Mustang [Spy Shots] Ford Mustang Shelby GT500/GT350/SVT

[Rainer271]

Our carparazzi spotted a heavily camouflaged prototype of the upcoming 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 cruising around the Santa Monica Pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue. But is this really the next iteration of the brawny Shelby GT500?

Insider information indicates that the Blue Oval's next SVT Mustang is likely to drop the Shelby GT500 nameplate in favor of the GT350 moniker. Even though the name is currently used by an aftermarket model sold directly by Shelby American, the upcoming GT350 will most probably be offered as a standalone model in the all-new Ford Mustang lineup.

Further more, Mustangs Daily reported a little while back that the Mach 1 moniker is also in the pipeline for the 2016 model year. Because info on this subject is kind of scarce at this moment, we presume that the 2016 Ford Mustang Mach 1 might be offered as a highly collectable special edition car. Until further notice, let's head back to the Shelby GT350 prototype and try to undress the secrets it hides under the heavy exterior and interior camouflage.

The first visual aspect that caught our attention is the beefy power bulge throning atop the hood. Even though a busy summer day's Santa Monica isn't the best time to covertly test a Mustang prototype, Ford camouflaged the vehicle in question like crazy. The engineers went to such lengths that even the rims are masked by black discs in order to hide the design of the wheels. All we can tell is that this prototype was wearing Michelin Pilot Super Sports summer performance rubber. The final exterior detail that's worth mentioning is that the exhaust system features a quad-tip double-barrel design integrated in a quite sporty styled diffuser.

According to our spy photographers, this 2016 Ford Mustang GT350 sounds pretty loud and throaty in real life. And that made us wonder if the engine is a reworked version of the 2014 GT500's supercharged 5.8-liter Trinity V8 or an all-new unit. If the current-gen GT500 develops 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft (855 Nm) of torque, then slightly bigger figures are expected from the upcoming model, big enough to give the recently unveiled 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat a run for its money.

However, the big news comes from the cabin. Compared to the 6,250 rpm redline of the 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, the upcoming king-of-the-hill model indicates a 6,500 redline. According to our spy photographers, the tachometer also features an over-rev region topping at 7,000 rpm, just like the 2014 GT500 does. Also on the menu there are sporty looking Recaro bucket seats and a manly six-speed stick shift transmission.

Whatever name it'll actually bear in production guise, Mustang enthusiasts are certainly in for a damn big treat.

2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500/GT350 Spied Inside and Out

 

[tristatez28lt1]

 

[tristatez28lt1]

Take a look at everything that’s happening with Crysler’s 707 hp Hellcat these days. Mouth-watering1/4 mile times, burnouts and more burnouts. Somebody wearing a Blue Oval badge on his suit isn’t very happy about this, so here’s what you should expect for the 2016 Mustang Shelby GT500.

The new generation of the Mustang is rumoured to bring the 2016 Shelby GT500 to weight of about 3,500 lbs (1,590 kg). Ask Mr. Scale and you’ll be told this makes the Shelby Mustang almost 1,000 lbs (450 kg) lighter than the Challenger Hellcat.

And while the latter does beat the 2013-2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 in the quarter mile game, the difference isn’t actually all that big (11.2 vs 11.5 seconds). Sure, the comparo is more complex, as Chrysler has only released the figures for the automatic Hellcat, which is expected to be the faster model, whereas the ‘Stang is only offered with a manual.

This means that the Mustang doesn’t need to be taken past its current 662 hp muscle rating in order to beat the Challenger. Then again, this is Ford, not Lamborghini with its diet-focused Manifesto for future Supersportscars. What this means is that the Blue Oval may just want to honor the Mustang’s tradition and up the ante on the power front just to keep its pony ahead of what the Mopar fans get to drive.

While Ford has been supercharging its Mustangs for quite a while now, the Hellcat is the first blown Hemi in the history of Chrysler, which should make the Blue Oval even more determined to recover its HP crown.

The rumor mill points out that the sleeker design of the new Mustang may not offer enough room for the current Trinity 5.8-liter supercharged engine and yet this is pure speculation.

One more argument in favor of the GT500’s potential upmuscle move is the future arrival of the 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 that’s been recently spied. Honed as a successor for the awe-inspiring Boss 302, the GT350 will be the most powerful naturally-aspirated Mustang and should squeeze about 550 ponies out of the Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter V8 Coyote mill. In the upgrade process, which will bring over 100 hp, the unit will receive goodies such as a flat-plane crankshaft. Oh and by the way, Chrysler isn’t the only one coming up with cool names for its V8s, as the transformation should see the unit renamed as Voodoo.

While we’re expecting the GT350 test engineers to listen to The Prodigy when the Vodoo engine is off, all the aforementioned clues also lead us to believe that a 750 hp figure for the 2016 Shelby GT500 isn’t all that far from reality.

In this muscle car power war frenzy, we mustn’t forget that the independent rear suspension brought by the Mustang’s new S550 platform means the engineers have a lot of work to do in order to put the power down. In fact, we’re wondering who spends more nights on duty, those working on the mechanical stuff or the employees that develop the new electronics governing all that muscle.

Until we get an answer, we’ve decided to spend an evening at the office too. The rendering above is the result of that

 

[Palbay]

Excited to announce Palbay is now on the Ring.....Stay tuned for more exclusive photos from the Nurburgring ....Did the 2016 Ford Mustang SVT-GT350 clear the Armco after it's Roundy round......? Thanks. Palbay

 

[Beemer B773ER]

^ That's the Lawn Mower / John Deere edition!

 

[Cashmere]

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[E90Beast]

I'm really looking forward to the GT350/500 I'm just really not a fan of what they are doing to the non-GT models. A 4-banger turbo is just not American Muscle, especially not mustang-like if you ask me. I understand its about fuel efficiency and weight, etc. but being the iconic American muscle car I think it should maybe have a little more muscle.

 

[RS2000 4X4]

I like the Mustang and I hope they get it right this time (not that the previous were bad). The previous Mustang had more than 700 bhp if ordered in Snake livery and without waranty. If I am not mistaken, they had 750 and 850 bhp...

 

[tristatez28lt1]

I like the Mustang and I hope they get it right this time (not that the previous were bad). The previous Mustang had more than 700 bhp if ordered in Snake livery and without waranty. If I am not mistaken, they had 750 and 850 bhp...

Yes, the Shelby Super Snake could be ordered with 750hp before the facelift and with 850hp after the facelift in 2013.

 

[Rainer271]

Ford Mustang GT350 to be unveiled on September 19 at Circuit of the Americas

On sale in 2015 as a 2016MY
The Ford Mustang GT350 is going to be introduced at Circuit of the Americas on September 19 during the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge in Austin, Texas.

During the recent 2014 Indianapolis Motor Speedway race broadcast the announcers said the GT350 will go on sale next year but will be shown on the race track next month. It can only mean the vehicle will be unveiled on September 19 in Austin, Texas at the Circuit of the Americas during the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.

The Mustang GT350 is still in development so it's not known at this moment whether Ford will reveal the entire car or will decide to bring a camouflaged prototype. Whatever it will be, under the hood we expect to find a more potent version of the V8 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated engine with considerably more than the 435 bhp & 541 Nm available in the Mustang GT.

It will go on sale as a 2016 model year and will come at a considerable premium over the 32,295 USD Mustang GT. Besides packing more punch, the GT350 will also be distinguished by a very aggressive body along with a stiffer sports suspension, larger wheels, rear diffuser, carbon ceramic brakes, quad exhaust setup and other mechanical tweaks.

 

[JHF]

The Shelby GT350 will be revealed on November 17
It's happening!

We've snagged pictures of the GT350 and reported that the 2016 Shelby GT350 will go all-motor—theCoyote V8 will be built up into a high-revving monster—but until now, Ford itself has been mute on the subject of a high-performance Mustang.

That changes now. Ford's teaser not only confirms that the car is coming, but we have a date: November 17th. But other than that, Ford hasn't confirmed much. They're going to milk this for all its worth, and you've got 14 more days to be strung along waiting for more info to be officially confirmed. Be strong.

The Shelby GT350 will be revealed on November 17

 

[JHF]

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