Ford did a good job of stealing the spotlight from Chevrolet’s ZL1 Camaro at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show by announcing a 650-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT500 . As if that wasn’t enough, the automaker further upgraded the car’s transmission, suspension and brakes, making the 2013 Shelby GT500 more track-ready than its predecessors.

In other words, Ford wants to ensure that the 200-mile-per-hour-plus 2013 GT500 is the baddest pony car of all time, right out of the gate.

We now know what the starting price for all that velocity will be: according to Ford’s retail site, the new Shelby GT500 will begin at a reasonable $54,200, excluding destination charge. If you prefer a topless GT500, the price of admission begins at $59,200, also excluding destination charge.

Opt for the SVT Performance Package, which includes a Torsen limited-slip differential, 19-inch forged-aluminum front wheels, 20-inch forged-aluminum rear wheels, Bilstein adjustable dampers, unique rear springs, a unique instrument cluster and an SVT gear shift knob, and the price increases by $3,495.

If you want the Electronics Package, which adds things like voice-guided navigation, HD radio and dual zone climate control, that’s $2,340. The leather-wrapped Recaro seats? Another $1,595.

That puts the price of a well-equipped Shelby GT500 coupe at $62,425, including the required $795 destination charge. A loaded Shelby GT500 convertible will sticker at $5,000 more, coming in at $67,425.

Even in base trim, the GT500 is priced on par with the $54,095 Camaro ZL1, so the question really boils down to this: are you a Ford guy, or a Chevy guy?