Despite being unveiled almost two years ago, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R continues to amaze journalists and owners across the United States, particularly thanks to its special engine.
That powertrain comes in the shape of a 5.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 which for the first time in Ford’s history, has a flat-plane crankshaft. It also happens to be the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine the automaker has produced, delivering 526 hp and revving all the way to 8,250 rpm.
Most recently, Carlos Lago and Randy Pobst from Motor Trend pounded the pavement in a bright yellow example to discover how it performs on the street, away from the racetrack where it is perhaps most at home.
At its launch, the GT350R represented Ford’s answer to the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 which itself pushed the muscle car industry into previously-unseen territory. Soon, however, Ford’s contender will face stiff competition from the next Z/28, tipped to be even more powerful and track-focused than its predecessor.