Leaked Document Hints at New Shelby GT500

Ford has a stable of potential Mustang variants that it could surprise us with at any moment. Product planners had the Mach 1 for the previous-gen pony, and it’s been over a decade since we last saw a Boss 302. Those are certainly iconic cars fans love, but the Shelby Mustangs get much of the attention, so a document allegedly from a local UAW branch purporting that a new GT500 is coming soon caught ours.

The memo, posted to the Mustang subreddit, says that Dearborn Engine Plant (DEP) will add an afternoon shift to its “niche assembly line” to accommodate a volume increase that’s allegedly for the 2026 Mustang Shelby GT500, which is where Ford builds the F-150 Raptor R motor. It says, “I can’t wait until we start building engines for such an iconic vehicle with an engine that will be named Legend.”

The only identifying information on the document is a URL to UAW Local 600, which represents workers at the plant. We reached out to the union office to confirm the memo’s authenticity, but haven’t heard back. We’ll update this story if we do.

When reached by Motor1, a Ford spokesperson told us the company can’t comment on speculation.

Ford hit the ground running with the launch of the seventh-generation Mustang in 2023, quickly introducing high-performance variants of its iconic pony car like the Dark Horse and GTD. It also recently introduced the EcoBoost RTR, which borrows parts from the Dark Horse.

But if Ford continues to operate as it has, these special editions will exist for a few years before making room for something else, which may include a new GT500. We’ll have to wait to see.