Ford Mustang Shelby Gt350, GT350R

We previewed the Shelby GT350 and the GT350R back when the rumour mill was still spinning. Now, both models have been officially showcased, and boy it looks good.

There's a special kind of menace in the face of the GT350/R, the slats in the lower front grille making a bold statement right away. It properly looks like a snake baring fangs, thus providing a visual link to the Cobra on the Shelby badging. The question still remains though, is it a horse that has a venomous bite, or is it a snake that gallops?

Animal kingdom paradoxes aside, the GT350 and the R version promise a whole lot, and will most likely deliver. The car features the first-ever production V8 from Ford with a flat-plane crankshaft and is the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Ford has ever produced. Numbers place the 5.2 litre V8 engine at over 500 hp and 400 lb-f of torque. The GT350R comes with specially tuned suspension for track driving and aero tuning to deliver more downforce for cornering stability.

There is also a whole lot of weight saved in the hardcore GT350R, and items removed include the air-conditioning system, rear seats, stereo among others.

The GT350R is a mouthwatering prospect. Once we have a video of the feral Mustang in our hands, we'll give our readers something to hear and see, so keep an eye on our website, www.thedailystar.net/shift