OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
The Shelby GT350 is the most track-capable Mustang ever; we’ll explain why,
MONTEREY, CALIF.— Can you wrap your mind around a Mustang that costs more than a Corvette?
Looked at another way, how about a Mustang that can run with a Porsche GT3 at half the price?
The Shelby GT350 Mustang, in base ($62,599) and R spec ($79,499) forms: take your pick. The cars I barely have room to just list the technologies that went into the most trackcapable Mustang ever, so I’ll focus on a few of the most significant.
The “flat-plane” crankshaft — the crank throws are at 180-degree angles instead of 90 — means lower weight (no counterweights) and less rotational inertia, allowing higher revs, hence more power.
Better exhaust scavenging, and a displacement increase (5.2 versus 5.0 litres) that allows larger valves, both also improve power, to 536 horses at 7,500 r.p.m. It also creates a fabulous exhaust note. Ferrari 458, anyone?
The flat plane’s main drawback is increased vibration. For a high-performance car, this is less of a concern.
Lower torque is also often a problem with flat-plane engines, but with 90 per cent of the 429 lb.-ft. peak available at 3,450 r.p.m, Ford has this pretty well licked.
Building on the stiffer sixth-generation Mustang platform with independent rear suspension, the Shelby GT350 is the first Ford to use MagnaRide suspension, simply the fastestreacting system available, to provide the best ride-handling compromise in the industry. Again, if it’s good enough for Ferrari . . .
An available Drive Mode package allows five settings — Normal, Sport, Weather, Track, Drag — to modify steering, engine, suspension, exhaust and control systems (ABS, traction control, stability control) characteristics to the driver’s preference.
Massive brakes, with calipers from Italian race-brake-maker Brembo (six-piston front; four-piston rear), combined with cast-iron rotors held in place by pins moulded into cast-aluminum rotors proved so strong Ford felt no need to offer a carbon/ceramic brake option.
Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires developed specifically for this car feature multiple compounds to optimize turn-in, grip and wear.
A lower hood, wider fenders and aerodynamic fine-tuning give the Shelby a tougher look, yet it’s all functional.
Unique sport seats by Recaro and other sporty flourishes upgrade the interior.
The R goes even further, with a larger rear spoiler, no rear seat for weight savings and carbon-fibre wheels that eliminate a remarkable 7.2 kg of unsprung weight per wheel, allowing the suspension to react even faster to road (or track) inputs. The drive All-too few laps of the justly fabled Laguna Seca race track in both base and R Shelbys proved that these are righteous cars.
The most obvious benefits are the rush of acceleration, and that exhaust music. OK, some might call it noise. That’s their problem.
The Tremec six-speed manual gearbox — the only transmission available — shifts well. No rev-matching on downshifts though — if you buy a car like this, the assumption is you can heel-and-toe.
Steering feel is OK; what’s better is the instant bite of the front tires.
“No understeer!” was the mantra of the suspension engineers. They succeeded. Ultimate grip is also outstanding. The iconic “corkscrew” corner at Laguna Seca is not where you want to have qualms about your car’s stopping capability. No issues here. Keep lean-
ing on that pedal, the car keeps decelerating. Bury it up to the ABS point lap after lap; no fade.
Yes, it feels a bit heavy at times; you can’t completely hide 1,709 kg (base), 1,661 kg (R).
Wish I had enough laps to push the cars harder to tell you how much better the R was. It sure felt faster, but I was too busy to keep lap times.
As a daily driver/weekend track car, there are few equals you can buy off a showroom floor.
To test the daily driver aspect, we took an R out for a cruise along California’s equally fabled Pacific Coast Highway down to Big Sur.
Even with MagnaRide, the engineers have opted for a firm basic setting, so you never forget you’re in a performance car. It’s hard if not impossible to utilize anything close to its potential on public roads, though. Remember; Fast & Furious is just a movie. The original Shelby 350 GT, launched in 1965, was Texas-born racer Carroll Shelby’s second major gift to the world of hot cars; he also devel- oped the original Cobra.
His GT350 was intended to turn a workaday car into a capable road racer. The Cobra badges on the new GT350 — coloured red on the R model — pay further respect to his memory.
Shelby went to that final pit stop in the sky three and a half years ago. I think he would be happy with these new cars. Jim Kenzie is a regular reviewer for Wheels. Travel expenses were paid by the manufacturer. Reach Wheels editor Norris McDonald at nmcdonald@thestar.ca.