Tested: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Leaves a Lasting Impression (Car and Driver)
One last dance with the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, and it remains one hell of a car.
HIGHS: The sound of a flat-plane-crank V-8 at 8250 rpm, a chassis tuned for greatness, all the lasting memories.
LOWS: Sad goodbye to a special engine, grip might cause passengers to question your sanity, more expensive than the GT500.
Great things don't always last forever. In fact, some of them go out in their prime—Chris Farley, Jolt Cola, Barry Sanders's NFL career. Much to our dismay, one of the greatest pony cars since the invention of the internal combustion engine now joins that list. As if 2020 hasn't been a big enough bust, we must now find ways to cope with the loss of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and its track-rat brethren, the GT350R.
When the GT350 arrived in 2016, it was an instant hit. A 5.2-liter V-8 with a flat-plane crank pumped out 526 horsepower and was complemented by a six-speed manual transmission and a lively chassis. It quickly dispatched a 2016 Corvette Z51 in a comparison test, where reviews editor Tony Quiroga stated, "If Porsche's GT team built a Mustang, it would be the GT350." Shortly after, the GT350 would win back-to-back 10Best awards, spend 40,000 miles under our care, and eventually beat out a Toyota Supra, Porsche 718, and BMW M2 Competition in another comparison test.
Quiroga was on to something. As the GT350 and R aged, Ford turned the tuning knobs to improve its thoroughbred …
(photo credit: Andi Hedrick - Car and Driver)
