Photo: Ford, edited by autoevolution
We've seen one too many keyboard warriors claiming the carbon wheels of the Ford Shelby GT350R can't possibly make that much of a difference compared to the alloy wheels on the GT350. Well, the pair of track-savvy Mustangs have recently been dynoed, with the rolling road comparison showing the massive benefits of the Australian-built wonder wheels.
Both GT350s were strapped to a dyno by Motor Trend, with the big question actually targeting their Voodoo motors. So is the 5.2-liter V8 in the R more muscular than that powering the non-R machine?
No, it isn't. While the GT350 delivered 467 hp at 7,200 rpm, the GT350R offered 471 hp at the same rpm level - remember, we are talking about the power at the wheels here.
The 4 hp difference is insignificant, especially since dyno runs depend on many factors that can show slight variations from one run to another. For one thing, each car performed multiple runs, with the GT350 showing a whopping 27 hp difference between its best and worst power at the wheels rating. This was due to the flow of cold air being directed at the engine bay.
And that 4 hp delta is mostly owed to the lighter wheels - dynos such as the one used by MT measure the power at the wheels, so the GT350R, whose rotating mass is up to 60 lbs smaller (carbon never fails to impress), did influence the result through its rollers.
The V8 of the GT350R packs a single, minor hardware advantage over that in the GT350, namely the lack of an exhaust resonator. Still, Ford rates both cars at 526 crank hp.
Lighter wheels aside, the much stickier rubber of the R was the one that increased the performance gap. You don't have to take MT's word for that, as the identical 45-65 mph passing test numbers show what happens when starting grip is no longer taken into account.
No, it isn't. While the GT350 delivered 467 hp at 7,200 rpm, the GT350R offered 471 hp at the same rpm level - remember, we are talking about the power at the wheels here.
The 4 hp difference is insignificant, especially since dyno runs depend on many factors that can show slight variations from one run to another. For one thing, each car performed multiple runs, with the GT350 showing a whopping 27 hp difference between its best and worst power at the wheels rating. This was due to the flow of cold air being directed at the engine bay.
And that 4 hp delta is mostly owed to the lighter wheels - dynos such as the one used by MT measure the power at the wheels, so the GT350R, whose rotating mass is up to 60 lbs smaller (carbon never fails to impress), did influence the result through its rollers.
The V8 of the GT350R packs a single, minor hardware advantage over that in the GT350, namely the lack of an exhaust resonator. Still, Ford rates both cars at 526 crank hp.
The real world results set the two further apart
When the pair of Shelbys was tested on the tarmac, the difference between them was even greater. The GT350R one-upped its unidentical twin in both the 0 to 60 sprint (3.9 seconds vs. 4.1 seconds) and the quarter-mile (12.1 seconds at 119.6 mph versus 12.4 at 117.8 mph).Lighter wheels aside, the much stickier rubber of the R was the one that increased the performance gap. You don't have to take MT's word for that, as the identical 45-65 mph passing test numbers show what happens when starting grip is no longer taken into account.
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