Camaro ZL1 1LE Rival: 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 Leaked

The internet is very good at spoiling surprises, and it appears the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the latest victim. Leaked photos show the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE rival on stage at an event before an anticipated debut at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.

We have to believe the photos seen here are legitimate, as it would be incredibly difficult to mock up the light reflections on the car. The photos come from Instagram user sinister_lifestyle who claims the photos are not his, but a “repost” with his own watermark. How he obtained the photos is anyone’s guess, but we imagine someone snapped a few shots at Ford’s dealer meeting this past week in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While we have our first look at the hottest sixth-generation Mustang yet, we still don’t know how it will perform against Chevrolet’s Camaro ZL1 1LE. The Camaro makes 650 horsepower from its 6.2-liter LT4 supercharged V8 engine and features incredible amounts of aero trickery to make it a true track machine.

Ford Authority reported the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 will pack at least 700 hp, possibly from a bored and supercharged version of the Coyote V8 displacing 5.2 liters. Other speculative info suggests power will funnel through a carbon-fiber driveshaft into a 3.73:1 rear axle. But, the Mustang GT500 could also be a hefty thing. Curb weight is rumored to tip the scales at 4,225 pounds, which is quite a bit heavier than the Camaro ZL1 1LE, which weighs around 3,850 pounds.

The Mustang’s power could help it overcome any weight penalties, however, especially noting some reports peg the GT500 to pack 720 hp.

Ford could have a legitimate shot at taking down the track-honed Camaro ZL1 1LE, but we won’ know until next year. However, the Camaro team has been surprisingly quiet on one highly anticipated sixth-generation Camaro variant: the Z/28.