Rating Shift Score









Speed

The Mustang GT350 delivers speed unlike any Mustang before it. The high strung V8 delivers a never ending powerband that could result in jail time when exercised to the fullest.

handling

The Mustang GT350's ability to put down power and take turns at high speed elevates the Mustang. This is the first Mustang that may have chassis over qualified for the power.

Interior

The Mustang GT350's interior features extremely comfortable Recaro bucket seats, a beautiful Alcantara wrapped steering wheel and room 4 four adults.

Feeling

The Mustang GT350 is an assault on the senses. This capable car may have impressive performance but it's built to capture your emotions.

Tech

From the drivetrain to the interior, the Mustang GT350 is dripping with clever technology that makes the car fast and comfortable.

So what's it like to drive?

The Shelby Mustang GT350 fuses the passion and dynamics of an Italian exotic with an American icon. The Mustang GT350 is a very comfortable GT car that can easily handle long trips, in addition to the impressive on track performance.​ The usability of the Mustang GT350 is the real engineering feat and deserves to accompany the reputation for incredible performance​.

You can always judge how good a press car is by your feelings on the day it gets picked up. I felt like someone gave me a puppy for a week and then took it away. Some goodbyes are harder than others and this was by far my hardest press car farewell to date.

I left behind a car that was not only an instant classic but a hugely impressive machine in both specs and sensation. The Mustang GT350 is awash with a ​passion not normally found in cars on the plebian side of $100,000. The Mustang GT350 is a Mustang that studied abroad in Italy and brought back a fiery passion for high revving engines and handling capabilities.

The flat plane crank Vodoo V8 is the biggest headline here and rightfully so. Ford did not have to build this engine. In a traditional special edition Mustang, Ford would simply beef up the internals, slap on a supercharger and call it a day. Thankfully they didn't. Rather than simply diving head long into the horsepower wars, they created an engine that will live on in automotive history.

Then there's the sound. A 5.2 liter V8 screaming at 8,200rpms is addicting. At low revs, you get an off beat rumble and the snaps and crackles you expect from a Mustang, however, once you cross 6,000 the real magic happens. The rumble becomes a shout. It doesn't sound like the Italian V8s we associate with this engine style. It's more like Bruce Springsteen singing Andrea Bocelli's Con Te Piro, the words may be the same but the sound is distinctly American​.

Loading...

Any horsepower deficit this engine may have is forgotten the moment you start wring it out. As the revs build the peaky powerband reveals it's self. The car begs you to reach for the 8,200 rpm redline as you reach far past the speed limit. The Mustang GT350 pulls all the way to redline and gives the sense of limitless power. In today's turbo charged cars, we've become used to short powerbands that die off near redline. The Mustang GT350 however, has an insatiable appetite for the redline.

The wide rev range means you don't have to shift as often, although, the Tremec TR-3160 is a joy to operate. The Tremec's closely spaced gears and short throws are the perfect companions to the Voodoo V8. The shift action is matched to a clutch that starts very light but suddenly feels heavier right at the bite point. This doesn't impede performance but takes some time to learn.

The well-sorted drivetrain is matched to a chassis the feels over qualified for the power. It's refreshing to drive a Mustang that can control its horsepower. Ford used old school mechanical grip and advanced software to make the Mustang GT350 an approachable car to drive.

The secret to the Mustang GT350's planted ride falls with an advanced suspension system and massive brakes. The Maganride shocks in the GT350 adjust themselves 1,000 times a second to deliver the best ride. This clever suspension system makes the Mustang GT350 quite comfortable. It rides far better than less capable cars and adds to the Mustang GT350's GT credentials that really showed on long drives.

Flanking the highly advanced suspension system is a set of massive steel brakes. At the front 15.5" 6 position Brembos and in the back 14.9” 4 position Brembos. The result is a car that can brake so hard it actually hurts. The powerful engine may push you back in your seat but these Brembo's could launch you with the G-forces they generate. They're made to be fade free on the race track but on the street, they do an incredible job of slowing you down after you're done exploring the powerband. Finally, a Mustang with more than enough brakes.

During my time with the Mustang GT350, I drove it on loose gravel, broken back roads, and in torrential down pours. In every one of these situations, the Mustang GT350 performed admirably. I never felt like I was driving a dangerous car notorious for plowing into crowds at car shows. Instead, it felt like a planted sports car that can deliver performance even in poor conditions.

The performance of the Mustang GT350 is already legendary but the car's GT ability really surprised me. With the shocks and exhaust in normal mode and the steering in comfort, the Mustang GT350 becomes a sedate highway cruiser. After driving the car for long highway stints I emerged refreshed and ready to drive even more.

The split personality of the Mustang GT350 really shines after a long highway drive. Here's a car capable of destroying a race track that can become quiet and dignified in a matter of seconds. It's a trick we're used to from sports sedans but I wasn't expecting so much refinement in a Mustang. Save for the hard black plastic surrounding the transmission tunnel, the interior trim pieces are a cut above. This is nowhere near a luxury car but for a track capable Mustang, ​it's very impressive.

The large touch screen controls Ford's Sync system which has matured into a very usable interface. Controlling the navigation system and radio are quite easy to use but you cannot pair a Bluetooth device with the car in motion even if you're the passenger. From the steering wheel, the Shelby is endlessly adjustable. You can change the steering feel, suspension settings, and drive mode all through the screen in the center of the guage cluster. In addition to the driving settings, the Mustang GT350 will tell you the temperature of virtually every aspect of the drivetrain​.

The Shelby Mustang GT350 will go down in history as one of the best Amercian performance cars ever made. It's blend of a capable chassis, superb manual transmission, and magnificent V8 is timeless. The Shelby's well-rounded package is what really surprised me. It seemed to be equally capable of shuttling me to work on a long commute and then blasting down a tight back road. This useable machine proved to be a very capable companion in everyday life and never failed to bring a smile to my face.

# Ford # Shiftinglanes # GT350 # Mustang # Shelby # Musclecar # V8