Shelby Gt350

I am a fan of the manual transmission, but there is no denying the fact that today’s paddle-shifted automatics are faster at the track than a manual. Now, word has surfaced that Ford may be planning to offer a dual-clutch automatic transmission for the Shelby GT350 and GT350R, both currently offered with only a 6-speed manual.

Ford has been giving cars up to the auction block to raise money for charity for years. This year, to help raise funds for the EAA Youth Education program, they are turning up with a very special Mustang.

Every year, members of the Texas Auto Writers Association (which I am a member) get together at Texas Motor Speedway and drive some cars. Like many professional auto writer groups, we then vote on what we think is best.

Ford has announced something that it is doing with the Shelby GT350 that it started in 2012 with the Boss 302. Shelby GT350 and GT350R buyers get a free day at a performance driving school in Tooele, Utah.

The folks over at Hennessey Performance Engineering have purchased a Shelby GT350 that is undoubtedly destined for life as a mule for developing upgrades. Before they set to modifying the car, they went out for a baseline test.

Ford Performance was kind enough to invite me behind the wheel of the new Shelby GT350 and GT350R sports cars to see just what these tricked out Mustangs could do. I spent the day at the beautiful Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin – one of America’s greatest road courses, learning about Ford and Shelby heritage and engineering, as well as hands-on time on the track.

Yesterday marked something very special over at Ford’s Flat Rock Michigan plant. The very first production Shelby GT350 Mustang rolled off the assembly line, marking the official start of production. That should mean that Ford dealers begin getting the cars on lots soon.

If you have never driven a car on a racetrack of any sort, you might not realize how difficult it is to know what RPM you are at. When you are heading down the drag strip or tearing up the back straight at your lock road course, you can’t take your eyes off the track long enough to peak at the tachometer.

I’m already shocked and pleased that the New GT350 exists, takes a more track-focused approach than the GT500, and is actually just under $50k, but the official engine specs still had me wondering. Ford said the engine would produce “over 520 horsepower.”

I am a major Ford Mustang guy. I have owned a slew of the cars including a ’68, ’87 LX 5.0, ’93 Convertible, a ’05 GT Convertible, a blown ’10 coupe, and a ’13 Boss 302.

Mustang fans that like track days are salivating over the new Shelby GT350. This car will be something special and will be a straight up beast at track days around the country. To show off how the car will behave on track, Ford headed out to Virginia International Raceway with a new GT350 in tow.