Sorry, Liam Neeson, But The Real 'Mongoose' Star Is The Shelby Super Snake

Hollywood is set to witness Liam Neeson action-packed thriller, "The Mongoose." The movie, scheduled to hit theaters this October, follows a celebrated war veteran who embarks on a cross-country car chase after fleeing a crime scene. At least, that's what we know from the trailer. The car that Neeson seems to be piloting is the latest-generation Ford Mustang S650. But mind you, it's no ordinary Mustang. Car nerds would've immediately spotted the Shelby logo on the trunk, so for us — and no disrespect to Mr Neeson — the real star in "The Mongoose" is the 2026 Shelby Super Snake.

From everyone's favorite movie cars like Steve McQueen's 1968 Highland Green Fastback to John Wick's infamous Boss 429, it's certainly not the first time a Mustang has made its presence felt on the silver screen. What makes the 2026 Super Snake special, however, is that it's essentially a bargain GTD. The latest Super Snake is pretty much a re-engineered Mustang GT sprinkled with the familiar Shelby magic. It is capable of producing up to 830 horsepower while retaining Ford's factory powertrain warranty.

Priced at around $180,000, the Super Snake is by no means cheap, but it's still a heck of a lot more accessible (and15 horses more powerful) than Ford's eye-wateringly expensive track special Mustang. For someone seemingly well-off, like the dude Neeson confronts and "borrows" the car from, the Shelby's sticker price is likely pocket change. Still, evading spike strips and being chased by helicopters are probably not things the owner would have had in mind. But Neeson (or, most likely, a stunt driver) sure does make it look exciting.

This is a limited-run Mustang, with Shelby planning only 300 units for the U.S. market. Secondly, there are two Super Snakes to choose from — a regular 830-horsepower model and a spicier Super Snake-R that adds another $50,000 over the standard version. As of this writing, Shelby American is not taking reservations for the Super Snake-R.

The Super Snake can be ordered with a Whipple supercharger atop the 5.0-liter Coyote V8, but should you prefer your Super Snake naturally aspirated, Shelby will sell you one without the supercharger fitted, keeping the output unchanged at 480 horsepower. You may choose between automatic and manual transmissions, but if equipped with the six-speed manual, you get a short-throw shifter included. Twenty-inch forged magnesium wheels and stickier tires are standard, as are upgraded brake rotors, Shelby's extreme cooling system, and a Borla exhaust. While the interior is mostly the usual Shelby embroidery, lots of carbon fiber parts are offered on the exterior, including a rear wing, diffuser, and hood extractors.

Whereas the "standard" Super Snake is based on the GT, the R model uses the Dark Horse as its foundation and takes it further with widebody styling. Not only that, but the engine is also tweaked to produce more than 850 horsepower. Positioned as more of a track car, the Super Snake-R gets a lot of extra goodies, including front and rear sway bars, two-piece slotted brake rotors, and fully adjustable coilover suspension with caster-camber plates.

While the movie car looks like the standard Super Snake, judging by the wheels, we're not certain whether an actual Super Snake was used or if a regular Mustang was dressed up to look like one. In any case, it's one more Mustang on the silver screen.