Discontinued at the end of the 2020 model year in favor of the Mach 1, the Shelby GT350R remains the most hardcore free-breathing Mustang of them all. This particular pony is pretty darn special compared to its peers for a couple of reasons, starting with the 180 miles (290 kilometers) indicated on the digital odometer at the time of writing.
The slitherin’ serpent with a flat-plane crankshaft V8 also flexes the Heritage Edition package, an $1,965 option that pays tribute to the fastback coupe raced by Ken Miles in 1965 at the Green Valley Raceway in Texas. One way the visual makeover stands out in the crowd is the Guardsman Blue badging, with the other coming in the guise of a unique dashboard badge.
“Looking back on it, what Ford and Carroll Shelby created back in the mid-’60s was so important to Mustang,” said Jim Owens, the marketing manager for the Ford Mustang. “Thanks to the authentic exterior livery, unique appointments, and performance Ken could have only dreamed of, the Heritage Edition is a meaningful tribute to the legacy of the Shelby brand.”
Offered by RK Motors Charlotte at $96,900, this car also happens to be more expensive than what’s written on the window sticker. More to the point, this spec left the dealership lot with a suggested retail price of $79,490, including options and destination charge. Finished in Wimbledon White and gifted with Guardsman Blue racing stripes, the low-mileage GT350R is also boasting XPEL paint protection film and a copy of the certificate of origin.
Like any GT350R out there, shifting is the duty of a Tremec TR-3160 calibrated perfectly for the 5.2-liter Voodoo V8. Capable of revving to 8,250 rpm, the screamer hiding under the hood develops 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet (582 Nm) of torque without forced induction.
“A world-class driver’s car that’s distinctly American in style, character, and power,” the no-nonsense pony is rounded off by 19-inch Carbon Revolution wheels that weigh 18 pounds or 8.1 kilograms per corner.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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