2020 Mustang Shelby GT350R Borrows Some GT500 Engineering
Ford's beastly 2020 Shelby GT500 hasn't even made it to dealership forecourts yet, but it's already donating performance tech to its more affordable 2020 Mustang Shelby GT350R sibling. Revealed today, the updated GT350R cherry-picks some of the GT500's engineering to make it more enthusiast-friendly on the road, as well as on the track.
For the 2020 model year, that means changes focused on boosting the GT350R's handling and the responsiveness of its steering. The Mustang team has redesigned the front suspension geometry, for example, with a new design for the high-trail steering knuckle. That's based on the same design for the Shelby GT500's part.
There's also a new steering rack, and Ford has recalibrated the power steering control to suit. The exhaust resonators have been removed, which saves on weight and should also give the car a more distinctive sound. Finally, for those who really want the lightest possible car, there's a rear-seat delete and carbon fiber wheels.
Clearly, if you want 760 horsepower and the sort of performance that could put Ford's own GT supercar to shame, you'll still need to cough up the not-inconsiderable amounts required for a 2020 Shelby GT500. The advantage of the Shelby GT350R, though, is that it's going to be considerably more attainable. Pricing for the 2020 GT350R hasn't been confirmed yet, but the 2019 model starts from $67,135. In contrast, the 2020 GT500 will start from around $8,000 more, though we're expecting dealership mark-ups and a healthy options list to nudge that delta even further up.
Options for 2020 include a Technology Package, which adds a 12-speaker B&O premium audio system, together with Blind Spot information with cross-traffic alerts. There are also Cobra puddle-lamps and voice-activated navigation. The carbon fiber wheels – together with a larger front splitter and rear wing – are standard on the 2020 GT350R. The car also gets red painted brake calipers along with red pin striping at the edges of the optional over-the-top racing stripes.
Inside, there's red contrast stitching and a D-shaped steeling wheel with a red center mark at the 12 o'clock position.
The 2020 Shelby GT350, meanwhile gets four new color options like the rest of the Mustang line. It also adds FordPass Connect, another Mustang feature being standardized for the new model year. We should know final pricing closer to the MY20 cars' launch later in 2019.
