Ford Mustang gets its thoroughbred GT350 badge

Ford Mustang gets its thoroughbred GT350 badge

You have likely heard a lot of positive noise around the latest iteration of the Ford Mustang, and being less-than-impressed with the 6th-gen Mustang, the latest model blows my Mustang criticisms out of the water. Known for its loose rear end and land sailing feel, the current generation finally adds a sportscar feel to the V8 noise, and it handles impressively well for an American car, which usually prioritises straight-line speed above all else.

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But this impressive cornering improvement immediately set my mind on what comes after the Dark Horse. Unsurprisingly, the 7th-generation Shelby GT350 has emerged, and this time, it's truly challenging the Germans.

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It's clear that ahead of the current model's reveal, Ford invested in the handling of its vehicles, offering a similar-looking car to the previous gen that couldn’t feel more different. It's finally a competent car in the corners, which inspires confidence, and the only thing that would stop it from challenging the likes of the M4 and C63 is its weight and power. But unlike the Shelbys of old, this new GT350 has a competent platform to start off with, and now it has a tonne of power.

As expected, the GT350 has an immense amount of power and comes in two different styles. The first option is the naturally aspirated configuration, which makes use of the same Coyote 5.0-litre V8 found in the standard GT and surprisingly the same power output at 353kW. However, you don’t buy a Shelby without an element of boost, and the second option comes with a Whipple supercharger strapped to the top of the block, and it produces a brutal 576kW.

With a 70% increase in power over the already quick GT, it's bound to be a monster, and if the Dark Horse is any indication, it'll be brutal on the racetrack. Shelby has added front and rear adjustable lowering springs and sway bars to lessen body roll in the corners and add an element of aggression to the look. New 20-inch wheels and Shelby-spec rubber, which will likely be a Cup 2 tyre of sorts, maintain control with higher lateral G’s, with, of course, a Borla Cat Back exhaust in case the Dark Horse wasn’t already loud enough.

As for its look, the GT350 has always been an eye-catching vehicle, and to ensure the new age of the Mustang at least looks the part, the exterior has been covered in aerodynamic upgrades. Up front, an aluminium deep-draw bonnet with a centre vent paired with an upper grille prioritises the escape of hot air from the engine bay. A lower grille with brake ducts ensures plenty of cold air reaches the hot spots and extends the amount of time it can drive on the limit.

A three-piece lower front splitter and a rear ducktail spoiler offer more downforce for improved handling, and outboard grilles, SHELBY badging, Le Mans-style striping, and deep-tinted windows ensure the GT350 looks as mean as it sounds.

With the addition of the supercharger, the price of the new GT350 comes in at just under R2,050,000 but will likely not be for sale in South Africa, which is certainly disappointing but is expected considering Shelbys have never formed part of Ford South Africa’s product list.

The 7th-gen GT350 story doesn’t end there, as there will also be a GT350R option to choose from. The GT350R is the track-ready monster, coming with the Whipple supercharger, which is dialled up another notch to 610kW and lightened up, it's likely a scary driving ordeal. The GT350R is equipped with a performance JRI suspension package, a front and rear Alcon Racing brake package, optimised chassis stiffening, and Forgeline racing wheels painted Gold Rush to ensure that its impressive power is matched with equally impressive handling.

Now, of course, the R comes with as much carbon fibre as one can possibly squeeze onto a Mustang, along with a carbon fibre tub, two lap timers, a four-point roll cage, and Sparco racing seats. This sounds like a racecar out of the box, and this time around, likely a swift one. One last thing to keep you thinking: remember there is an even bigger and badder boy in the Mustang fleet with the name of GTD, so for the first time in a long time, Ford might have a car that can worry the likes of M performance and AMG. How exciting.

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