Spoon66
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 25
- Location
- Southeast PA
- Vehicle(s)
- 16 GT350 RR Tech, 66 GT-S Conv, 96 Mystic Cobra
- Thread starter
- #1
150 mile review
Ordering (B+)
Ordered on 6/6 after seeing one at the Carlisle Show. I got the VIN in early august and a sept 28 build. It got pushed in early sept to Oct 22 with an est delivery of Nov 13-16 which was spot on. I have no idea why it went so smoothly but I do know the zone rep the dealer is a long time SVT leader. The cover was shipped separately to the dealer and the front splitter is in a large box in the trunk. It secures with 16 fasteners to the front end so if you clip a curb you will be spending some serious coin. Also I just heard from my dealer that the ESP plan I bought will not be honored by Ford. Apparently unlike the GT500, they will not be offering a ESP warranty on the GT350. Can anyone confirm this?
Body and Paint (A-)
Race Red with black roof and stripes. This color really works in all lighting with this body and all the standard black accents. I am really happy with the black roof as well. My friends at DuPont tell me it is actually a tinted clear color, which is why it is so saturated. The panel gaps could be better but my paint and stripes were top quality. BTW, the stripes scuff easily, do not let anyone wash this car for you. It literally turns heads on the road and you should be prepared to be approached in public, at least by guys who want to tell you that it is the best looking mustang they have ever seen.
Interior (B-)
I went with the tech pack because this will be my driver for 2 seasons a year, and I will rarely head to the track. It is basically a GT premium interior that smells like plastic. It is clear that they spent the money on the drivetrain hardware. It is too bad FORD couldn’t prevent ADM and add a $5k option to do an Audi class interior for those who would want it. It doesn’t really add any weight and would make this GT350 comparable to an M3 or 911 any day. You definitely sit on, not in the tech seats but they are very comfortable, have good lumbar, and are grippy for the street. The heat works well and the cooling will definitely improve your sperm count even if it doesn’t cool your back. The Sync 3 is simple and fast, with large easy to read graphics. The stereo appears to be the mid-range 9 speaker amp w/o sub system with the extra pair of door speakers removed for a final count of 7? Why? To save weight? The sound is good but short on real bass. I wonder how hard it will be to add the factory sub without cutting anything? Lastly, the center analog gauges are not very useful, as they are not angled toward the driver so it is impossible to read them accurately at a glance. I bought the all weather pony mats, and they fit well.
On the road (A+)
I have driven three generations of M3, M5, M6 and a tesla on the track and the street, and I will take this GT350 over all of them. I live in SE PA with many winding roads and hilly terrain so I can really work this car at reasonable speeds. Even at part throttle and using only up to 6K RPM, it is otherworldly. In terms of precision and feel it is amazing for such a large car. It is easy to rotate even in sport mode and you can control everything with the lovely throttle response. I am barely using the brakes except for the deer that I dodged at a poor Volvo’s expense. The GT PP feels like a pregnant cow in comparison. It is composted, deadly fast, and will get you cited. Your barely notice the MRC other than it makes you and the car better. The sound is awesome but a bit quiet for my taste even in loud mode. It sounds best under a heavy load, so hills are your friends, and it loves to crackle during engine braking. I have not experienced any surging issues, but I agree that the engine is soft below 2500-3000 RPM, at least compared to my supercharged 347. Where with a normal V8 you would cruise between 2-3K RPM, this guy likes 3-4K. The shifter is excellent but requires a firm hand. The clutch takes up high for my tastes, and I wonder if it is possible to adjust it? It is also tricky to launch, as it is very much like my ’66 close ratio Toploader with a tall first gear and a tight 1-5 and a cruise only 6. This makes sense given the application, but it will take some getting use to and is not helpful for drag racing unless you are willing to drop the clutch hard. Also one bug I noticed is that you cannot change drive modes while in reverse. I wonder if the sync 3 wifi update will allow track app firmware updates as well?
It definitely has an engine oil cooler on the driver’s side (confirmed on a lift by a SVT tech), and I had a steady temp of 185’ during medium hard driving at 55’ ambient.
The bottom line is this car has a rare combination of beauty and character in world of computer controlled, disconnected, hyper cars. At risk of getting flamed, I would say it is merge between a gen 1 Miata and a Mustang, and it will leave a grin on your face because it is all about the feel not the numbers. It is vastly superior to both the e90 and f30 BMW models I have owed.
Ordering (B+)
Ordered on 6/6 after seeing one at the Carlisle Show. I got the VIN in early august and a sept 28 build. It got pushed in early sept to Oct 22 with an est delivery of Nov 13-16 which was spot on. I have no idea why it went so smoothly but I do know the zone rep the dealer is a long time SVT leader. The cover was shipped separately to the dealer and the front splitter is in a large box in the trunk. It secures with 16 fasteners to the front end so if you clip a curb you will be spending some serious coin. Also I just heard from my dealer that the ESP plan I bought will not be honored by Ford. Apparently unlike the GT500, they will not be offering a ESP warranty on the GT350. Can anyone confirm this?
Body and Paint (A-)
Race Red with black roof and stripes. This color really works in all lighting with this body and all the standard black accents. I am really happy with the black roof as well. My friends at DuPont tell me it is actually a tinted clear color, which is why it is so saturated. The panel gaps could be better but my paint and stripes were top quality. BTW, the stripes scuff easily, do not let anyone wash this car for you. It literally turns heads on the road and you should be prepared to be approached in public, at least by guys who want to tell you that it is the best looking mustang they have ever seen.
Interior (B-)
I went with the tech pack because this will be my driver for 2 seasons a year, and I will rarely head to the track. It is basically a GT premium interior that smells like plastic. It is clear that they spent the money on the drivetrain hardware. It is too bad FORD couldn’t prevent ADM and add a $5k option to do an Audi class interior for those who would want it. It doesn’t really add any weight and would make this GT350 comparable to an M3 or 911 any day. You definitely sit on, not in the tech seats but they are very comfortable, have good lumbar, and are grippy for the street. The heat works well and the cooling will definitely improve your sperm count even if it doesn’t cool your back. The Sync 3 is simple and fast, with large easy to read graphics. The stereo appears to be the mid-range 9 speaker amp w/o sub system with the extra pair of door speakers removed for a final count of 7? Why? To save weight? The sound is good but short on real bass. I wonder how hard it will be to add the factory sub without cutting anything? Lastly, the center analog gauges are not very useful, as they are not angled toward the driver so it is impossible to read them accurately at a glance. I bought the all weather pony mats, and they fit well.
On the road (A+)
I have driven three generations of M3, M5, M6 and a tesla on the track and the street, and I will take this GT350 over all of them. I live in SE PA with many winding roads and hilly terrain so I can really work this car at reasonable speeds. Even at part throttle and using only up to 6K RPM, it is otherworldly. In terms of precision and feel it is amazing for such a large car. It is easy to rotate even in sport mode and you can control everything with the lovely throttle response. I am barely using the brakes except for the deer that I dodged at a poor Volvo’s expense. The GT PP feels like a pregnant cow in comparison. It is composted, deadly fast, and will get you cited. Your barely notice the MRC other than it makes you and the car better. The sound is awesome but a bit quiet for my taste even in loud mode. It sounds best under a heavy load, so hills are your friends, and it loves to crackle during engine braking. I have not experienced any surging issues, but I agree that the engine is soft below 2500-3000 RPM, at least compared to my supercharged 347. Where with a normal V8 you would cruise between 2-3K RPM, this guy likes 3-4K. The shifter is excellent but requires a firm hand. The clutch takes up high for my tastes, and I wonder if it is possible to adjust it? It is also tricky to launch, as it is very much like my ’66 close ratio Toploader with a tall first gear and a tight 1-5 and a cruise only 6. This makes sense given the application, but it will take some getting use to and is not helpful for drag racing unless you are willing to drop the clutch hard. Also one bug I noticed is that you cannot change drive modes while in reverse. I wonder if the sync 3 wifi update will allow track app firmware updates as well?
It definitely has an engine oil cooler on the driver’s side (confirmed on a lift by a SVT tech), and I had a steady temp of 185’ during medium hard driving at 55’ ambient.
The bottom line is this car has a rare combination of beauty and character in world of computer controlled, disconnected, hyper cars. At risk of getting flamed, I would say it is merge between a gen 1 Miata and a Mustang, and it will leave a grin on your face because it is all about the feel not the numbers. It is vastly superior to both the e90 and f30 BMW models I have owed.
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