{"id":136408,"date":"2019-05-14T14:35:33","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T18:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=136408"},"modified":"2019-05-14T14:56:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-14T18:56:07","slug":"first-drive-2019-ford-mustang-shelby-gt350","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/reviews\/first-drive-2019-ford-mustang-shelby-gt350\/","title":{"rendered":"First Drive: 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ford's new Mustang Shelby GT350 lives up to the hype with stellar track performance and impressive fo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By this late in May, it should be getting warm in Detroit, but despite the 50-degree chill and a depressingly leaden sky, at least the rain has held off as I strap on a HANS Device and helmet and head out to pit row at Pontiac\u2019s M1 Concourse, where a 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is waiting for me.<\/p>\n

On the way, I pass a vintage version of the car, one of just a handful of original 1965 models that survive. It might look dated, but when it made its debut back in 1965 it transformed Ford\u2019s little pony car into a wicked contender. With its tiny tires and live rear axle, it was a handful to drive but nonetheless raised the muscle car bar to new heights.<\/p>\n

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Reviews You Can Trust!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today, the GT350 takes a back seat to the Shelby GT500, an all-new version of the 700-plus-horsepower monster set to roll out later this year. But for those who don\u2019t need to go to the ultimate extremes \u2013 or who simply don\u2019t have quite a large enough bank account, the latest update of the GT350 that rolled out in 2016 has plenty to offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cContinuous improvement,\u201d summarizes Mustang Chief Engineer Carl Widmann. And a closer inspection reveals that applies to a lot of things, starting with the GT350\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

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The original 1965 Shelby GT350.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(Ford muscles up its “entry-level” Mustang. <\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for the story.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

When the Shelby team, known to aficionados as \u201cthe Venice Crew,\u201d worked on the \u201965 model, there wasn\u2019t much known about aerodynamics. These days, it\u2019s about as important as what goes under the hood, though it does pose some severe challenges. When Widmann\u2019s team got to work they wanted to decrease drag to make the 2019 go faster, even while increasing downforce to ensure the car stays glued to the pavement. Virtually everything about the GT350\u2019s body has been optimized to achieve one of those goals or the other \u2013 and, occasionally, both.<\/p>\n

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The new Shelby GT350 in the pits at the M1 Concourse in Michigan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That starts with the complex front spoiler designed to reduce turbulence under the vehicle, and even the mask behind the front grille that sharply cuts back on lift. The 2019 version of the GT350 gets a new wing. While smaller than the one on the upcoming GT500, it still plays a significant role when you start approaching triple-digit speeds. And, for $850, a buyer can add the optional Gurney flap to make the wing even more effective.<\/p>\n

The GT350\u2019s suspension has also been announced with stiffer springs up front and, somewhat surprisingly, slightly softer rear springs. There\u2019s a beefier rear anti-roll bar, too. And the $850 wing upgrade also gets you optional camber plates.<\/p>\n

One of the most significant changes that came with the latest-generation Mustang was the switch to an independent rear suspension. But performance versions, starting with the GT, now have the added benefit of using MagneRide shocks. These are based around magnetorheological dampers.<\/p>\n

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The Mustang Performance line-up is ready to roll.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At their most basic, these use a special fluid with microscopic particles sensitive to magnetic current. That allows each damper to individually be varied from soft to rock solid in the time it takes to travel two inches at 60 mph. The dampers and software controls, like the overall suspension tuning, have been updated for 2019.<\/p>\n

Add to the package new wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires that have been customized for the GT350, 295\/35-19s up front and 305\/35-19s in the rear.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the GT350\u2019s beating heart. In 2019 trim, the 5.2-liter DOHC 32-valve V-8 makes an impressive, if not benchmark, 429 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. Better yet, torque comes on almost instantly, as I discover as I release the clutch on the Shelby\u2019s six-speed Tremec manual gearbox and launch onto the 1.5-mile M1 track. And it keeps coming on almost all the way up to the coupe\u2019s 8,250 RPM redline.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a technical course, with corners that demand you set yourself up precisely, and straights that are equally demanding of your car\u2019s brakes.<\/p>\n

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The grille and spoiler on the new Ford Mustang Shelby GT350.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for more about the “electrified Mustang”\u00a0coming in the near future.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For this run, I have switched to \u201cTrack\u201d mode, reducing but not eliminating the role of nanny systems like electronic stability control. But if they\u2019re kicking in as I take my first lap, misjudging the apex and exit of a couple corners, you wouldn\u2019t know it. The old Venice Crew would likely be shocked at how responsive and precise the new GT350\u2019s steering is, and how forgiving the coupe can be if you find yourself missing the ideal line.<\/p>\n

Lap after lap I find my groove, setting the car up more accurately while also pushing harder into each corner. \u00a0Of course, it helps to have a massive set of Brembo brakes to scrub off excess speed. Combined with the upgraded suspension, there\u2019s never a sense of the tail trying to come loose as you launch into a corner.<\/p>\n

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The new Shelby GT350 with Chief Engineer Carl Widmann.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If the 2019 Shelby GT350\u2019s track manners weren\u2019t impressive enough, Widmann\u2019s team has understood a fact that so many other sports and muscle car engineers miss: with rare exception, these vehicles will spend most of their lives on public roads. And this near-ultimate Mustang shows equal aplomb on the street \u2013 even the deeply potholed pavement in Michigan. It helps to have well-bolstered Recaro seats to keep you in place when you\u2019re piloting the Shelby in anger, and to soak up bumps when you\u2019re cruising the highway.<\/p>\n

There are other concessions to everyday life, including the latest Ford Sync-based infotainment system with useful additions like Apple CarPlay and an 8-inch touchscreen, as well as dual climate control.<\/p>\n

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This snake puts out 700-plus horsepower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s also a switch on the center console that, if you really must, lets you tame that beautiful roar from the V-8. But we bet few owners will ever make the switch.<\/p>\n

(Mustang cracks 700-hp barrier with debut of Shelby GT500.\u00a0<\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for more.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For the package, expect to invest $60,235 before delivery fees and such useful add-ons as the Gurney flap. It\u2019s a significant premium over the Mustang GT but, for those who will have the opportunity to do some track time, it seems a logical step up. The 2019 Mustang Shelby GT350 might be a step down from the ultimate GT500 coming later this year, or even the track-oriented GT350R, but it\u2019s a heck of a package for the money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ford Mustang has a long history of performance that the automaker is forced to constantly surpass on a regular basis. Well, he new Shelby GT350 may have done it … for now. We took it out to the M1 Concourse, a 1.6-mile race track in Pontiac, Michigan, to see how good it can be. It’s crazy good. Find out more at TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":136412,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[],"category_reviews":[23,20,21],"make":[56],"post-state":[],"category_old":[150,151,123,135,168,248,132,159,125,120,139,164,278,288],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews\/136408"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reviews"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136408"},{"taxonomy":"category_reviews","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_reviews?post=136408"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=136408"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=136408"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=136408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}