2026 Shelby Super Snake-R Mustang Is An 850+ HP Beast That's Ready To Slay The Track
Shelby American, the almost synonymous name behind high-performance Ford Mustangs, has unveiled its most potent creation to date: the 2026 Shelby Super Snake R. Making its debut during Monterey Car Week, this limited-edition prototype is not merely a Super Snake with more power; it is an entirely new breed of track-focused machine designed to give GTD and Dark Horse owners some buyer's remorse.
The "R" designation, a first for the Super Snake lineage, stands for Race, and Shelby totally means it. Built on the already strong bones of the Mustang Dark Horse, the Super Snake R takes everything to an extreme. Under its aggressive aluminum hood lies a supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V8 lump, which, thanks to a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger and an enhanced cooling system, now churns out 850+ horsepower (eclipsing the similarly track-ready GTD by at least 35 hp).
But the Super Snake R is about more than just brute force as Shelby has re-engineered the car's dynamics for the circuit. The standard suspension is replaced with a fully adjustable coil-over system featuring solid metal spherical bearings and a rear harness strut bar, which are claimed to give the car a level of poise and connection never before seen in a Super Snake. Vince LaViolette, Shelby American's VP of Operations, proudly stated that the R model boasts "the best handling prowess we've ever offered in the history of the car."
Visually, the car is a wide-body through and through. Metallic wide-body fenders, a suite of carbon fiber aero components including a massive pedestal wing, front splitter, and rear diffuser, create a menacing aesthetic but also functionally serve as critical aero. With all the added equipment, the Super Snake R weighs 4,004 lbs (116 more than the Dark Horse donor car), but let's not forget: the R is 40% more powerful.
For those pining for a chance to own this special piece of automotive history, the Shelby Super Snake R will have a starting price of $225k, which includes the cost of the base Mustang Dark Horse. Buyers can choose between a purist-pleasing six-speed manual transmission or (heaven-forbid) 10-speed automatic. Each car will be documented in the official Shelby Registry and come with a 3-year/36k mile limited warranty.
