The 900PS Mustang GT500KR is magnificent

Of course, KR was a badge dreamt up in his heyday, with the first GT500KR appearing in 1968. KR literally stands for King of the Road. The last KR was by far the most powerful Shelby Mustang you could buy, appearing in 2008 with 540PS (397kW). This new version breaks no sweat taking that mantle once again.

Marking out as a KR beyond the badge will be a new carbon-fibre bonnet complete with multiple air extraction vents, a bespoke strut system and clips. There's a carbon splitter and rear diffuser along with one-piece forged alloy wheels.

Forcing all that power out of the 5.2-litre V8 is a new 3.8-litre supercharger complete with a new intercooler and heat exchanger. Yes, a supercharger with more capacity than an entire Ferrari F8 Tributo’s engine. 

To help the King sing, there’s a new Borla cat-back exhaust system. The suspension has been rejigged with adjustable springs and active dampers to handle it all, though we suspect even the GT500’s highly capable MagneRide system might have its hands full. Performance spec tyres, half shafts and upgraded wheel studs help the cause too. Should you so wish, options include a Shelby widebody kit, a polished supercharger and painted stripes. We approve of it all in the strongest possible terms.

The cars will be 2020-22 model years, of which just 225 will be made. We’re not expecting that to be a hard and fast figure, given how liberal they were with production limits on the last KR. If there’s demand, they’ll build ‘em. Of the 225-car production run, 180 are earmarked for the US, with 60 being made for each model year to commemorate the 60^th Anniversary of Shelby American. Could you be one of the lucky 45 overseas to pick up what will be the world’s most powerful pony car?

A standard Shelby GT500 will set a buyer back approximately £54,000 in America at the moment. The KR package very nearly doubles that, adding another £41,000. So, UK buyers, that’s around £96,000 before options and before you’ve shouldered the associated costs of getting it over here. We can see particularly cheeky dealers snapping a couple of these up and offering them for upwards of £150,000… Still tempted? Nine hundred horsepower does that to a person.