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Ford Shelby GT350, GT350R Mustangs stick around for 2018

Don't expect them to pick up the same changes as the standard 'Stang, though.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2 min read

Limited editions can be a real bummer, especially when they're awesome and not egregiously expensive. Thankfully, one very special Mustang will be sticking around for at least another year.

Ford has decided to extend the life of the Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustang into the 2018 model year. The cars are literally unchanged, save for three new exterior paint options -- Orange Fury, Kona Blue and Lead Foot Gray.

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If you want a Shelby with the Mustang's new face, you may have to wait until something else comes along, like a GT500 perhaps.

Ford

Fans of the Big Blue Oval might be saying, "Wait a minute, Ford updated the Mustang for the 2018 model year." They'd be correct -- Ford did revise the interior and exterior of the 2018 Mustang lineup. Sadly, those changes won't be applied to the GT350 and GT350R. You're stuck with the old look, not that it's a bad thing.

Aside from the paint, the GT350 and GT350R carry over the stuff of track-rat dreams. Under the hood is a 526-horsepower, 5.2-liter V8 with a flat plane crank that revs to a billion rpm and sounds like the fabric of space and time is being torn asunder. Other standard equipment includes big Brembo brakes, magnetorheological adaptive dampers and a whole bunch of coolers to keep the engine from roasting itself alive.

There are two options packages for drivers who want a few extra creature comforts. Both GT350 and GT350R have an electronics package that adds the Sync 3 infotainment system and a nine-speaker audio system. GT350 models can also pick up a convenience package that adds heated and ventilated power seats, too.

Ford hasn't said anything about pricing, but for context's sake, a 2017 GT350 retails for about $56,145 and a GT350R runs about $63,645.

Mustang Shelby GT350R lounging on the track

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Watch this: Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R makes mincemeat of the track