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2019 Detroit Auto Show biggest debuts: Shelby Mustang GT500, Ford Explorer and more

The 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit opens to the public on Saturday, Jan. 19. Here are the biggest things you can't miss from the show floor, including the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 and the 2020 Ford Explorer.

Tim Stevens Former editor at large for CNET Cars
Tim Stevens got his start writing professionally while still in school in the mid '90s, and since then has covered topics ranging from business process management to video game development to automotive technology.
Tim Stevens

It was a little difficult to find a trend at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but that doesn't mean there aren't some incredible cars on the show floor that you absolutely have to see. Top of the list? It has to be the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The latest generation of this iconic pony car is Ford's most powerful yet, with somewhere north of 700 horsepower. It's aimed squarely at the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, but the Shelby is intended more for use on the racetrack than for straight-line drag performance.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a friendlier brawler

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If 700 horsepower sounds impressive, how about 1,000 pound-feet of torque? That's the rating of the new Ram Heavy Duty, which has a maximum tow rating of 35,100 pounds. That's a ridiculous figure, seemingly enough to trailer every other car on the show floor at once.

2019 Ram Heavy Duty has all the torque

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But the debut that will almost certainly sell the most is the 2020 Ford Explorer. Sure, not as exciting as either the new Ford Ranger or Ford Bronco, the new Explorer rides on a 6.3-inch longer wheelbase and will come in a variety of flavors, including a new hybrid. Pricing and fuel economy figures, though, are still to be determined. 

2020 Ford Explorer is better in almost every way

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