Ford F-150 Shelby Super Snake 2019 Review

Ford's F-Series trucks have never appealed to shy, retiring types, but this Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake takes extroversion to another plane, courtesy of a mechanical and cosmetic makeover by Shelby American.

Founded by late racing great Carroll Shelby, Shelby American has produced all manner of performance cars since the early 1960s, and today continues to weave its magic over donor models like Ford's Mustang, Raptor and F-150, in addition to various iterations of the iconic Cobra two-seater roadster.

This Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake is street-focused pickup with lowered suspension, but Shelby also produces a lifted and off-road-ready Ford Shelby F-150 as well as a Ford Shelby Raptor based the full-size American model (not the 'mid-size' Ranger-based model sold here).

Shelby American produces the F-150 Super Snake in limited runs of 150 units, of which Melbourne-based Harrison F-Trucks secures a handful of examples for Australia, utilising a local team of auto engineering specialists to carry out the right-hand drive conversion.

Harrison F-Trucks says it's sold nine examples here in Australia over the past 18 or so months, so any Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake buyer would be pretty unlucky to find themselves pulling alongside another one at the lights. And the truck reviewed here is the last of the most recent batch of 2018 model-year trucks – the first of the next batch is probably at least a year away.

At the heart of this Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake lies Ford's Coyote V8 – a 5.0-litre petrol V8 also found under the bonnet of the Ford Mustang GT. While Shelby also produces the dual-cab Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake in normally aspirated form in both 4x2 and 4x4 drivelines, it's the most potent, supercharged model brought by Harrison F-Trucks to Australia, in a 4x4 format.

In addition to the Whipple supercharger, Shelby has added an open-air performance intake, a heat exchanger, billet throttle body, tuned suspension, and a Borla performance exhaust system with dual polished tips, with the upgrades pushing power to a claimed 755hp (563kW). Curiously, Shelby doesn't quote a maximum torque figure – just rest assured it's ample…

Then there are all the cosmetics: the Shelby 22-inch polished rims with 305/45 Toyo Proxes STIII tyres, the unique Shelby bodywork, the hard tonneau cover, the honeycomb racing grille insert, the paint job with hallmark Shelby striping, plus Shelby badging and decals at every turn.

Our test vehicle is resplendent in Oxford White with blue stripes, but – if you're lucky enough to secure one – Shelby produces these trucks in a variety of hues.

Once you've moved past the jaw-dropping exterior, the special treatment continues inside with leather upholstery with embroidered Shelby snakes on the front seats, billet racing pedals, tinted windows, Shelby snake badging on the centre console, lashings of carbon-fibre trim, and the unique CSM (Carroll Shelby Manufacturing) vehicle number on a plaque on the glove box, certifying its authenticity as a genuine Shelby creation.

While the suspension has been lowered, it's still a bit of a step up for most to swing in behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel – thankfully there's an A-pillar grab handle to assist the ascent.

The quality of the conversion to right-hand drive is evident in how you need to look closely to spot the tell-tale signs – the dead pedal in the passenger foot well, the passenger-side bonnet release, the offset opener for the glove box, the reversed stereo volume/tuner knobs and so on. The analogue speedo and tacho are reversed too, not that that's cause for any concern.

The cab is a comfortable and opulent place to be. There's acres of room front and back – it's typical full-size American pickup in this respect – but the Shelby badging, the leather and the carbon fibre elevate the ambience well beyond anything you'd readily associate with a ute.

It's just about got the lot as far as accessories and features go, boasting everything from a two-panel moonroof to heated and ventilated front seats, keyless entry and starting, a marine-carpeted rear tub, plus the full gamut of passive and active safety systems. This extends from collision warning and autonomous emergency braking to adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, Ford's emergency assist and more.

The attractive central TFT dash display is complemented by a large multimedia touchscreen with all the usual Ford SYNC 3 infotainment features, including comprehensive voice command system and satellite navigation, while there's masses of storage in the centre console bin, the large glove box, in the door side pockets and beneath the second-row seating.

Still, the features list pales into insignificance the moment you push the start button and that V8 erupts into life. There's a soulful rumble to the Borla performance exhaust, capped off nicely by the high-pitched whine of the supercharger.

The soundtrack lends a real sense of anticipation to driving this truck and once you've selected 'drive' and eased on the gas, it surely doesn't disappoint. This a large and heavy vehicle but when the hammer drops all the might and fury of that supercharged V8 launches this behemoth at the horizon with electrifying pace, those fat Toyos scrabbling for every available bit of traction as the 10-speed auto deftly swaps through its cogs.

I was limited to public roads for this review but I'd give my first-born (sorry, son…) to get this thing out on a race track or drag strip – it hauls like no truck I've ever driven before.

Best of all, the engine is super-responsive at all road speeds, and if you're gentle with the pedal it's just a big pussy cat around town. It’s Jekyll and Hyde on four wheels – a picture of civility for the most part, with a psycho streak ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice.

When you do choose to unleash the beast, the tacho needle sweeps around to its 5750rpm indicated redline with dizzying speed, while nearby lights blur ala the Millennium Falcon in hyperspace. Button off just before the legal limit and, just like that, life returns to normal. It's addictive and thoroughly intoxicating…

Just want to cruise? The Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake couldn't be more accommodating. Noise, vibration and harshness is well and truly tamed, and it lopes along at 100km/h in tenth gear at a lazy 1500rpm.

The suspension really accentuates the sports performance, too. The ride is supple and compliant on typical Aussie roads but there's very little body roll through the bends and the neutral steering makes for an easy, relaxed drive.

As a dual-cab Supercrew model, this is at heart still a family lifestyle vehicle and it retains all of the toy-hauling and load-lugging credentials that have helped make Ford's F-Series trucks America's best-selling vehicles since the mid-'80s.

In the case of our test truck, Harrison F-Trucks says it offers a four-tonne towing capacity and a maximum payload of roughly 700kg, while it comes equipped with a towbar, electronic brake controller, and a trailer reversing assist system.

Of course its size means city U-turns are often three-point affairs and it's a pesky thing to park. It'll be a squeeze to get into some multi-storey car parks despite the lowered stance, but thankfully there are front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera setup and even electronic park assist to help get the job done. And on the street, at least you'll be looking mighty stylish while you're prowling for a suitably spacious park!

And while no-one entertains buying a vehicle like this for its green credentials, I can report that over the couple of days this vehicle was in my care, the trip computer reported an average fuel economy that hovered between 15.0L/100km in general use, to 20.0L/100km in stop-start city traffic. At least it has an idle-stop system to try and soften the blow…

The Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake is exceptional in every way – looks, performance, handling (for a truck), features, and price. Needless to say, wallflowers need not apply – they'll soon tire of other drivers (ute owners, mainly) drawing alongside in traffic, honking their horn and giving a 'thumbs up', likewise the barrage of questions from passers-by when parked up.

However, if over-the-top automotive attitude pushes your buttons, you're going to fall head over heels for this A-grade example of prime American beef…

How much does the 2019 Ford Shelby F-150 Super Snake cost?
Price: $249,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 5.0-litre eight-cylinder supercharged-petrol
Output: 563kW (755hp)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: See text
CO2: N/A
Safety Rating: N/A