After months of rumors and speculation, Ford finally pulled the wraps off its new Shelby GT350. The
2015 version of one of the most iconic performance Mustang nameplates is a
thoroughbred capable of tackling the world's most challenging roads and
racetracks. It's an all-day track car that's also street legal.
A first for a production V8 from Ford, the new Shelby GT350 will launch with a
naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8 engine that uses a flat-plane crankshaft. No
information about specific performance figures have been released, but Ford
promises more than 500 horsepower and a torque above 400 lb-ft.
The 2015 Ford Shelby GT350 builds on Carroll Shelby's original idea - transforming a great
every-day car into a dominant road racer - by taking advantage of the
sixth-generation Mustang to create a special driving experience.
"When we started working on this car, we wanted to build the best possible
Mustang for the places we most love to drive - challenging back roads with a
variety of corners and elevation changes - and the track on weekends," said Raj
Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "Every change we
made to this car was driven by the functional requirements of a powerful,
responsive powerplant - nimble, precise handling and massive stopping power."
Shelby GT350's Exterior Design
The front fascia has been resculpted to provide the aggressive lower front
splitter with maximum pressure. At the rear, much of the engineering was focused
on creating an aggressive functional diffuser doing double duty to increase
downforce and provide cooling air to the optional differential cooler, and a
subtle lip spoiler across the trailing edge of the decklid increases downforce
without adding excess drag.
The athletic stance of the all-new Ford Shelby GT350 is further accentuated with
recontoured aluminum front fenders to accommodate the wider front track and
wider wheel arches. Front fender vents work with vented inner fenders to draw
out turbulent air in the wheel wells and smoothly direct it down the side of the
car.
