The horsepower wars just got a little bit more interesting as Ford announced the final SAE ratings for the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 engine in the 2013 Shelby GT500.

When the Blue-Oval revealed the Coupe and Convertible versions of the new GT500, it said the force-fed V8 produced an estimated 650 ponies and 600 lb-ft (814Nm) of peak torque, but according to the SAE ratings released by Ford today, the eight-cylinder unit has a peak output of 662-horsepower and 631 lb.-ft. (856Nm) of torque.

Ford says that these results make the supercharged engine the most powerful production V8 in the world – though we think you will agree that the definition of “production V8” can be a little subjective.

In any case, the output numbers are an impressive feat for a model that starts at US$54,200 (€41,200) for the coupe version and US$59,200 (€45,000) for its open-top sibling (excluding a $795 destination fee).

In comparison, the GT500’s closest rival, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 SAE-rated at 580HP and 556 lb.-ft. of torque (754 Nm).

“Our goal is to create outstanding all-around performance cars, not just stoplight-to-stoplight sprinters,” commented Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. “We’ve backed up this amazing powerplant with a more refined chassis tuning that helps keep the rubber on the pavement without punishing the driver’s spine and six-pot Brembo brakes that dissipate speed with ease stop after stop.”

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