Production of the potent 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R have just kicked off at the American marque’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant. The first model produced was the range-topping GT350R variant.
Following the car’s creation, Ford Motor Company executive chairman Bill Ford said “This is a special day for all Mustang enthusiasts. We have taken the GT350 formula to the next level of innovation, style and performance. Today the legend continues.”
As you probably know by now, the 5.2-litre V8 engine of the two models redlines at a sky-high 8250 rpm. The engine just so happens to be the most power dense and powerful naturally aspirated road engine ever produced by Ford. It delivers a total of 526 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. That horsepower figure means that this engine delivers 102 hp per litre of displacement. Peak power is reached at 7500 rpm while maximum torque is found at a lower 4750 rpm. Interestingly, 90 per cent of torque is available from 3450 rpm to 7000 rpm.
Another key element of the engine is its use of an 87 millimetre throttle body, which just so happens to be the largest ever used on a Ford engine. In both the Mustang GT350 and GT350R, this engine is mated to a six-speed Tremec manual transmission.
Pricing for the GT350 starts at $48,695 while the GT350R is priced from $62,195. Rather amazingly, that is $12,805 less than the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 which the GT350R was created to compete against.
