The real scoops on the NAIAS are of course the Acura NSX and the Ford GT. But there’s more besides these cars. Take the Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang for example. A modern Mustang which honors the Mustang GT350 Competition from 1965. But nobody will probably think about this older model when you floor the pedal of this version!
The concept of the GT350R is very simple. The R in the name stands for Race. The task for Ford’s technicians was to make the car more lightweight and more powerful. The weight of the GT350R is reduced with 59 kilograms due to removing things like the air-conditioning, rear seats and the use of carbon fiber components. The exterior looks racy thanks to extra spoilers, the striping and the carbon fiber components. This is a race model which can be used on the streets.
In the front we find the 5.2 liter V8 which is tuned to produce over 500 hp. This makes this V8 Ford’s most powerful atmospheric V8 ever. We don’t know the specifications yet but we expect it to produce over 550 hp. Ford also made some adjustments to the suspension to make sure that you can compete with European sports cars on the track.
Photos by Nate Hatton:
