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The Shelby Mustang GT350.

Here’s a story you won’t see often in 2019: A new sports car that’s only offered with a naturally aspirated V-8 engine, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Yet, that’s just what makes the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 a Thursday throwback worth your consideration – any day of the week.

This model is only a slight variation on the GT350 introduced in 2016; all revisions have been made with the intention of improving the handling, cornering and braking performance. Some quick laps of the M1 Concourse private racetrack and a slower-speed cruise along famed Woodward Avenue show where and when the Shelby excels.

“This is a track-focused vehicle, now more capable, intuitive and easy to drive,” explains Carl Widmann, chief engineer at Ford Performance. “We’re into evolution now with this vehicle – if you bolt on aftermarket stuff, you can’t get this level of performance.”

As he explains, refinements to the GT350 came about as the Ford Performance team were working on race versions of the car and on developing the forthcoming Shelby GT500, a supercar with somewhere north of 700 horsepower. At a handful of tracks around the United States, Widmann’s team brought in Ford factory racer Billy Johnson and technical partners, such as Brembo and Michelin, to work on the GT500 project.

In between track sessions with the GT500, the GT350 was unleashed to see where there was room for improvement. The testing regimen led to a handful of small but significant upgrades.

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The addition of a rear spoiler helps reduce straight-line drag.Handout

A new rear spoiler reduces drag in a straight line while new tires increase grip in the corners. For the first time, there’s also an optional Gurney flap (named after legendary racer Dan Gurney) that attaches to the spoiler for greater aerodynamic performance. These changes allowed the engineers to optimize the suspension settings, including the MagneRide active suspension, to create a track-ready car that can also hit the open road.

For sure, the Shelby GT350 works in both settings. But in driving along Woodward Avenue, in heavy traffic across pavement riddled with imperfections, the car feels like a pit bull straining to break the chain. Even when you select the most relaxed of the five drive modes, the car leaps forward under acceleration. It’s a similar story with the quieter of the two exhaust settings – the Shelby GT350 is just not all that quiet.

Out on the track, though, the car feels right at home – and then some. In particular, improvements to the braking system software make the GT350 even easier to control when you toss out the anchor and when you’re leaning on the brakes deep into the corners.

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A Shelby badge adorns the front grille.

“This is the benefit of the inter-relationships between Ford Performance, the race teams and our technical partners,” Widmann says. “We wanted to give the car the ability to get into corners quicker and get out of corners quicker. With Billy [Johnson] giving feedback on the brakes, we were able to test settings, send notes to the software engineers and then go back on track to see how the changes worked.”

So, yes, you can drive this sports car on public roads. You can go grocery shopping if you like. You can even drop the kids off at school. But this is a car built for speed – and engineered to make any driver look like a hero in the process. The upshot: If you’re not seeking to carve better lap times in the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, you’re not using it as the creator intended.

Tech specs

  • Base price: $75,600
  • Engine: 5.2-litre V-8
  • Transmission / Drive: Six-speed manual / Rear-wheel drive
  • Fuel economy (litres/100 km; city / hwy / combined): 16.8 / 11.2 / 14.7
  • Alternatives: BMW M4, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Challenger Hellcat, Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG

Looks

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The aggressive GT350 is available in new exterior colours.

There was little about the design of the previous Shelby GT350 that needed “fixing,” so you need to be a diehard Ford fan to spot the differences between old and new. New exterior paint colours, a new tread pattern from the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and a new rear spoiler designed to generate more downforce are the differences. The look screams absolute aggression.

Interior

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The cockpit is ergonomically well engineered.

There’s nothing wrong with the interior of the Shelby, per se, but it’s not special compared with the more pedestrian versions of the Mustang. The new model features new trim for the instrument panel and door panel inserts, while seats with suede are an option. On the positive side, the cockpit is ergonomically well engineered, something that’s not always a slam-dunk in sports cars with a manual transmission.

Performance

The roaring V-8 pulls strongly at all engine speeds and revs to its 8,250-rpm redline with deceptive ease. Output is the same as before: 526 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque. (In other words, plenty.) The stout clutch and robust six-speed manual create positive engagement, allow for quick shifts and compensate for poorly executed heel-and-toe manoeuvres with little drama. (Hardcore enthusiasts take note: There’s no automatic rev matching system for downshifts, so you’re on your own.)

Technology

What can you say about a sports car that clearly honours the past, but makes use of the best race-inspired technology to establish new benchmarks? The Shelby GT350 employs all manner of trickery to keep things firmly planted, including a launch control system, a drag race mode and a limited-slip rear differential, as well as traction and stability control systems that are adjustable via the drive mode selector.

The verdict: 8.5

Expect the lighter-weight Shelby GT350R to be a fraction closer to a perfect 10.

The writer was a guest of the automaker. It did not review or approve this story.

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