It appears that the Dodge Challenger won’t have long in the spotlight, because Ford is preparing to unleash its own set of special editions for the all-new Mustang. The first of these extreme pony cars is thought to be called the GT350. And, rumor has it, that it will be a track-taming monster.
The biggest rumored change is the engine. Gone will be the base 5.0-liter Coyote V8, in its place a race tuned 5.2-liter engine. It is just possible that this will be one Ford’s new Voodoo engines, but likely we will have to settle for a modified version of the current Coyote.
Still the real focus of the car seems to be less about straight line speed and more about handling and stopping, which, historically, is resoundingly un-Mustang. The GT350 will likely receive brakes as big as manhole covers, which will be a must if the GT350 wants to hang with the Germans on a track.
According to The Truth About Cars a magnetic shock absorber system is under development, and even if that doesn’t make its way into the GT350 a broader lower stance likely will.
If these sorts of improvements to a Mustang sound familiar it is because they seem to have a lot in common with the Boss 302 Laguna Seca special edition. I hope that is the case, because if so, the GT350 could get pretty extreme. Including down to having the back seats replaced by cross bracing for additional stiffness.
If the renderings from Gurnade are to be believed, speed won’t be the only thing that the GT350 has to offer. It should also fulfill another Mustang special edition must: looking great on a poster. However, given that the GT350 almost certainly won’t be released until the 2016 model year – if ever – we have a while to wait.
(Main photo credit: Gurnade)
