The new Ford Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs are impressive performance machines, but they’re really more “Ford” than “Shelby.”
While Ford continues to slap the Shelby name on its most potent Mustangs, Carroll Shelby’s independent company continues to produce high-performance pony cars of its own.
The Shelby GT is Shelby American’s first take on the redesigned 2015 Mustang. and it’s definitely worthy of that hallowed name.
Revealed in Shelby American’s hometown of Las Vegas over the weekend, the Shelby GT uses a supercharged version of the Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter V8, tuned to produce 627 horsepower.
So while it may not be as exotic as the naturally-aspirated, flat-plane crank 5.2-liter V8 in the GT350 and GT350R, the this modded engine is winning the horsepower war.
For now, Ford will only say that its Shelby Mustangs produce “more than” 500 hp, but will they produce 127 more?
If that turns out to be the case, Shelby also plans to offer an upgrade package good for “700+ hp,” putting it within striking distance of the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
The upgraded engine is available with either the stock Mustang GT’s six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
Putting all of that power into a stock-looking body just wouldn’t seem right, so the Shelby GT also features visual upgrades like a vented hood, carbon-fiber aerodynamic aids, and a billet aluminum grille.
Other notable features include a Borla exhaust system, Wilwood six-piston front brakes, tuned suspension, and some changes to the interior.
The basic package starts at $39,995, but that doesn’t include the cost of a donor car. Prospective owners will have to buy a stock Mustang GT first and then have it shipped to Shelby for modification.
Since the new Mustang is being offered in large quantitates in foreign markets, Shelby also plans to offer its GT to buyers outside the U.S.
