2019 GT350 vs GT500, help me decide...

[PP0001]

Yolo,

Hands down the 350R is the way to go. I have one and for all the reasons Harry has mentioned but also it is simply superior on the track. I had mine out at GingerMan on Aug 14/15 and the thing just keeps giving. I managed 134mph in fourth on the straight barely touching 7000 rpm and it just wanted to give more. hugs corners like no tomorrow. I am considered a novice driver and have had a few seasoned drivers take me for a spin at GingerMan and Mosport - simply breath taking. Worth every penny of any markup you would pay. My brother has garage queened his base R model and sure they are pretty to look at, but slap some PPF on the entire car and it looks like new after every track day. This image is after GingerMan, four track days in total since I got in April, and looks new...just wish I had gotten a base R... well just need to pry the keys out of my brother's hands.

Managing 134 MPH in 4th gear is outstanding based on what I had experienced at Sebring back in October 2015 when I was able to test drive a couple of 2016 R models and a GT350 Track Pack car.

Because the Sebring course was relegated to the short course I could not get up to speed compared to the very experienced Pro drivers who maxed out at ~140 MPH in 4th gear who are obviously phenomenal drivers . Based on owning a number of Boss cars in the past and limited track time I kept short shifting these new FPC engine cars but the Pro drivers took it to another level compared and that was very cool.

Certainly agree with going with an R model and not sure what your brother Ray intends to do with his 2018 920A Base R but whatever the case with only 2 of these Base R's being sold to Canada for the 2018MY prior to Ford permanently suspending production on these Base R's I hope that "JR276" stays within the family.

In just over a week I am going to see "JR157" and can't wait to fire it up and take it for a rip.

Great times for an old guy!

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[AWE350ME]

Managing 134 MPH in 4th gear is outstanding based on what I had experienced at Sebring back in October 2015 when I was able to test drive a couple of 2016 R models and a GT350 Track Pack car.

Because the Sebring course was relegated to the short course I could not get up to speed compared to the very experienced Pro drivers who maxed out at ~140 MPH in 4th gear who are obviously phenomenal drivers . Based on owning a number of Boss cars in the past and limited track time I kept short shifting these new FPC engine cars but the Pro drivers took it to another level compared and that was very cool.

Certainly agree with going with an R model and not sure what your brother Ray intends to do with his 2018 920A Base R but whatever the case with only 2 of these Base R's being sold to Canada for the 2018MY prior to Ford permanently suspending production on these Base R's I hope that "JR276" stays within the family.

In just over a week I am going to see "JR157" and can't wait to fire it up and take it for a rip.

Great times for an old guy!

Harry,

Are you heading up here for that spin? or is JR157 on it way to you? If you are heading this way let me know I'll arrange for the only two Canadian 2018 920A Base R's to meet up for a photo shoot.

 

[AWE350ME]

Managing 134 MPH in 4th gear is outstanding based on what I had experienced at Sebring back in October 2015 when I was able to test drive a couple of 2016 R models and a GT350 Track Pack car.

Because the Sebring course was relegated to the short course I could not get up to speed compared to the very experienced Pro drivers who maxed out at ~140 MPH in 4th gear who are obviously phenomenal drivers . Based on owning a number of Boss cars in the past and limited track time I kept short shifting these new FPC engine cars but the Pro drivers took it to another level compared and that was very cool.

Certainly agree with going with an R model and not sure what your brother Ray intends to do with his 2018 920A Base R but whatever the case with only 2 of these Base R's being sold to Canada for the 2018MY prior to Ford permanently suspending production on these Base R's I hope that "JR276" stays within the family.

In just over a week I am going to see "JR157" and can't wait to fire it up and take it for a rip.

Great times for an old guy!

Ignorance is bliss, it wasn't till after the session that I was schooled in the potential dangers of high rev shifting , but hey this is a GT350R do any of those things even apply? My high rev shifting and my lack of rev matching skills on the downshift certainly put me at red line a few times . JR188 is no worse for the wear plus I purchased all the extended warranties known to man for this thing just in case

 

[PP0001]

Harry,

Are you heading up here for that spin? or is JR157 on it way to you? If you are heading this way let me know I'll arrange for the only two Canadian 2018 920A Base R's to meet up for a photo shoot.

Just heading up for a weekend with car buddy and a spin in JR157 but certainly appreciate your kind invitation as would be terrific to have the last two Canadian Base cars together for a photo shoot.

As you know HR019 is 1 of 1 Base R models built for Canada in Ruby Red!!

Have not seen JR157 with it's rear wing attached along with the CF wheels so looking forward to that.

Going to put HR019 up for sale over the next couple of days and couldn't think of a better home for another Base R than in your home in the GTA!!

Give me a call over the next couple of days.

 

[YOLO]

Yolo,

Hands down the 350R is the way to go. I have one and for all the reasons Harry has mentioned but also it is simply superior on the track. I had mine out at GingerMan on Aug 14/15 and the thing just keeps giving. I managed 134mph in fourth on the straight barely touching 7000 rpm and it just wanted to give more. hugs corners like no tomorrow. I am considered a novice driver and have had a few seasoned drivers take me for a spin at GingerMan and Mosport - simply breath taking. Worth every penny of any markup you would pay. My brother has garage queened his base R model and sure they are pretty to look at, but slap some PPF on the entire car and it looks like new after every track day. This image is after GingerMan, four track days in total since I got in April, and looks new...just wish I had gotten a base R... well just need to pry the keys out of my brother's hands.

Funny how you mention Gingerman as that will be one of the tracks I will be using.

 

[AWE350ME]

Funny how you mention Gingerman as that will be one of the tracks I will be using.

It was my first time there. Perfect track for the R lots of turns and just enough straight away to get your adrenaline flowing. Once you pull the trigger on the car, sign up for next year’s version of the Mohawk Track Experience mid August 2019 would be great to see you there.

 

[YOLO]

It was my first time there. Perfect track for the R lots of turns and just enough straight away to get your adrenaline flowing. Once you pull the trigger on the car, sign up for next year’s version of the Mohawk Track Experience mid August 2019 would be great to see you there.

I use to live less than 1 hours drive from Gingerman.

Spent many days there and attended "Viper Days".

Definitely a nice track and very peaceful city.

 

[Trackaholic]

I would also recommend getting the R if you can swing it. I own a non-R and love it, and don't want an R enough to take a bath on the non-R and lose the streetable aspects (scrape my front splitter enough as it is), but if I didn't already have a GT350, I would look very hard for the R.

The GT500 will be supercharged and a different feeling beast. Instead of two GT350s, you should get a GT350R and then see what the GT500 promises. Give that one a couple years and availability should be decent (like the GT350 is now).

-T

 

[icormba]

I would also recommend getting the R if you can swing it. I own a non-R and love it, and don't want an R enough to take a bath on the non-R and lose the streetable aspects (scrape my front splitter enough as it is), but if I didn't already have a GT350, I would look very hard for the R.

The GT500 will be supercharged and a different feeling beast. Instead of two GT350s, you should get a GT350R and then see what the GT500 promises. Give that one a couple years and availability should be decent (like the GT350 is now).

-T

What -T said!!! 100%!!!

 

[YOLO]

I would also recommend getting the R if you can swing it. I own a non-R and love it, and don't want an R enough to take a bath on the non-R and lose the streetable aspects (scrape my front splitter enough as it is), but if I didn't already have a GT350, I would look very hard for the R.

The GT500 will be supercharged and a different feeling beast. Instead of two GT350s, you should get a GT350R and then see what the GT500 promises. Give that one a couple years and availability should be decent (like the GT350 is now).

-T

I'm heavily leaning towards the "R" model. Money is not an issue. Although I will get the base 350 if they try to rape me on ADM. This will be another Toy sitting in my garage waiting to be inherited by my son one day. Hopefully many years from now.

I wish there were some way to 'lift' the front-end when going over speed bumps and badly angled driveways.

 

[datadatum]

YOLO - I like what Jay Leno did for his GT350R: He got the electronics package, and had Ford install the more comfortable seats from the non-R model. Best of both worlds!

 

[Trackaholic]

I'm heavily leaning towards the "R" model. Money is not an issue. Although I will get the base 350 if they try to rape me on ADM. This will be another Toy sitting in my garage waiting to be inherited by my son one day. Hopefully many years from now.

I wish there were some way to 'lift' the front-end when going over speed bumps and badly angled driveways.

Instead of "wheelie bars" on the rear of the car, we need "splitter wheels" Little casters that would have the bottom of the wheel protruding just a bit beyond the floor of the splitter. That way we could just roll over the obstacles.

-T

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