The History of the GT350: The Greatest Muscle Car of Them All When Ford released the Mustang in 1964, it was the fastest-selling car in the world. They sold 22,000 on the first day, and by the end of the financial year, 418,812 cars were sold. However, despite its swinging 60s styling, underneath it was a Ford Falcon, a taxman’s saloon. Ford wanted the Mustang to carry a racing image. So they approached legendary racer Carroll Shelby to transform their marvel from a tame pony into a serious racing stallion. The result was the GT350, which featured more uprated suspension, a more race-tuned 306 horsepower V8, a locking differential, wider wheels and tyres and larger brakes. The result was a Mustang that dominated the SCCA B Production, dominating the Corvettes and Cobras that raced at Daytona. Of the many Shelby GT350s that were built, 36 were converted into super-hardcore racers called the GT350R. Because of this car, the name Shelby Mustang has become even more renowned than Ford Mustang for sixty years. Since its release, the GT350 has been an on-and-off staple of the Shelby Mustang. The most noteworthy follow-up was the 2015 Shelby GT350, which featured a revolutionary 523 horsepower flat-plane crank V8 that revved all the way to 7,250rpm and sounded like amplified thunder. Both these cars ultimately revel in showcasing the muscle car spirit. A bang-to-buck hot rod that’s loud, fast, crazy and exciting. The performance car for the working class, the greatest muscle car ever created. And now, 60 years after the first GT350, there’s an all-new car, that promises to be just as great. Read More Ford Mustang GTD: The Fastest American Car at the Nürburgring A Call-Back Design: Celebrating the Past Through Red, White and Blue Stripes The new GT350 and GT350R started out in life as variants of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang. Alongside the iconic Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue Stripe livery, this GT350 features a wider grill than before, with larger air intakes and a roof scoop to channel more air to its enormous V8. Side scoops and extended rocker channel air across the car, while the rear end boasts a prominent lip spoiler and a diffuser to really ensure performance is at a max. The GT350R also features these enhancements but a more pronounced front splitter and a ginormous rear spoiler. Inside the GT350 features body-hugging Recaro seats, upgraded to racing sparos in the GT350R. There’s carbon fibre everywhere, aluminium accents, a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, Alcantara and best of all, a six-speed manual gearbox with no paddle shifter option in the GT350R. Which in today’s day and age makes this car very special. Charmingly Old School Power Most modern performance cars are either hybrid or turbocharged but the GT350 is charmingly old-school. They took Ford’s 5.0l Coyote V8 and fitted an enormous Whipple supercharger. The result is 810 horsepower in the GT350 and a whopping 840 in the GT350R. That’s over 300 hp more than the regular Mustang. Shelby have not yet quoted the 0-60 or Top speed but likely like with the GTD, this car will surpass 200mph. And with the aero-enhancements plus a suspension package from specialist JRi with fully adjustable shocks, extra chassis stiffening and upgrades from Alcon Racing, plus 20-inch wheels, it’ll likely be a hoot in the corners. But the best feature will undoubtedly be the sound, with its bespoke Bora Exhaust, this car will undoubtedly roar like a wounded tiger. But it will be a rare sound, Shelby is only building 526 GT350s and 36 GT350Rs staying true to its ancestor’s production numbers. Prices are expected to start at under $110,000. Read More The Shelby Mustang: A Legend In American Muscle Cars A Modern Car That Revels in Its Past There are plenty of performance cars out there that dynamically are superior to the GT350. But they lack two words that this car carries in spades, charm and soul. The fact is that in today’s day of age of EVs and turbo hybrids, the fact that Ford wanted to honour Carroll Shelby’s legendary build speaks volumes. The fact is we have an 840 horsepower, roaring, snarling, sixty-year-old tribute racer that costs a third of what a Maserati MC20 does and is far more rare and exciting. I want you all to do me a favour. Once you’ve finished reading this article, try and find a brand-new car that offers as much value for money as this sixty-year-old tribute act. I dare you. But ultimately in being so good value yet offering such high and raw performance, this car emulates the spirit of the muscle car. A bang-to-buck hot rod that’s loud, fast, crazy and exciting. That in spirit is what the muscle car has always been about. None carried it better than the GT350, and that still stands true, 60 years on. F1rstMotors Facts and FiguresManufacturerFord Motor Company / Shelby American Inc.ModelGT350 / GT350RYear of Release2025Engine5.0L ‘Coyote V8’ with Whipple SuperchargerHorsepower810hp / 840hpTorqueN/A0–62mph (100km/h)N/ATop SpeedN/AWeightN/AGearbox6-speed ManualDriven WheelsRear Wheel DriveAmount Built526 / 35 Source: Top Gear
