In 1965, Carroll Shelby proved what the original Ford Mustang could really do when he transformed what he called “a secretary’s car” into the iconic Shelby GT350. Now, 60 years later, there’s a new Shelby GT350 on the block, plus a track-ready GT350R, both offered with an almighty supercharged V8 engine and old-school six-speed manual.
Muscle-car fans should remember the last Shelby GT350, which was produced by Ford, because it featured a flat-plane crank V8 that could rev all the way to 8,250rpm – something no Mustang before could handle. This time, however, the new GT350 models will be built by Shelby American.
The more street-focused GT350 is available with either the stock 5.0-litre ‘Coyote’ V8 producing 473bhp, or Shelby can add a Whipple supercharger that takes output to 799bhp – an increase of nearly 70 per cent. This figure is when using 93 octane American petrol, though, so the 98 or 99 octane we get here would allow for even more power.
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