Ford has announced the launch of a record-breaking V8 engine, debuting in the Shelby GT500 this week, ahead of its Los Angeles Auto Show debut.

The new 2013 Ford Shelby GT 500 contains a 5.8-liter supercharged V8 producing 650 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque, making it (by Ford’s reckoning) the most powerful production V8 engine in the world.

The model boasts a top speed of more than 200 mph (320 km/h), helped by its 3,850-pound light weight and a six-speed manual transmission, with Ford’s high-performance SVT team individually tuning nearly every vehicle system for power.

One of the principal modifications is a larger, more efficient supercharger that helps to create the 650 hp, along with a new cooling system to relieve the 5.8-liter engine.

Ford has also fitted a launch control system to optimize launch traction depending on surface and temperature and fitted the car with Brembo brakes, with a package allowing the addition of SVT-designed Bilstein electronc adjustable dampeners.

The model will be on show, alongside its nemesis, the redesigned Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens to the public November 18.