If all you care about is big power, the Shelby Super Snake R is a relative bargain. Yes, it starts at $224,995, but that’s almost exactly $100,000 less than a Ford Mustang GTD which, while stunningly capable on a road course, only has 815 horsepower to the Shelby’s 850 hp. If that math works for you, we’ve got good news.
Shelby American just took the wraps off the 2026 Shelby Super Snake—minus the “R.” This version starts at $175,885 but still makes 830 hp if you have the optional Whipple supercharger bolted to its Coyote 5.0-liter V8. It also makes that power on 93-octane fuel, not E85 or any other special blend. Go for natural aspiration and the Super Snake makes the same 480 hp as the Ford Mustang GT on which it’s based. That’s not exactly super.
Customers who don’t opt for the supercharger (which is only available through a post-title installation process) at least get many of the same styling features as the full-fat Super Snake R. That includes a widebody treatment with carbon fiber fenders and aero add-ons like a lower diffuser and splitter wickers. Carbon fiber vents in the aluminum hood, as well as vents in the front fenders that help with airflow management for cooling.
Speaking of cooling, the Super Snake gets a beefier cooling system with a Shelby-specific radiator and heat exchanger. The brake rotors and suspension are upgraded as well, and the Super Snake slithers on 20-inch forged magnesium wheels to shed a bit of unsprung mass. Shelby will build cars with either the six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmissions available in the stock Mustang GT, in either the coupe or convertible body styles.
This being Shelby, there’s also a generous sprinkling of logos and badges. You’ll find Shelby and/or Super Snake callouts on the puddle lamps, door sill plates, seats, and the ball knob on stick-shift cars. That’s in addition to a serialized dash plaque and engine plaque confirming the car’s authenticity as a Shelby American build. Each of the 300 Super Snakes planned for the 2026 model year will be logged in the official Shelby Registry, which tracks all Shelby cars back to the original Cobras.
It may not be the most powerful snake in Shelby’s pit, but the Super Snake still pips the Mustang GTD for even less than its Super Snake R sibling. When you already have over 800 hp, a loss of 20 hp for $50,000 price cut is not a bad deal. As far as tire-smoking muscle cars go, it’s practically sensible.
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