If you've followed our blogs on the 2011 Mustang, you're aware of my stance on the car.  I love the styling, and the idea of the 5.0 engine under the hood.  I am a little disappointed that the current 4.6 3-valve didn't get the 5.0's displacement, and with a longer stay in the new Mustang, but, I'm very excited about that pretty chrome 5.0 fender badge that's been missing since 1993.  I just watched the Barrett-Jackson auction, where Ford sold the 2011 Daytona 500 Mustang Pace Car.  I got chills when Ford's reps spoke about the "legendary" 5.0 moniker.  Finally, the 5.0 is getting acknowledged for what fox-body fans already knew....

The 5.0 is one of the greatest factory performance platforms in history.  In the lightweight 79-93 Mustangs, the engine provided the basis for 15 years of performance, and an unprecidented aftermarket following that's still going strong today.  The engine set the course for the last 30 years of the American performance car.

I'm anxious to see if the aftermarket takes hold of the new 5.0 as well as it did the pushrod version.  In the meantime, one famous tuner has already put the new 5.0 through its paces, as well as added a Whipple supercharger to the brand-new mill.

That tuner is Carroll Shelby, and the car is the not-yet-released 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350.  The GT-350 has returned from a 40 year hiatus.  Why the resurgence?  Carroll blames the return on the legendary 5.0 nameplate.

Think about that.  Ford higher-ups, and Carroll Shelby himself are considering our beloved 5.0 nameplate as the heritage behind not only the new 2011 Mustang GT, but the 2011 Shelby GT350!

Take a look at Motor Trend's review of the GT-350 prototype, and interview with Mr. Shelby.  Long live the 5.0!