW Local 600 for clarification, and will update this story with any additional comments or context provided.

Ford has been quite cagey about the Shelby nameplates during the S650-generation Mustang era. Ford has seemingly looked to separate itself from the icons with its latest track-focused machines like the Dark Horse and GTD, which carry no mention of the previous range toppers. Shelby American themselves have even started using the GT350 name again for their own S650-based build, further hinting that Ford is done with the badge. They’ve said nothing about the GT500 thus far, however.

It isn’t shocking to hear that a GT500 could be in the works. The model has served as the range topper since the S197 generation, with the outgoing S550 model representing a high point with fans. While the GTD technically sits in that slot now, it’s not even in the same pricing galaxy as the older blown ‘Stangs. Ford and the UAW also agreed to keep building that car’s 5.2-liter V-8 through at least 2028 in their last contract, which should run past the limited production run of GTD. Unless the automaker plans to sell a bunch of Raptor Rs, that production capability will be used for something else.

Don’t expect the same old Predator V-8, however. Given how potent Chevrolet’s LT7 V-8 has proved to be, we wouldn’t be shocked to see Ford push the 5.2-liter towards the 1000-hp mark. Such an engine would certainly be deserving of a name like Legend, though how they'd accomplish that is just speculation at this point. All I know is that I want FoMoCo to get busy prepping the debut.

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