16GT350
Well-Known Member
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- #1
For those of you that haven't had an opportunity to track your GT350, I thought I would share my impressions. Quick summary: this car is unbelievable!
I ran my car at Road Atlanta in HPDE sessions (no racing or time trials). NASA-SE runs a great program and I had an amazing weekend.
Drivetrain thoughts: Having come out of a Boss 302, higher revving Mustangs are not new to me. However, the GT350 really shines in some key ways the Boss never could. The increased power from 4-8k was simply amazing. I was able to pull away from current generation Corvettes once speeds exceed 100 mph. In one session, I ran close to a new M4 that had been race prepped (bolt ons, tune, gutted interior, roll bars, etc). However the GT350 easily pulled away from the M4. Also ran with a previous 2004 gen z06 (NA motor) and again, was surprised by how easily the car gapped the z06 at the top end. The acceleration after 100 mph really surprised me. The flexibility of the motor made the car a dream to drive. It really didn't matter what gear I ran in as long as the engine was over 4K. I was able to reduce the number of times I needed shift substantially compared to any of about half dozen cars I've driven there. Being able to hold the car primarily in 4th gear even on long straights was amazing! The noises this car made on track were intoxicating (no noise limit issues).
Transmission and clutch: Both performed flawlessly. No lockout issues as experienced in higher RPM range in the Boss or previous GTs. The shift feel was very good. Firm but not recalcitrant like other heavy duty transmissions I've driven. The combo worked without incident for two solid days of tracking.
Handling: Where to start - car handled very well. Body motions were always controlled. A few observations about Track mode for suspension: I reallly couldn't believe how different the car felt in track mode. On the street, Track mode feels more firm but that's all I could really tell. On track the differences become much more obvious. The body roll was almost eliminated, the car felt much more responsive and the surface of the track was communicated through the chassis. Even though the feel was very firm, the suspension was amazingly compliant and I could use more of the rumble strips and curbing and maintain control beyond my expectations and previous experience.
Brakes: First time I've ever driven a factory pad/fluid without some issue. Either pads overheating, fluid overheating, or some combination of both has always occurred on OEM equipment. However, while I'd prefer more initial bite and overall stopping power, the pedal stayed firm and braking performance was consistent from the first lap to the last. Genuinely impressed by the overall performance. I will likely upgrade pads and fluid to improve but you can take this car to track as is and not experience any issues - amazing!
Electronics: The various modes do make noticeable differences on track. I was surprised by how much leeway the system gives you. I've driven my cars hard on track and previously felt the nannies slowing me down (including in my Boss). I accidentally left the car in normal mode and it really didn't interfere all that much (although it disconcertingly interfered at a high speed apex, so i quickly corrected it back to Track mode). When in Track mode, I never felt it kick in the dash lights never lit up indicating they were activated (as it did in the rain once or twice). I was able to drive the car hard, get some aggressive rotation and throttle application without any issues. Ford tuned the electronics well on this car. Also, unlike previous Ford systems you could easily change modes while on track. I really appreciated not having to pit to correct the setting as I had to do with previous Mustangs.
The car got lots of attention too - I had regular visitors asking about the car and other drivers coming to talk about our on track sessions. I thought maybe the hype around these cars was dying down, but it isn't.
Get your GT350 on track ASAP!
I will post a video shortly.
PS - I bought rims (Forgeline) and tires (NT01) from Paul here on the forum and they were phenomenal.
PSS - my Steeda jacking rails made swapping tires at the track much easier.
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78198&page=1
J
I ran my car at Road Atlanta in HPDE sessions (no racing or time trials). NASA-SE runs a great program and I had an amazing weekend.
Drivetrain thoughts: Having come out of a Boss 302, higher revving Mustangs are not new to me. However, the GT350 really shines in some key ways the Boss never could. The increased power from 4-8k was simply amazing. I was able to pull away from current generation Corvettes once speeds exceed 100 mph. In one session, I ran close to a new M4 that had been race prepped (bolt ons, tune, gutted interior, roll bars, etc). However the GT350 easily pulled away from the M4. Also ran with a previous 2004 gen z06 (NA motor) and again, was surprised by how easily the car gapped the z06 at the top end. The acceleration after 100 mph really surprised me. The flexibility of the motor made the car a dream to drive. It really didn't matter what gear I ran in as long as the engine was over 4K. I was able to reduce the number of times I needed shift substantially compared to any of about half dozen cars I've driven there. Being able to hold the car primarily in 4th gear even on long straights was amazing! The noises this car made on track were intoxicating (no noise limit issues).
Transmission and clutch: Both performed flawlessly. No lockout issues as experienced in higher RPM range in the Boss or previous GTs. The shift feel was very good. Firm but not recalcitrant like other heavy duty transmissions I've driven. The combo worked without incident for two solid days of tracking.
Handling: Where to start - car handled very well. Body motions were always controlled. A few observations about Track mode for suspension: I reallly couldn't believe how different the car felt in track mode. On the street, Track mode feels more firm but that's all I could really tell. On track the differences become much more obvious. The body roll was almost eliminated, the car felt much more responsive and the surface of the track was communicated through the chassis. Even though the feel was very firm, the suspension was amazingly compliant and I could use more of the rumble strips and curbing and maintain control beyond my expectations and previous experience.
Brakes: First time I've ever driven a factory pad/fluid without some issue. Either pads overheating, fluid overheating, or some combination of both has always occurred on OEM equipment. However, while I'd prefer more initial bite and overall stopping power, the pedal stayed firm and braking performance was consistent from the first lap to the last. Genuinely impressed by the overall performance. I will likely upgrade pads and fluid to improve but you can take this car to track as is and not experience any issues - amazing!
Electronics: The various modes do make noticeable differences on track. I was surprised by how much leeway the system gives you. I've driven my cars hard on track and previously felt the nannies slowing me down (including in my Boss). I accidentally left the car in normal mode and it really didn't interfere all that much (although it disconcertingly interfered at a high speed apex, so i quickly corrected it back to Track mode). When in Track mode, I never felt it kick in the dash lights never lit up indicating they were activated (as it did in the rain once or twice). I was able to drive the car hard, get some aggressive rotation and throttle application without any issues. Ford tuned the electronics well on this car. Also, unlike previous Ford systems you could easily change modes while on track. I really appreciated not having to pit to correct the setting as I had to do with previous Mustangs.
The car got lots of attention too - I had regular visitors asking about the car and other drivers coming to talk about our on track sessions. I thought maybe the hype around these cars was dying down, but it isn't.
Get your GT350 on track ASAP!
I will post a video shortly.
PS - I bought rims (Forgeline) and tires (NT01) from Paul here on the forum and they were phenomenal.
PSS - my Steeda jacking rails made swapping tires at the track much easier.
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78198&page=1
J
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