Carroll Shelby and Ford Mustang. Two names that together have defined American muscle cars for an amazing 45 years. And this is their latest effort, the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500. With fresh hardware from Ford, and fresh inspiration from Shelby, it’s once again poised to conquer just about anything covered with asphalt. So, let’s get to it!

The story of the Ford Shelby GT500 began in 1967 with a menacing double dose of power and style.  Four decades later, in 2007, Carroll Shelby’s masterpiece was reborn in 21st century fashion. And for 2010, the Ford-Shelby partnership grows stronger as the latest GT500 is meaner than ever.

Pumping this stallion’s heart blood is the SVT limited edition GT500KR’s 5.4-liter Supercharged V8.  Horsepower is up 40 to 540, and torque is up 30 to 510 pound-feet over the previous model.  Peak output comes from an intercooled roots-type supercharger, now with nine pounds of added boost.

Sending heaps of power to a shorter 3.55 limited slip rear diff is a re-geared six-speed manual with its iconic cue ball shifter.

Down the long from straight of Savannah’s Roebling Road raceway, our Mustang roared to 60 in 4.5 seconds, and swallowed up the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds at 112 miles per hour.  The GT500’s fat power band delivers full tilt power all the way.  The exhaust growl combined with the supercharger whine doesn’t just sound scary, it’s flat-out nightmarish.

New SVT suspension tuning was aimed at improving the car’s dynamics. Also to help, new Goodyear F1 Supercar tires on special alloy wheels–19-inchers on the coupe, 18s on the convertible. Stability control is newly standard too, with normal and Sport modes, but can also be turned off.

But even with enhancements, the GT500's full throttle handling remains generally mediocre, especially compared to the Corvettes and Porsches of the world. In Roebling's tight turns, it comes off big and lumbering. With a minimum 3,900-pound curb weight, and relatively soft springs, we were surprised by so much front push and body roll.

But, back off a bit, say to about 80 percent max power, and everything changes. Now the GT500 maneuvers beautifully. Turn-ins are crisp and steering is very responsive. The GT500's power lets you blast out of corners, and the rear can easily be coaxed out by throttle with the ESP off. Also, the shifter works great on the track. Its pattern is tight and just right. And the pedal setup is perfect for "heel and toe" driving.

So, it's only when you push this pony car toward its limits that it scares you off. But that disappointment in a track test makes it one secure high performance car for the street. Indeed, the Shelby GT500 is the ideal backroad entertainer, and when the pavement gets rough, it won't shake your fillings loose like most track stars.

In terms of reeling it all in, the GT500's four-wheel disc ABS setup uses Brembo four-piston calipers up front. Stops were stable and averaged 130 feet, which is OK, but we expected better. Now onto the aggressive cosmetics, always a big part of a Shelby named effort. Most obvious are the signature twin racing stripes, now newly available on the droptop version.

For a meaner front-end, the hood and front fascia now shroud the waffled grille and lower air intake. The coiled Cobra is still there, but new is the front splitter and optional auto headlights. Follow the sharp but broken shoulder line back to a new lower-drag "Gurney Flap" rear spoiler and dual four-inch stainless exhaust tips.

Inside, the familiar four-seat twin-cockpit Mustang cabin is more refined than ever. This classic interior now displays far better materials and craftsmanship. The instrument panel features real aluminum to highlight the SVT-style gauge cluster. Sport seats are leather with embroidered snakes and new Alcantara racing stripe inserts that mimic those on the exterior.

The beefy three-spoke steering wheel wears a hissing snake as well. New technology for the GT500 includes Ford Sync with 911 Assist, as well as an SOS Post-Crash Alert System. And the standard Shaker stereo with CD-changer provides high octane tunes to accompany some serious performance driving. Being a Mustang, the GT500 does have rear seats, but they're way too tight for pretty much any adult to be comfortable.

But here's a surprise-Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 city/22 highway. So even with more power, the highway rating is 10% greener than last year. As to how much green you need to lay down, the Shelby GT500 starts at $48,575 for the coupe, and $53,575 for the convertible, which includes a $1000 gas guzzler tax. That's more than a base Corvette, but way less than a 911 or a Viper.

It's fast, it's mean, and it's historic. The 2010 Shelby GT500 is modern Detroit muscle in its purest form. On the track, we admit, it doesn't feel quite at home. But anywhere else, everywhere else, this classic beast rules the roads.

Hyundai turned the page on their lineup when they launched the three-row Palisade crossover utility 4 years ago. Still the same Hyundai value we loved, but with more luxury, and more room for growing families. Now for their next big hit, it looks like Hyundai is working on their night moves.

If you’ve been following the auto industry, you’ve probably noticed a darkness setting in. No, we’re not talking about EV mandates, we’re talking about the increasing number of manufacturers invoking darkness or using some reference to the color black to create special editions of their vehicles or note their highest trim level. Well, that’s what we have here with the 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Night Edition, a way to take the range-topping Calligraphy trim to an even higher level of exclusivity.

Available in either Abyss Black or this Hyper White, the Night Edition applies a dark chrome treatment to the grille, rear bumper, and door moldings. There’s also glossy black trim for both the front and rear fascias, as well as the roof rails, while door handles are now body color. Finishing it off are 20-inch “black liquid” wheels and unique finishes for all logos including the HTRAC badge that signifies all-wheel drive, which is standard here in the Calligraphy Night Edition, optional on most lesser Palisades.

All-wheel drives get additional Snow and Tow driving modes, as well as the ability to lock in a 50/50 torque split. All Palisades share the same V6 engine, a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter unit which produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Nothing changes there, but it’s more than enough to move this big utility down the road with ease and pull 5,000 lbs. of trailer, aided by the standard eight-speed automatic transmission. In addition to steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, minimal buttons for controlling the transmission share space on a rising center console which also houses the touch sensitive climate controls. On top of the dash sits a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation standard on all Palisades. A separate 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster resides in front of the driver on Limited trim and above.

As for the rest of the interior, Night Editions adds a unique blackout theme with some added dark aluminum trim and devilish 630 watts of Harmon Kardon premium audio. There are also some exclusive premium micro-suede materials on the seats, though most of our staff felt they didn’t seem quite as luxurious as the Nappa leather seats in the regular Calligraphy. Second row captain’s chairs here of course, plus a power folding third row that holds three Palisades come as both seven or right seaters with up to 16 cupholders! There’s also adequate room for adults in that third row, though seating comfort drastically improves moving forward. Cargo capacity remains a strong point for the Palisade, with 18.0 cubic-feet available behind the third row, 45.8 behind the second, and a max of 86.4 with all seatbacks folded.

At Mason Dixon Dragway, the Night Edition delivered a moderate dose of power, enough to battle a little wheel spin off the line leading to a steady jog to 60 of 7.6 seconds; about a half second slower than the last Palisade we tested. Gear changes happened smoothly, causing minor power flow pauses throughout the quarter-mile, completed in 15.8 seconds at a respectable 90 mph.

This big unibody bruiser is suspended with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link independent setup in back. They provided a surprisingly nimble platform for shuffling through our handling course. There was a reasonable amount of feedback through the steering wheel, helping us stay on top of the slight understeer that we encountered. There was very soft pedal action in our panic braking runs, along with a reasonable amount of nosedive, but 102-foot stops from 60 rate great!

All Palisades come with a healthy complement of active safety features like Lane Keeping Assist and Highway Driving Assist, while Calligraphies add a more advanced Parking Collision Avoidance Assist system. With all-wheel drive, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19 City, 24 Highway, and 21 Combined.

Even with the Night Edition establishing a new high mark, it’s still priced less than many large three-row utilities at $55,245. That’s $3,500 over the standard Calligraphy, and about $17,000 more than the base SE Palisade.

So, when it comes to this 2024 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Night Edition, there’s no need to be afraid of the dark. The only thing lurking in the shadows here is more tremendous value, something that Hyundai has been bringing to light for years and years.