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2019 GT350 vs GT500, help me decide...

YOLO

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New guy here, don't know much about the Shelbys.

I'm nearly retired so I'm filling my garage with some Toys. I have no intentions of ever selling these new cars. I'll eventually leave them to my son who is in his 20's and a gearhead (wonder, where he get's that from)?

I currently own a Lexus 4 door GS350 as my DD. I also have a C7 ZO6 (bone stock 650HP) and I beat the snot out of it. Burnouts galore and lots of fun. But not exactly safe when power applied. You can lose the backend real fast if you ain't careful. I've gotten it up to 162 MPH several times and it was a blast.

I see that Turbos and Superchargers are in nearly every car line. Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche, my Z06 (supercharged) BMW, Chevy, Ford, Dodge, etc...

I grew up during the muscle car era (1960's & 70's) when Dodge Hemis, Big Block Chevelles and Fords were a dime a dozen. I sold so many collectible cars it makes me sick. Ford Torino 428 Super Cobra Jet, Chevelle 396 Big Block with Hurst 4 speed, Buick GS 455 Stage I, etc... sold em all for dirt cheap.

No one knew at the time a big oil crash was coming in 1973 and the days of high horsepower cars would be gone for decades. Insurance rates also went thru the roof for High HP cars. Probably over $5,000.00 in today's dollars.

High insurance cost and no gas meant these cars dropped in price like an anchor. Dealers couldn't give away Hemis, Cobra Jets, etc... sat on lots for years.

IMHO I believe that the days of high Horsepower normally aspirated engines with Manuals are coming to an end.

That's why I'm ordering 2 new cars (keeping my Z06).

The Chevy Camaro SS 1LE (V8 LT1 engine 455 HP), manual and the Shelby.

I think the Camaro LT1 with 455 HP and the Shelby with 526 HP may be the last of the breed, and available with a manual.

I plan to keep these cars in mint condition but also take to a track to road race several times a year.

I am currently planning on ordering a New 2019 Shelby 350. Blue with White Painted stripes.

I am going to order the Non "R" version because I want it to be more streetable and not as harsh as the R version. It seems like with the changes for 2019 the Non R seems very close to the R version?

I could care less about resale value as my son will inherit them.

Do we know if 2019 is going to be the Last year for the 350? I would love to have the last year 350, but either way, I'm buying.

Will the GT500 have a NON-Supercharged version? If so, I may wait.

Is there an Official release date yet or more info about both the 350 and the 500?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thx
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key01

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I’m 63 and thanks for the reminder of those past days. I went through those muscle cars like candy and like you, gave them away. The new 500 will be supercharged if that matters. I would get the 350 in either form if you are serious about tracking it. You can drive from the showroom to the track and then home. I’m carefully modifying my 350 as I track it and pick up on issues that need to be addressed, but I have to say this car is one hell of a fun all around car. It can carry 4 people and hall beans around the race track. The sound of this flat plane crank is worth the price of admission alone. 2019 has some very nice cosmetic improvements coming as well. Who knows when the 350 party ends, but 2019 seems to be the swan song and I may buy one of them as well and mothball it while I keep tearing into this one. Good luck with your decision. All of my youth comes back to me when I get in this thing and push start.
 

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Buy a 2019 R. I owned a 2016 non-R and now drive a 2016 R. The R's ride is not harsh, just tighter. In normal mode (with non-tramlining Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires) it's a DD dream car. The carbon fiber wheels and rear wing alone will make it "collectable" as soon as it's out of production.
 

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New guy here, don't know much about the Shelbys.

I'm nearly retired so I'm filling my garage with some Toys. I have no intentions of ever selling these new cars. I'll eventually leave them to my son who is in his 20's and a gearhead (wonder, where he get's that from)?

I currently own a Lexus 4 door GS350 as my DD. I also have a C7 ZO6 (bone stock 650HP) and I beat the snot out of it. Burnouts galore and lots of fun. But not exactly safe when power applied. You can lose the backend real fast if you ain't careful. I've gotten it up to 162 MPH several times and it was a blast.

I see that Turbos and Superchargers are in nearly every car line. Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche, my Z06 (supercharged) BMW, Chevy, Ford, Dodge, etc...

I grew up during the muscle car era (1960's & 70's) when Dodge Hemis, Big Block Chevelles and Fords were a dime a dozen. I sold so many collectible cars it makes me sick. Ford Torino 428 Super Cobra Jet, Chevelle 396 Big Block with Hurst 4 speed, Buick GS 455 Stage I, etc... sold em all for dirt cheap.

No one knew at the time a big oil crash was coming in 1973 and the days of high horsepower cars would be gone for decades. Insurance rates also went thru the roof for High HP cars. Probably over $5,000.00 in today's dollars.

High insurance cost and no gas meant these cars dropped in price like an anchor. Dealers couldn't give away Hemis, Cobra Jets, etc... sat on lots for years.

IMHO I believe that the days of high Horsepower normally aspirated engines with Manuals are coming to an end.

That's why I'm ordering 2 new cars (keeping my Z06).

The Chevy Camaro SS 1LE (V8 LT1 engine 455 HP), manual and the Shelby.

I think the Camaro LT1 with 455 HP and the Shelby with 526 HP may be the last of the breed, and available with a manual.

I plan to keep these cars in mint condition but also take to a track to road race several times a year.

I am currently planning on ordering a New 2019 Shelby 350. Blue with White Painted stripes.

I am going to order the Non "R" version because I want it to be more streetable and not as harsh as the R version. It seems like with the changes for 2019 the Non R seems very close to the R version?

I could care less about resale value as my son will inherit them.

Do we know if 2019 is going to be the Last year for the 350? I would love to have the last year 350, but either way, I'm buying.

Will the GT500 have a NON-Supercharged version? If so, I may wait.

Is there an Official release date yet or more info about both the 350 and the 500?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thx
Sounds like we grew up in the same era and enjoyed/owned many Muscle Cars with my 3 favorite cars that I had owned back in the day being an A12 Road Runner, L78 RS/SS Camaro and an AMC SC/Rambler which I just sold recently after 24 years of ownership.

With respect to a few of your questions and comments here is my take on some of this.

Not confirmed but would suggest that the 2019MY may be (certainly not confirmed) the last of the GT350/R's based on Ford focusing more on the upcoming GT500, Bullitt, Bronco and potential Mach 1/Boss cars.

Personally I am not a big fan of FI automobiles especially SC cars and know that the new SC GT500 will be an awesome vehicle but after owning numerous NA Boss and GT350 cars that is what I am sticking with at this point.

Regarding you purchasing a new GT350, great decision IMO and you will love this car especially if you are going to track it. Having tracked and street driven both a GT350 and an R model you might want to give an R model some consideration from an aspect to being a 2 seat car and coming with CF wheels and CF rear spoiler. Also, the resonator delete on the R model certainly adds to the outstanding aural aspect of these outstanding FPC engines.

Production dates for startup at the Flat Rock assembly plant for the 2019MY GT350/R's have not been confirmed as yet and could be quite some time before production starts up again especially for the R models but again pure speculation on my part.

Keep us updated on your progress.
 

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Sounds like we grew up in the same era and enjoyed/owned many Muscle Cars with my 3 favorite cars that I had owned back in the day being an A12 Road Runner, L78 RS/SS Camaro and an AMC SC/Rambler which I just sold recently after 24 years of ownership.

With respect to a few of your questions and comments here is my take on some of this.

Not confirmed but would suggest that the 2019MY may be (certainly not confirmed) the last of the GT350/R's based on Ford focusing more on the upcoming GT500, Bullitt, Bronco and potential Mach 1/Boss cars.

Personally, I am not a big fan of FI automobiles especially SC cars and know that the new SC GT500 will be an awesome vehicle but after owning numerous NA Boss and GT350 cars that is what I am sticking with at this point.

Regarding you purchasing a new GT350, great decision IMO and you will love this car especially if you are going to track it. Having tracked and street driven both a GT350 and an R model you might want to give an R model some consideration from an aspect to being a 2 seat car and coming with CF wheels and CF rear spoiler. Also, the resonator delete on the R model certainly adds to the outstanding aural aspect of these outstanding FPC engines.

Production dates for startup at the Flat Rock assembly plant for the 2019MY GT350/R's have not been confirmed as yet and could be quite some time before production starts up again especially for the R models but again pure speculation on my part.

Keep us updated on your progress.
I'll be posting here before I place my order.

I wasn't focused on the "R" because of such high markups, especially if 2019 is the Last year. Thought I would have a better deal on the Base GT350.

I will track it at Gingerman Raceway in Michigan and a few others.

I'm seriously considering ordering Both models and park the "R" version as a Garage Queen, and beat the snot on the base model :)

I'm fairly confident this 526HP engine and manual trans is the end of NA cars.
 

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Didn't they roll back the fuel economy standards in the US? I think the death of the v8 is greatly exaggerated.

I don't know if 2019 will be the last gt350 I honestly don't know if Ford knows either. I can't see them making a change for one model year though.
 
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Didn't they roll back the fuel economy standards in the US? I think the death of the v8 is greatly exaggerated.

I don't know if 2019 will be the last gt350 I honestly don't know if Ford knows either. I can't see them making a change for one model year though.
Are you kidding?

Every car manufacturer in the World has gone Turbo/Supercharged/Electric.

Ford GT supercar has a V6 :(

Ford Raptor (truck) has a V6 and now a diesel in the F150.

This 526HP engine is the biggest mass-produced engine in Ford history. This is most likely "the end".

GT500 talk is all supercharged.

New C8 Corvette is all Supercharged talk also. Porsche has almost completely done away with NA engines and everyone else in Europe.

These car manufacturers have to build cars for Global use not just for the US market.
 

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Porsche have laid out a new business plan, Strategy 2025. By that year, 50% of their range will be electric. Worldwide the manual gearbox is already dead, the petrol engine is critically ill.

I'm also new, but I've read enough here on the Shelby part of the forum to form an opinion that one Shelby will be heartache enough.

Buy something other than a Ford for your second car. Good luck with your purchases.
 
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Porsche have laid out a new business plan, Strategy 2025. By that year, 50% of their range will be electric. Worldwide the manual gearbox is already dead, the petrol engine is critically ill.

I'm also new, but I've read enough here on the Shelby part of the forum to form an opinion that one Shelby will be heartache enough.

Buy something other than a Ford for your second car. Good luck with your purchases.
Damn. I really want a Shelby.

My daily driver is a 4 door Lexus GS350 (best car ever) and I have a Z06 to play with during the summer.

I don't NEED a 3rd car, but I want a Shelby non-aspirated, high horsepower with a manual.

Gonna take a lot to talk me off the bridge and make the jump :)
 

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The GT350R is far from "harsh". It rides as good as a regular gt350. Based off your comments. Get an R. It'll be far more iconic.
 

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Whether it's the end of the V8 depends on the consumers. I personally don't like V6s or straight 6s and flat 6s are not that great IMO either.

If people buy whatever the car manufacturers build, the manufacturers have no incentive to change. Lots of people are buying the new Raptor, which means to me Ford probably won't go back to a V8 for that platform.

It seems the majority of people don't care that much. Having something new might be more important to most than having a V8. Who knows, right now I don't see myself replacing my V8 Mustang with a hybrid/diesel/electric/4 cylinder POS, but maybe that will change.
 

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Didn't they roll back the fuel economy standards in the US? I think the death of the v8 is greatly exaggerated.
They did. But the market isn't stupid and the Big Three know the upcoming generation of car buyers...well, don't give a rat's piss about cars. They care about convenience, fuel economy/emissions, and transportation ease. Performance? These kids would need a dictionary for that word.
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