{"id":153777,"date":"2020-10-01T12:39:50","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T16:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=153777"},"modified":"2020-10-01T12:39:50","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T16:39:50","slug":"ford-abandons-mustang-gt350","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2020\/10\/ford-abandons-mustang-gt350\/","title":{"rendered":"Ford Abandons Mustang GT350"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Ford’s thinning out the herd, scrapping two Mustang models, including the Shelby GT350.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even before adding the new Mustang Mach-E later this year, Ford\u2019s pony car stable had grown incredibly crowded, with options ranging from the base model up to the brutal GT500.<\/p>\n

Now, Ford is about to empty out two of those stalls, the automaker planning to drop both the Shelby GT350 and track-oriented GT350R. It also means there\u2019ll be no space on a Ford assembly line for the distinctive, flat-plane-crank V-8 used only in those two GT variants.<\/p>\n

The move will come as a disappointment to some Mustang fans but may be missed by most considering the low sales of the GT350 models. And, said Ford, it “makes the way for new additions to excite passionate Mustang fans for 2021 model year \u2013 including the limited-edition Mach 1.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Ford brings back the Mustang Mach 1.)<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, here in the Heritage Edition package, is being put out to pasture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That model is set to arrive next year and it does borrow a number of features from the GT350, but not the 5.2-liter V-8 which produces one of the most awesome exhaust notes of any current Mustang model. That\u2019s on top of the naturally aspirated engine\u2019s incredible numbers.<\/p>\n

Making 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, it can launch the GT350 from 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds and, based on what a number of publications have been reporting, propels it through the quarter-mile traps in just over 12 seconds.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s another appealing feature, a six-speed manual gearbox, that isn\u2019t available on the admittedly faster Shelby GT500.<\/p>\n

Actually, there were plenty of reasons to love the GT350, starting with a more affordable price tag, starting at $59,140 \u2013 before delivery fees \u2013 which was nearly $15,000 less than the GT500.<\/p>\n

(First drive: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.)<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

For that money you also got engine oil, transmission and differential coolers to keep them running smoothly while on the track. Add on what Ford described as \u00a0\u201ca no-compromise braking system with vented 15.5-inch two-piece front rotors and six-piston Brembo calipers along with the MagneRide damping system round out the standard equipment to produce the most balanced Mustang ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The all-new Shelby GT500\u2013the pinnacle of any pony car ever engineered by Ford Performance\u2013delivers on its heritage with more than 700 horsepower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The GT350 and GT350R will officially end their production runs this fall. But what about the Mustang Mach 1 being billed as something of a replacement?<\/p>\n

Think of it as falling somewhere in-between the Mustang Bullitt and the GT350. Set to arrive in showrooms next spring for around $50,000, it will feature a 480-horsepower version of Ford\u2019s trusty 5.0-liter V-8. The good news is that while most buyers are expected to order the Mach 1 with a 10-speed automatic with paddle-shifters, Ford will retain a 6-speed manual for those who just demand to row their own.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, like the Shelby models, the Mach 1 will let buyers load up on an array of track-ready options.<\/p>\n

While flat-plane-crank engine won\u2019t be used, the Mach 1 will share the GT350\u2019s intake manifold and engine cooler, as well as its front and rear subframes. It also will borrow things like the rear diffuser and rear axle cooler from the GT500.<\/p>\n

(Ford cutting price of Mustang Mach-E by as much as $3,000.)<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

So, there\u2019s a good chance that Ford\u2019s new Mustang stable-mate should be able to keep GT350 fans from shedding too many tears.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mustang fans will have two less options soon, Ford kicking the GT350 and GT350R out of their stalls. But the Mustang stable will also get another pony car stablemate soon, the Mach 1, reports TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":136412,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8,5,12],"tags":[],"make":[56],"post-state":[],"category_old":[118,286,150,151,123,287,133,289,248,132,130,159,284,139,290,164,291,278,288],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153777"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=153777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153777\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=153777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=153777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=153777"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=153777"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=153777"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=153777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}