Connect with us

Ford Releases its Z/28 Killer, the Shelby GT350R Mustang

(Credit: © Ford)

Latest Car News

Ford Releases its Z/28 Killer, the Shelby GT350R Mustang

Shelby GT350R Mustang

Shelby GT350R Mustang (Credit: © Ford)

When Ford released the Shelby GT350 Mustang, the muscle car world stood up and took notice that the new Mustang was here to take care of business. No longer was Ford resting on its laurels of earlier years; it was here to do head-to-head battle against the Camaro in every way possible, including in the corners. Apparently, Ford didn’t think it did enough with the GT350, so it went ahead and created a new, more extreme version of the GT350, dubbed the GT350R.

Revealed at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, the Shelby GT350R inherits everything the GT350 has to offer, including the revised front fascia for more effective airflow, and pushes it to the extreme.

First and foremost, the GT350R goes on a massive diet that includes standard carbon-fiber wheels – a first for a major automaker – wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The automaker then goes on to delete the air conditioning, stereo, rear seats, trunk floorboard, trunk carpet, backup camera, tire sealer and tire inflator. Also eliminated are the exhaust resonators, which not only drops the weight, but gives the GT350R a distinct exhaust note that your neighbors will love to hear at 6 a.m. In total, the GT350R weighs 130 pounds less than the GT350 Track Pack model.

Shelby GT350R Mustang

Shelby GT350R Mustang (Credit: © Ford)

Aero efficiency is the next stage in making the GT350R a true track monster. The aero updates start off with the basics found on the GT350, including a hood vent to reduce lift and pull heat from the engine compartment. Also carried over from the GT350 are the underbody pans on the front and rear, the aggressive diffuser out back, vented wheel wells, fender vents, wheel air curtains and side skirts. That wasn’t good enough for Ford, however, as it also gives the GT350R a revised front splitter and a new carbon-fiber rear spoiler that increases downforce and moves the center of the downforce farther toward the rear of the car.

Under its hood, the GT350R will carry the same 5.2-liter, flat-plane crank V-8 as the GT350, which puts out more than 500 horsepower and more than 400 pound-feet of twist. There is no mention as to whether or not the GT350R will be more powerful than the GT350, but I would assume we’ll see a mild uptick in output to separate the two.

Helping keep things cool is an air-to-oil oil cooler for the engine and a cooler for the six-speed manual transmission. This transmission delivers power to a Torsen 3.73 rear end that features an electronically modulated air-to-oil cooler.

Shelby GT350R Mustang

Shelby GT350R Mustang (Credit: © Ford)

To help visually set the GT350R apart from the GT350, Ford also adds in red-painted calipers, optional racing stripes, and “Shelby GT350R” badging on the outside. On the inside, the distinguishing marks include “Shelby GT350R” badges, a D-shaped steering wheel, and a red center mark on the top of the steering wheel.

The 2016 Shelby GT350R Mustang will hit dealers later in 2015, but pricing is still unknown. Rumors point toward a $52,995 base price for the GT350, so I would say a $10,000 to $12,000 bump in price to around $63,000 to $65,000 sounds about right for the GT350R. Buyers can also opt for an Electronics Package that adds in dual-zone air conditioning, an eight-inch touchscreen with navigation, a six-speaker audio system, mirror-mounted turn signals and more,  Look for the Electronics Package to run about $5,000 to $6,000 extra.

Continue Reading
1 Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in Latest Car News

SPONSORED

Newsletter

Get Our StoriesIn Your Inbox

Subscribe for our latest news, reviews, and lists.

Popular Stories

Recent Posts

SPONSORED
To Top