Official: Production of Shelby GT350 is coming to an end

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Ford

One Autoblog staffer who drove the limited-edition Shelby GT350 wrote it probably was the best Mustang he’d driven, but, at some point, the fun had to come to an end: December 31 is the last day the GT350 will be available to order.

The GT350’s option list has evolved much like it did for the original 1965-67 GT350. For 2011, the 45th Anniversary edition only came in coupe form and was painted white with blue stripes, just as with the 1965 car. The 2012 GT350 was offered as a coupe or convertible, and three colors were added to the option list, just like the 1966 model. For 2013, more colors and options were added in addition to equipment and styling updates, which resulted in Wilwood instead of Baer brakes. No major changes were made for the 2014 model. From the first car in 2011, customers have been able to choose between three different configurations for their 5.0-liter V8: naturally aspirated with 440 horsepower, supercharged with 525 hp (with warranty) or supercharged with 624 hp (without warranty).

“When we unveiled this latest version of the Shelby GT350, we promised it would be built for a limited time to preserve its collectability and value,” states John Luft, president of Shelby American. He may have a point, because the original GT350, which also had a limited production run, is among the most valuable muscle cars in the world.

While the end of 2013 will mark the conclusion of a great modern-day muscle car, Shelby American wants us to remember one of the late Carroll Shelby’s favorite sayings: “Our favorite car is the next one we build.” That and the other vehicles in the company’s lineup, such as the GT500 Super Snake and Raptor, will continue to be offered for sale.

For more details on the GT350, scroll down for the press release.

Continue reading Production of Shelby GT350 is coming to an end

Production of Shelby GT350 is coming to an end originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Jul 2013 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next Shelby Mustang to wear GT350 nameplate

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford

2015 Ford Mustang spy shots

Earlier this month, rumors started to swirl ’round the web about the next-generation Ford SVT Mustang – the halo version of the all-new 2015 ‘Stang seen testing in the gallery above. Originally, we heard that the Shelby GT500 moniker would be dumped in favor of “a name you’re familiar with,” which some sources guessed could mean a return of the Cobra nameplate.

That might not be correct. According to Road & Track, citing a report from Mustangs Daily, the new range-topping Mustang will bring back the Shelby GT350 name – currently used on an aftermarket version of Ford’s Pony produced by Shelby American (take a look at our recent Quick Spin of that car). Expect the new GT350 to be quite a bit different than the current GT500 – it will be all motor, using a V8 that’s derived from the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote engine (though it will no doubt have a higher displacement). The GT350 will be a lot more powerful than the next Mustang GT, which is expected to offer something like 450 horsepower, but won’t be quite as absurd as the 662-horsepower GT500 we currently enjoy.

The Shelby GT350 will reportedly bow with the rest of the new Mustang range at the 2014 New York Auto Show, which coincides exactly with the original Mustang’s debut at the New York World’s Fair in 1964. If that seems far out, don’t worry, we’ll be seeing the rest of the 2015 Mustang range before then, but Road & Track reports that the 2014 Detroit Auto Show stage will be reserved for the reveal of the next Ford F-150 pickup.

Ford will offer the Shelby GT350 as a 2016 model, and Mustangs Daily reports that a new Mach 1 Mustang will be coming for that year, as well. For 2015, however, Ford will reportedly offer a 50th Anniversary package for the Mustang GT.

More and more Mustang reports will surely leak out over the coming months, so stay tuned. Have a glance at our most recent spy shots, above, and revisit our gallery of the current Shelby GT500 below to see what big shoes the GT350 will have to fill.

Next Shelby Mustang to wear GT350 nameplate originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Shelby GT350 coupe smokes some meats with Hot Rod

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ford

2011 Shelby GT350 burnout

Hot Rod takes the 2011 Shelby GT350 out for a smoke break – Click above to watch video after the jump

Hot Rod was recently busy filming its Shelby Cobra versus Super Snake video, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t some downtime. That break in the action… resulted in more action, because someone at Shelby handed the Hot Rod crew keys to a 2011 GT350.

Did they take a few casual runs up and down the road to get some basic footage? No, they lined up the car on a desert side street and attempted to ruin the rear rubber. On their way back to the original film shoot, they threw in a quick power slide for good measure. Drop the clutch and click past the jump to check out the clip.

Gallery: 2011 Shelby GT350

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Shelby GT350 coupe smokes some meats with Hot Rod

Video: 2011 Shelby GT350 coupe smokes some meats with Hot Rod originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: Shelby adds new colors, convertible option to the GT350 for 2012

Filed under: Aftermarket, Chicago Auto Show, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Ford

2012 Shelby GT350 Convertible

2012 Shelby GT350 Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Shelby GT350 followed nearly the same philosophy as the Ford Model T. You could get it in any color you want as long as it was white with blue stripes. That’s changing for 2012, as Shelby will also be offering the GT350 in Race Red and Kona Blue. A convertible option will be available, as well. In fact, this is the first time Shelby has built a drop-top GT350 since 1970.

The 2012 GT350 will offer up identical performance as the 2011 model, although one could argue that it didn’t need an upgrade in the first place. Customers can choose between the 430-horsepower base model or opt for either 525- or 624-horsepower versions. Additional upgrades include a full body kit, Cragar wheels, larger brakes, sport suspension and more. The convertible also comes with the option of a light bar. You can read full details about the 2012 Shelby GT350 after the jump, and check out our live photos from the show floor in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Shelby GT350 Convertible

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Gallery: 2012 Shelby GT350

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Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Shelby]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: Shelby adds new colors, convertible option to the GT350 for 2012

Chicago 2011: Shelby adds new colors, convertible option to the GT350 for 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shelby releases final specs on GT350 Mustang, power output ranges from fast to furious

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Ford

2011 Shelby GT350

2011 Shelby GT350 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Shelby American has finally released the specs on its 2011 Shelby GT350. Starting with a 2011 Ford Mustang GT, Shelby utilizes Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 engine but ups the ante a bit. The base GT350 is rated at 430 horsepower (the stock GT musters 412 hp). On the standard GT350, a Whipple supercharger can be added to boost power output to 525 hp – enough to propel the modified Mustang from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds. If that’s not enough, the R tune version produces a monstrous 624 horses.

All 2011 Shelby GT350s are fitted with a long list of performance-aiding parts which include upgrades to the brakes, suspension and tires. As you can see above, they also wear unique Shelby aero and trim bits, a GT350 45th anniversary badge and a serialized Shelby GT350 dash plate.

Pricing for the naturally-aspirated Shelby GT350 conversion is set at $26,995 and the base supercharged car runs $33,995. Due to the 99-pony jump with the R tune, you would expect that package to cost close to $40,000, but it doesn’t. It’s just 750 bucks over the price of the standard supercharged kit. All of these prices, however, fail to include the cost of the donor Mustang GT. A full parts list and more performance stats are available in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Shelby GT350

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[Source: Shelby]

Continue reading Shelby releases final specs on GT350 Mustang, power output ranges from fast to furious

Shelby releases final specs on GT350 Mustang, power output ranges from fast to furious originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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