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Is a 2019GT350R worth the extra vs the 2019GT350

torque124

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I also just switched from a GT350 track pack from 2016 to a R with electronics, same year... Now the R is only 2600 miles at this point, so it stills smells like a new car.
It is a big difference between the 2, definitely. The R is much more docile and responsive, you do feel the lighter wheels and suspension tuning. It is also slightly stiffer on normal mode than the regular one; it does absorb nicely most small bumps, but it will crash harder in bigger pot holes than the other one.
The exhaust is MUCH louder in my opinion, and it pops and cracks more often on deceleration (which I like).
From looking at exterior carefully, it feels like it has been put together nicer than the non R, less gaps between fenders and doors, etc. Maybe it was just my car.
My old one had all kind of vibrations inside and noises when you rev over 5000; the R has none of that..

If I was to buy a GT350 from the beginning, I would definitely get an R, should have done so the first time.
just my 2 cents
 

JR369

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I'm surprised you would say this.
Saw that. I think he was searching for a different word. The R is not docile... I think the word could have been nimble. It feels very light on it's feet. It's kind of a marvel to me about how nimble and light it feels. It does jounce and bounce a bit in sport mode if you're not on a smooth track.
 

svttim

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The R changes are subtle but makes a big difference. Generally the 19 gt350 is good enough for daily use and occasional track days. The R was always for someone who often goes to track therefore the CF wheels and the unique tuning. So depends on what you are going to do with your car to see if the price makes sense to you.

The 20 Rs are debatable because of the steering and front suspension tuning. The old R is so precise in steering and perfect in balance that its hard to improve on, Ford basically updated the 20 Rs with 500 parts to save money. And using the new hardware needs a retune. No one knows at this point how the new steering tuning is and whether if we lose something we really loved in the old R. Those willing to take the bet might want to get the 20s. But those who want the more original R feel should go for previous years.

FP said purpose of new setup will reduce the tramlining, but the tramlining is something unique about the R and is just how sensitive the car is, you feel everything on the road, this is why many people are worrying about the new steering not being the same great feel.
my 16 GT350 tramlined much worse than my R
 

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PP0001

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my 16 GT350 tramlined much worse than my R
Good point Tim!

I remember driving "F0079" and "F0080" from Raleigh, N.C. to my home at the time in South Carolina as a good buddy of mine from the PNW had just bought both cars and wanted me to store them for a few months so took them home.

I can tell you that the tramlining on both of those 2015 cars was something else as I took them to some Cars and Coffee as well in Augusta and they were a handful.

Both were Tech Pack cars which is not relevant but both cars had ~13,000 miles on them.

The engines and trannys performed beautifully but a couple of times I almost lost control near Raleigh when entering onto I85.

Not sure how the tramlining is on the 2019 cars as have not driven one of them but any of the R's that I have owned did not tramline as bad as those two 2015 cars.

:)
 

torque124

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my 16 GT350 tramlined much worse than my R
Funny you said that, I was just thinking that I never felt much tram-lining on my 600 miles ride home on the R. I was a bit surprised, the track pack had to wrestled with from time to time...
 

Hack

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I think tramlining is a function of alignment and the Ford factory alignments have some variation.
 

95CobraR

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I'd say that the GT350R is the bargain entry price (you asked about the greater upfront cost).
 

Alain

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There are R models out there at MSRP !!! Check the leads thread man. There are also leads on Facebook.

I would go with the R.
 

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19OWGT350

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I had been waiting since 2015, and decided to pull the trigger once I saw the updates to the 19 GT350 w/ the handling package. Cup 2s, adjustable CC plates, more aero and a back seat for the kiddos.... done. Nothing better at this price point.
 

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I would assume they wanted to use as many parts in common across the car's. Im curious what a part number comparison would show.
If that was true, then they would put the steering rack and geometry on the base GT350 as well. They didn't, and the 2020 R with those parts is more expensive. So maybe the 500 steering is better but too expensive for the base GT350?
 

awildpony

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I had been waiting since 2015, and decided to pull the trigger once I saw the updates to the 19 GT350 w/ the handling package. Cup 2s, adjustable CC plates, more aero and a back seat for the kiddos.... done. Nothing better at this price point.
honestly ive been waiting since 2015 for the R as well. Ive been looking forward to 2020 R for so many years hoping it would had significant changes worth the wait and price, but of course that didn't end well. I always knew the R was a very capable car pushed to the limits thus really hard to improve on, well FP did prove that by their 2020 "improvement".


If that was true, then they would put the steering rack and geometry on the base GT350 as well. They didn't, and the 2020 R with those parts is more expensive. So maybe the 500 steering is better but too expensive for the base GT350?
even to save money they won't put it on the base gt350. The base has a different purpose than the R and the gt500, which they want to differentiate, especially after the 2019 changes. Most of the 19 changes to the base car was from the R, thats how good the R was all along.

As for the R they haven't changed it in all these years so it made sense from a marketing and production standpoint to put the parts in, to save money and easy to market "its from the gt500, top of line mustang to date". If they were to put it into the base 350 they would have to do 3 different tunings in total and the 2019 changes would go to waste.

Remember the new parts are developed specifically for the 500, which is a totally different car to the R when it comes to tuning and how it runs, let alone its weight... Id believe FP saying if they want to improve the R if they did something just for the R all these years, or heck even if they want to share parts give the CF drive shaft to the R, but no. We ended up using the same parts developed for a different car, yea of course the retune will make the new hardware work with the car, but personally i want the original setup of the R.
 

Stuntman

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even to save money they won't put it on the base gt350. The base has a different purpose than the R and the gt500, which they want to differentiate, especially after the 2019 changes. Most of the 19 changes to the base car was from the R, thats how good the R was all along.

As for the R they haven't changed it in all these years so it made sense from a marketing and production standpoint to put the parts in, to save money and easy to market "its from the gt500, top of line mustang to date". If they were to put it into the base 350 they would have to do 3 different tunings in total and the 2019 changes would go to waste.

Remember the new parts are developed specifically for the 500, which is a totally different car to the R when it comes to tuning and how it runs, let alone its weight... Id believe FP saying if they want to improve the R if they did something just for the R all these years, or heck even if they want to share parts give the CF drive shaft to the R, but no. We ended up using the same parts developed for a different car, yea of course the retune will make the new hardware work with the car, but personally i want the original setup of the R.
That makes zero sense. If parts commonality reduces costs, they would ditch the original GT350 geometry and rack and go to the GT500 for both the GT350 & 500. Plain and simple.

The GT350R has different brake tuning in 2019 and then GT500 steering in 2020. The new GT350 has different brake and suspension tuning as well. It also has DIFFERENT Cup 2 tires than the GT350R, and it still has a different wing and spoiler. So "Most of the 19 changes to the base car was from the R" is wrong.
 

awildpony

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That makes zero sense. If parts commonality reduces costs, they would ditch the original GT350 geometry and rack and go to the GT500 for both the GT350 & 500. Plain and simple.

The GT350R has different brake tuning in 2019 and then GT500 steering in 2020. The new GT350 has different brake and suspension tuning as well. It also has DIFFERENT Cup 2 tires than the GT350R, and it still has a different wing and spoiler. So "Most of the 19 changes to the base car was from the R" is wrong.
you obviously didn't get it. The 19 updates to the base car is what they learned from the R, just look at the grill and aero they did. They obviously can't make the same car... (you honestly think they will have a same wing and spoiler?) then what is the point of having a gt350 and a gt350r... and of course parts commonality reduces costs, what do you think all the car manufactuers do across different models... they can't all have the same parts exactly but they share when they can... whatever.. some people just don't get it some do, what needs to be said is said and what is done is done. Its all up to FP anyway.
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