As we’re anxiously waiting to find out how much power the 2016 Shelby GT350 Mustang officially cranks out, Ford is revealing details on the extensive suspension and chassis modifications the hotted-up muscle car sees under the skin.
One of the biggest tweaks the 2015 Mustang saw was the introduction of an independent rear suspension. The GT350 improves on that concept with MagnaRide, a set of adaptive magnetic dampers that adjust the car’s suspension characteristics, including stiffness, response and comfort, based on the drive mode selected. By making these adjustments on the fly, MagnaRide operates much like similar systems in the industry.
Shelby GT350R Mustang
Handout, Ford
The Shelby GT350 Mustang also uses aluminum front knuckles, hubs and brearings, contributing to overall weight savings and better stiffness compared to the standard Mustang. There are also thicker anti-sway bars and a symmetrical spring setup in the rear.
When it comes to putting the power to the ground, the GT350 wears a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires – 295/35 up front and 305/35 out back – wrapping around 19-inch aluminum wheels. If that’s not hardcore enough, Ford is offering a carbon fibre wheel setup with stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Not only does this lend to even better grip, but it also saves roughly 50 lbs. of unsprung weight.
Shelby GT350 Mustang
Handout, Ford
Ford has undoubtedly put a lot of effort in making the Shelby GT350 Mustang go in a straight line and around corners, which is why stopping power is just as serious. Ford calls the GT350’s Brembo setup the most powerful brakes ever fitted onto a mustang from the factory floor. Six-piston calipers and two-piece, cross-drilled foating discs measuring 15.5 inches sit up front, while four-piston calipers and 15-inch discs help stop the car out back. There are also cooling ducts that, according to Ford, virtually eliminate fade on the track.
Official horsepower and torque numbers are still under wraps, but the latest word on the street is that the GT350’s 5.2-litre flat-pane V8 pumps out 100 horsepower per litre, which would push it to the 520 horsepower mark.
Deliveries of 2016 models will begin hitting dealers later this year, but Ford recently announced an extremely limited run – 100 units of the standard GT350 and 37 of the GT350R – to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original Shelby GT350 Mustang.
