Going to NAIAS, you’re immediately presented with options.  Those that are good for the family, those that are good for getting around town, those that haul stuff, and those that go fast.  Well, we like the ones that go fast.

If you’re looking for fast cars, there were a lot of great cars here to see, both production and race options.  On the production side, the cars to highlight were the freshly-announced 2020 Toyota Supra and 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, the 2019 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack SRT HEMI, and our personal favorite (ok, and highly biased), the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.  On the race side, there were fantastic examples from Acura (ARX-05 and NSX GT3), Alfa Romeo (Sauber-Ferrari Formula 1 Car), Honda (Chip Ganassi Indy Car), Subaru (WRX STI VT19x Global Rallycross Supercar), Toyota (Gazoo-tuned Supra and Yaris WRC), and several others.  These cars all go seriously fast!

When it comes to purchasing a production car, which type appeals to you most?  A small, nimble vehicle that lets you tune it to meet your ever performance need?  Or a larger-than-life car whose brutal, raw power satisfies your insatiable need for speed.  In this article, we explore production models of both the Tuner and American Muscle options, as experienced from the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.  Specifically, we take a close look at the 2020 Toyota Supra and 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

Toyota Supra vs Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

2020 Toyota Supra

Admittedly, I’ve never been much of a Supra follower, but we had the luck of sitting next to the Toyota Supra’s Product Specialist at breakfast before the show.  We found ourselves in a very unique position, and had the chance to listen and learn, ask questions without judgement, and turn around our minds to see what this Supra was really all about.

Let’s start with some of the photos we took while at the show:

As you can see, there were two instances of the street-legal Supra on display (more on this later).  The car boasts a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter, in-line six-cylinder engine generates 335hp and 365 lb-ft of torque, and is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.  No manual transmission option will be available in the Supra’s 2020 rollout (uggh, perhaps it’s not too late for fans to band together and petition for a stick version!).   For braking and handling, the Supra includes a pretty solid equipment package: standard two-mode adaptive variable suspension (“Normal” and “Sport” settings), active rear differential, 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, Brembo brakes, and a perfect 50/50 front-to-rear weight balance.

In case you haven’t heard yet, the car has BMW DNA.  Yes, that’s right.  The Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 share quite a lot of technology: the B58 engine, the ZF transmission, and the electronic M differential.  Who knows, maybe more elements of the BMW platform found it’s way into the Supra.  It’s probably not a move that Supra purists would approve of, but from Toyota’s perspective the collaboration with BMW yields high benefits.

By the way, did we mention that the first 2020 Supra (tagged as VIN 20201) just sold for $2.1 Million at Barrett-Jackson?  That’s pretty insane?  See the article here:

The First 2020 Toyota Supra Just Sold For $2.1 Million, and Everybody is Freaking Out

The Supra is an interesting car.  A seriously interesting one, and that’s even before you have a look at where the Toyota Gazoo Racing team is taking it:

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

The GT500 is a very awesome car.  Everything about it seemed right: its stance, its look, the aggressive vibe it exhibits.  It got a lot of attention at NAIAS, and for good reason: this is the most powerful Mustang ever built.

Despite the crowds, this picture of the GT500 didn’t come out half bad:

The GT500 is powered by a supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 equipped with a 2.65-liter supercharger that Ford engineers assure us will generate more than 700 hp and over 600 lb-ft of torque.  That’s an awesome setup for a production car!  But, alas, Ford is not offering a manual option for us old guys, and interested buyers must learn to live with a Tremec-sourced seven-speed twin-clutch automatic.  I’m sure it shifts as smooth as butter, but to me the driver/car connection that only a stick offers will be missed.

Ford worked hard to reduce the weight both in the front and rear, and all versions of the GT500 will feature electronically adjustable magnetic shocks and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.   The Carbon Fiber Track package is where it’s at for those of us that need a little more adrenaline running through our veins.  More downforce comes from a carbon-fiber GT4 wing and a front splitter reduces any front-end lift.  Add the special “handling package” for camber adjustments and 20-inch carbon-fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, and you’ll be someone to reckon with at the track.

The first GT500 also commanded an amazing price at Barrett-Jackson.  A whopping $1.1 Million (wow, that’s still $1 Million less than the Toyota Supra auctioned for at the same auction!).  See here for the full story:

This $1.1M 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will help kids with diabetes

Our Conclusion

NAIAS was a very exciting show, and among the awesome cars and trucks announced, the Toyota Supra and the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 really stood out.  Both are great cars and I’m certain would offer their driver (and passengers) incredible fun, but in reviewing both we cast our vote for the Mustang.  Here’s why:

• Appearance: the stance of the Mustang has to appeal to any red-blooded human.
• Authenticity: the Supra’s hybrid Toyota/BMW platform is cool, but lacks the fidelity of its “all American” counterpart.
• Aggression: twice the horsepower, twice the fun.
• Appreciation: despite flattening the Mustang at Barrett-Jackson, we believe the Supra will be outdone by the Mustang over time with regard to value retention and future dividends worthy of a collectible muscle car.

All of this said, both cars let us down a bit by not offering a manual transmission.  Some of us still like them.  Let’s see where the market heads and if Ford, Toyota, and others will breathe new life into their manual transmission cars.