--- title: "2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec Is Australia’s 700-HP Shelby GT500 Alternative" description: "Given the Shelby GT500's absence Down Under, Ford Australia made its own supercharged ’Stang complete with a six-speed manual." date: "2019-10-09" modified: "2019-10-09" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/30286/2020-ford-mustang-r-spec-is-australias-700-hp-shelby-gt500-alternative" categories: - "Ford News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Coupe" - "Ford" - "Mustang" - "sports car" --- # 2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec Is Australia’s 700-HP Shelby GT500 Alternative ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Over the summer, Ford declared that it had no plans to sell the most powerful Mustang in the marque's history—the [2020 Mustang Shelby GT500]()—in Australia. The land that gave us the word "hoon" couldn't stand for that and devised its own answer to the GT500, which it calls the Mustang R-Spec. ![message-editor%2F1570635480740-ega\_56guwaasuma-2.jpeg]() *2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec, *Ford Australia** The R-Spec wouldn't be a competitor to the GT500 without enough horsepower to reverse the Earth's rotation, so Ford Australia will answer the Shelby by installing a Ford Performance Roush 2650 supercharger kit in every Mustang R-Spec. They haven't officially stated how much power R-Specs will make, but [Roush]() says that this same kit will kick the Mustang GT's 5.0-liter Coyote V8 up to a mighty 700 horsepower and 610 pound-feet of torque. All that power gushes to the rear wheels through, thankfully, a six-speed manual gearbox (the GT500's 10-speed automatic is nowhere to be seen). As this makes the Mustang's rear end even livelier than usual, Ford Australia will also fit the R-Spec with a MagneRide Handling Pack, 19-inch alloy wheels, and a big old rear spoiler for maximum stability at the speeds easily attained with 700 horses. ![message-editor%2F1570636447438-ega\_56guyaa5uxv-2.jpeg]() *2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec, *Ford Australia** Only 500 Mustang R-Specs will be built, each with a numbered plaque. Anyone spending the $99,980 AUD (about $67,300 USD) on one will want their entire neighborhood to know they have one of the meanest Mustangs ever made by Ford, and fortunately for them, Ford will cram R-Spec logos appear anywhere they fit. R-Specs will only be available in blinding colors, and with racing stripes, so there'll be no confusing them for lesser GTs. ![2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec]() *2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec* *, *Ford Australia** ![2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec]() *2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec* *, *Ford Australia** ![2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec]() *2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec* *, *Ford Australia** ![2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec]() *2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec* *, *Ford Australia** Should you feel jealous of Australia's warrantied, 700-horsepower, manual-box Mustangs, don't fret. We Americans have the option to buy [the 808-horsepower Mustang GT Gulf Heritage edition](), which trounces the R-Spec by 108 horse and 65 torque in addition to being available as a convertible. Be prepared to pay if you want one of these, though, as they come in at almost $140,000—more than twice the price of an R-Spec. Hey, it's a Free Country™. ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]()