Chris Harris did not like the GT350R!

[Beetleything]

He compares it to a Ferrari ! Which is no bad thing.
He seems to be saying that he expects a Mustang to be like a Mustang and it's like they put a Ferrari engine in it.

He's also a HUGE Porsche fan boy and has owned Ferrari's - so there's that to.

He seems to like the Bullitt....

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[Beetleything]

Isn't this the video where they drive a base model GT350 that doesn't even have the magneride suspension? I don't feel that's even a fair comparison as you're basically driving a PP1 car with a cool engine at that point. The magneride setup is a major factor in the mixture of what makes the GT350 special.

Yep there's a review of this car with the owner in One Take ...

 

[mavisky]

He compares it to a Ferrari ! Which is no bad thing.
He seems to be saying that he expects a Mustang to be like a Mustang and it's like they put a Ferrari engine in it.

He's also a HUGE Porsche fan boy and has owned Ferrari's - so there's that to.

He seems to like the Bullitt....

There's a Road and Track article about the development of the new Predator engine and they talk about the Voodoo engine and it's sound from Ford and they made a similar comment.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-ca...-mustang-shelby-gt500-the-right-kind-of-loud/

The GT350, for instance, uses the same basic flat-plane-crank engine design as the Ferrari 458. In fact, Teknos and his team benchmarked the 458 during the exhaust design process. When they finished the first mockup, they loaded the engine specs into a computer simulator without messing too much with the exhaust. They had done it: the GT350 almost perfectly mimicked the best sounds Maranello had to offer.

Except, this was a Mustang. While it was impressive that they nailed the exhaust note of an Italian exotic, they realized that wasn’t what Mustang buyers wanted. They needed to bring back that signature burble.

So they did something that would shock and appall anyone tuning their WRX: they got rid of the equal-length headers. With an equal-length setup, the primary harmonics arrive at the same time. They’re all stacked, arriving together and combining into one wail.

For the Mustang, they wanted to space out those exhaust pulses to mimic the chattering sound of a cross-plane-crank V-8—one that happens to offer the free-revving, screaming insanity that only a flat-plane design can deliver. The result is the raucous sound of the GT350, one of Teknos’ proudest accomplishments.

Literally built an engine that sounds like a Ferrari 458 and then went and intentionally messed with the manifolds to make it sound like the pedestrian GT because "Mustang guys won't like a car that doesn't go burble-burble-burble". Then why develop the flat plane crank engine in the first place? I've never wanted to smack an engineer more in my life.

 

[Checkmate]

I don't understand why some people have their panties in a bunch over Harris not liking the GT350R.

Opinions are like Aholes...everyone has one.

If you have a unique experience in the GT350 ownership, then enjoy it fully and don't be worried about what other people think. GT350 is an amazing car for it's price point and for this time.

We are all moving to the EV land sooner than we think. Cherish a good motor that sings + Manual as this experience will not be around long.

 

[oldbmwfan]

I agree. I was all German performance, then this thing came out. I love it, and it’s my first American car.

My username speaks for itself, but I did pick up my Fiesta ST prior to getting the GT350R, and that car is also properly fun to drive. Both are better, IMO, than contemporary BMWs. I still have my E39 M5 also, which in a way is more like a traditional American muscle car than the GT350 is (at least in terms of engine characteristics).

 

[Shift]

I really respect his opinion on cars, and I get his point of view. He's basically living in the past, and since a Mustang should be a muscle car, the car should stay in it's own lane. That's narrow minded thinking that would've stopped the likes of the ZL1 LE and GT500 becoming supercar killers.

If getting similar to GT3 performance at a bargain basement price entails it being confined inside of a Mustang body, Im all about having more options.

Chris Harris is saying "Why?", I'm saying, "Why the hell not?"

 

[Hack]

I don't understand why some people have their panties in a bunch over Harris not liking the GT350R.

I'd like to think I don't have my panties in a bunch, but maybe I do. I'm mostly thinking, "WTF?" because it doesn't make sense to me. I guess this opinion of his makes me question all his other opinions. I think I put him on a little too much of a pedestal. Turns out he's human.

 

[oldbmwfan]

Yep there's a review of this car with the owner in One Take ...

My Ford Performance friend has mentioned that the chassis development team really loved how the base car rode and handled. I've never driven one, but I'm curious. It's really odd they didn't offer the coolers as a standalone option in the initial years.

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

Since when is having a Mustang with a F355 engine in it a bad thing? Ford reverse engineered a 458 Italia engine when embarking on the GT350 project. So, if it feels like a Ferrari, I would say that is mission accomplished.

The GT350 is polarizing in its appeal, especially to traditional muscle car enthusiast. Those expecting the stump tugging engine characteristic of a traditional American V8, will likely be underwhelmed by the lack of low rpm acceleration of the GT350 and gear ratios favouring road racing circuits.

Interestingly, there seem to be a lot of GT350 converts (me included) who had never desired a Mustang or any muscle car. But because of the voodoo engine's raw, raucous and penchant for revs, and the chassis and suspension tuning handling excellence, this car really appeals to the driving enthusiast in me. Though I am no expert, the GT350 is the most fun car I have owned, and my car ownership history include icons such as the E39 M5, AP1 S2000, Integra Type R, and Alfa Romeo Spyder.

I have always appreciated Chris Harris' impressions and editorials, however I respectfully disagree. Unfortunately car journos can become jaded from testing exotic or high dollar machinery and become out of touch with the plight of your average car enthusiast. Presently, I feel that the GT350, even with its faults and compromises, is one of the purest analog (insert long live the manuals battle cry here), and fun sports cars that yet is still affordable today. In a data driven world manufacturers and the market looking for the quickest and the fastest will overlook the GT350, and that is fine with me. If you live only by stats, you'd be hard pressed to find a slower accelerating 500+hp sports car than the GT350. However, for those who truly love driving for the sake of driving are in the minority anyways.

I can think of several slower accelerating 500+ hp cars - the 5th gen Camaro Z28. 0-60 in 4.4 sec and 1/4 mile in 12.7 @ 116 mph per C&D. Although, R&T did get the Z28 to go 12.2 @ 118 mph and 0-60 in 4.0, matching the best GT350R magazine time (but slightly slower trap speed) in the 1/4 mile and 1 tenth behind 0-60 (3.9 sec for the R). Most tests for the R are in the 12.2 range at 119 mph with 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. C&D driver tested the 2019 GT350 and got 4.0 and 12.3 @ 119 mph. Also, the 5th gen Camaro ZL1: 580 hp and 0-60 in 4.1 sec and 1/4 mile in 12.3 @ 119 mph. Matches the 2019 GT350 in the 1/4 (but 1 tenth slower to 60 mph) but with 580 hp and gobs of torque from the supercharger. Heck, similar to the Z28, the 2010 Shelby GT500 had 540 hp and could only muster 12.7 @ 118 mph per MT. That trap speed, though, would indicate traction or launch issues, as 118 mph should be able to trap in the low 12s. Sort of like the new GT500 running only 11.4 sec in the 1/4 mile but at a very fast 132 mph (per C&D).

All of that makes it somewhat crazy that the 2018 GT A10 PP1 ran 12.1 @ 120 mph and 0-60 in 3.8 sec per C&D's test. 120 mph! Motor Trend also ran 12.1 but at a slightly slower 118.8 mph. 12.1 (and 120 mph) is faster than all of those higher hp cars (not counting the mention of the '20 GT500). Pretty impressive.

 

[Johnnydarkgt350]

I can think of several slower accelerating 500+ hp cars - the 5th gen Camaro Z28. 0-60 in 4.4 sec and 1/4 mile in 12.7 @ 116 mph per C&D. Although, R&T did get the Z28 to go 12.2 @ 118 mph and 0-60 in 4.0, matching the best GT350R magazine time (but slightly slower trap speed) in the 1/4 mile and 1 tenth behind 0-60 (3.9 sec for the R). Most tests for the R are in the 12.2 range at 119 mph with 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. C&D driver tested the 2019 GT350 and got 4.0 and 12.3 @ 119 mph. Also, the 5th gen Camaro ZL1: 580 hp and 0-60 in 4.1 sec and 1/4 mile in 12.3 @ 119 mph. Matches the 2019 GT350 in the 1/4 (but 1 tenth slower to 60 mph) but with 580 hp and gobs of torque from the supercharger. Heck, similar to the Z28, the 2010 Shelby GT500 had 540 hp and could only muster 12.7 @ 118 mph per MT. That trap speed, though, would indicate traction or launch issues, as 118 mph should be able to trap in the low 12s. Sort of like the new GT500 running only 11.4 sec in the 1/4 mile but at a very fast 132 mph (per C&D).

All of that makes it somewhat crazy that the 2018 GT A10 PP1 ran 12.1 @ 120 mph and 0-60 in 3.8 sec per C&D's test. 120 mph! Motor Trend also ran 12.1 but at a slightly slower 118.8 mph. 12.1 (and 120 mph) is faster than all of those higher hp cars (not counting the mention of the '20 GT500). Pretty impressive.

History repeats itself “, In 1965 Shelby GT350 Was not “ The king of the stop lights or the dragstrip unless modified for that purpose. But most if not all of the cars that would be driving around on Pacific Coast Highway back in the day would have only seen tail lights of a Shelby GT350 at Willow Springs raceway, or Laguna Seca Raceway. What it was built for. Hemi road runners , GTO’s with Ram air. 428 Cobra jet mach 1’s , small block corvettes etc. Today every car you listed but let’s include the Dodge Demon , and any other normally aspirated v8 under 100k$ Will not get anywhere near a lap of 1:36 at Laguna Seca , what this car was designed for .a GT350R was Tested at an Autocross run off against its more expensive and higher HP new kid on the block “ 2020 SHELBY GT500 “ ; it put the GT500 on the trailer with its tail tucked between its tailpipes! Lol So thank you to the Shelby GT350R team and engineers of 5 years ago .

 

[newmoon]

I can think of several slower accelerating 500+ hp cars - the 5th gen Camaro Z28. 0-60 in 4.4 sec and 1/4 mile in 12.7 @ 116 mph per C&D. Although, R&T did get the Z28 to go 12.2 @ 118 mph and 0-60 in 4.0, matching the best GT350R magazine time (but slightly slower trap speed) in the 1/4 mile and 1 tenth behind 0-60 (3.9 sec for the R). Most tests for the R are in the 12.2 range at 119 mph with 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. C&D driver tested the 2019 GT350 and got 4.0 and 12.3 @ 119 mph. Also, the 5th gen Camaro ZL1: 580 hp and 0-60 in 4.1 sec and 1/4 mile in 12.3 @ 119 mph. Matches the 2019 GT350 in the 1/4 (but 1 tenth slower to 60 mph) but with 580 hp and gobs of torque from the supercharger. Heck, similar to the Z28, the 2010 Shelby GT500 had 540 hp and could only muster 12.7 @ 118 mph per MT. That trap speed, though, would indicate traction or launch issues, as 118 mph should be able to trap in the low 12s. Sort of like the new GT500 running only 11.4 sec in the 1/4 mile but at a very fast 132 mph (per C&D).

All of that makes it somewhat crazy that the 2018 GT A10 PP1 ran 12.1 @ 120 mph and 0-60 in 3.8 sec per C&D's test. 120 mph! Motor Trend also ran 12.1 but at a slightly slower 118.8 mph. 12.1 (and 120 mph) is faster than all of those higher hp cars (not counting the mention of the '20 GT500). Pretty impressive.

That is the issue with the GT350 as I see it. A n/a that runs 119 mph in the quarter should not be considered slow by any means. Problem is as has been stated over and over again nobody is home until 3000 rpms. In a perfect world we would have terrific power below 3000 as well as on up to 8250 redline.

Given the choice of other n/a offers such as GT, SS, or RT, I found them boring, I'd take the 350 each time. Problem is when compared to other similar priced vehicles such as the new 500, ZL1, and Hellcat the 350 looses badly in acceleration. I could definitely see myself in a 500 or ZL1, vehicles that are very good at everything. So I do kind of see his point.

 

[lonegunman]

What interests me is how fast a car stops, how well it corners and how nice the overall driving experience is on a regular basis. Making 700 horsepower with a blower is not particularly interesting to me. All it does is give the stop light racers a car that is exciting for about 600 feet so they can wow their friends. You still end up with a 4,500 pound pig of a car that cannot get around a corner and will not do well on a curvy road. I owned a comp prepped SVO for more than 20 years, lack of power under 3,000 rpm is not new to me, nor is tram lining on highway ruts or revving to find power, a GT350 with a flat plane crank motor is what I wanted from the start.

I'm not even sure about a video with a "base" GT350 without magnaride? According to Ford that is a feature on all GT350's from what I've read. 4.0 secs 0-60 times are fine with me, it is not worth $75K to go .2 secs faster nor is it worth owning a Corvette, I'm a Ford guy. Most people here cannot duplicate Car and Driver times for one simple reason, we actually own the car. I'm not stoked to rev it to 5,000 rpm, dump the clutch, stomp the peddle to the floor and hope I don't have to buy new parts when it is over at every stop light to impress a fart pipe ricer.

Yeah, the GT350 is not a typical low end grunt American V8. It is so much more than that. My 1986 SVO Mustang was quicker than the V8, cornered better and stopped shorter and was not adored either...............................but in 1993 the Cobra R copied it's suspension 100% and even used it tail lights. Ford was on the right track seven years earlier. I'm not to interested in a review by a guy who has one single view of how a car should be and pans a car for not meeting his pre-conceived notion. I don't buy cars to impress a limey cab driver, so his opinion has no value to me.

 

[DrumReaper]

I could absolutely care less...

 

[Lorne34]

Motor Trend 2019 Drivers Car of the Year Runner Up/2nd place-- to a Porsche 911. I respect those who want to go fast and have lots of low end torque. If I had the $ i'd have a drag strip car as well, but I won't be taking my Shelby to WIR in Kaukauna WI to burn out the clutch. It's a great driving experience as a whole and begs to be out on a race track revving out that engine...

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2019-best-drivers-car-introduction/
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2019-best-drivers-car-rankings/

 

[mavisky]

I'm not even sure about a video with a "base" GT350 without magnaride? According to Ford that is a feature on all GT350's from what I've read.

That only became true after 2017. In 2015 and 2016 you could order a base car without the track or tech package and in that case the car wouldn't come with the magneride suspension.

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