Ford is currently in the midst of its GT350 Track Tour, a nationwide traveling road show that showcases the current top performers in the Mustang lineup: the GT350 and GT350R. Earlier this month, we headed out to Buttonwillow Raceway, about two hours north of Los Angeles, to get better acquainted with the new track-focused pony car.
Both the GT350 and GT350R feature a majority of mechanical upgrades over the Mustang GT, including a 5.2-liter, naturally aspirated flat-plane crank “Voodoo” V8 that hits its redline at a screaming 8,250 rpm. That’s more than a thousand revs beyond the limit of the GT’s 5.0 V8. It’s an exotic design that’s also significantly more powerful than the GT’s motor—making 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque versus the GT’s 435 hp and 400 lb-ft.
But the GT350 isn’t designed for the drag strip. Like the original Carroll Shelby-designed Mustang GT350, this pony is made for the road course. Accordingly, a set of six-piston Brembo calipers with 15.4 inch rotors grace the front of both the GT350 and GT350R (four-piston units are installed on the rear corners), and for the first time ever, adaptive MagnaRide suspension comes standard on a Mustang.
While the GT350 makes for a great road car that’s also highly capable at the track, the GT350R features some key upgrades that can make a world of difference on the track.
Ford’s theatrical upgrade for reducing weight is de-contenting the car—ditching the rear seats, radio, and air conditioning. And like some Porsche performance models, these features can be added back to the R for an additional fee. More importantly, the R features aggressive suspension tuning, which likely corrals some of the brake dive and body roll we noticed while piloting the standard GT350. The car is also equipped with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which have significantly more grip than the standard Pilot Super Sports, which are great street tires but ultimately make for a looser car on the track.
The R model gets aggressive bodywork that yields more aerodynamic downforce at speed than a Porsche 911 GT3. And in a first for a production car, the GT350R provides carbon-fiber wheels, removing a hefty 19 pounds of unsprung weight from each corner of the car.
Our time was all too brief with the Mustang GT350. While we would need more seat time to give the car a comprehensive review, we can say that Ford’s newest high performance shows great promise. Stay tuned: we are planning later this summer to spend a few days of quality time with the GT350R.
See 2014 Ford Mustang for sale on eBay.
