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Tuned BMW 335i Looks at Shelby GT350 Funny, Mustang Just Snatches out Its Heart

Here is a classic case of biting off more than you can chew, and even though this F30 BMW 335i features a Stage 1 tune courtesy of a bolt-on 93 setup, what that Mustang did to it is borderline ugly. Let's go ahead and wish for the BMW driver's ego to have a speedy recovery.
Shelby GT350 takes on a tuned F30 BMW 335i 6 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Shelby GT350 takes on a tuned F30 BMW 335iShelby GT350 takes on a tuned F30 BMW 335iShelby GT350 takes on a tuned F30 BMW 335iShelby GT350 takes on a tuned F30 BMW 335iShelby GT350 takes on a tuned F30 BMW 335i
This actually reminds us of when Jason Terry tried to contest LeBron James’ dunk back in 2013. That is now one of the most famous poster dunks in the NBA and stands as the perfect analogy for any type of mismatch.

Initially, we thought that a modded 335i, with sufficient power, could at least hang with a GT350, even with the latter's E85 tune. However, the BMW clearly doesn’t have a big enough arsenal at its disposal, hence the result. Let’s look at some stock figures, though.

The Shelby Mustang GT350 is powered by a 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V8 unit with 526 hp (533 PS) and 429 lb-ft (582 Nm) of torque. It also comes with a track-focused chassis, upgraded brakes, upgraded suspension, and a lightweight Tremec TR-3160 six-speed manual gearbox. It’s about as driver-focused as you can get with a Mustang.

Of course, the BMW 335i F30 is pretty good, too, on the twisty bits. It’s a genuine sports sedan with a 3.0-liter inline-six engine under the hood, producing 302 hp (306 PS) and 300 lb-ft (407 Nm) of torque, channeled to the wheels (RWD or xDrive) via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

In the end, not even additional power could keep it from getting gapped by the Shelby. Besides, a Stage 1 tune will rarely result in a considerably faster car than stock. You’d probably need some twin-turbo setup on this car for it to match the Mustang. Now that’s a race we’d really like to see.

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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
Sergiu Tudose profile photo

Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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