NEW YORK — The 500-horsepower Ford Shelby GT500 was named the top performance vehicle in the 2007 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Awards.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon won in the off-roading category, while the Volkswagen GTI earned honors as the vehicle that offers the most "driving fun."

The Shelby GT500 is equipped with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 and a six-speed manual transmission.

Other winners included the Toyota FJ Cruiser, which won the design prize, and the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, which was named the most versatile vehicle. The new Lexus LS 460 received the luxury award, while the Mercedes-Benz S550 got the safety prize. The Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra got the nod in the "workhorse" category, and the Saturn Vue Green Line got the "energy" award. The best-value prize went to the Honda Fit.

The automotive editors of the magazine drove 100 of the newest cars and trucks before making their decision. The complete report is featured in the October issue of Popular Mechanics.

What this means to you: More confirmation from a pretty tough audience that the Shelby GT500 is one hot car.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac, which was named the most versatile vehicle.