Muscled-up Shelby GT350R slithers into view

Like its equally iconic siblings, the GT350R differs subtly aesthetically from the GT350 in that it comes with a more aggressive carbon fibre aerodynamics package, carbon fibre wheels, a sound synthesiser delete option for the exhaust to save weight, red brake calipers, optional racing stripes, Cobra styled puddle lamps and four new colours; Iconic Silver, Red Hot Metallic, Twister Orange and Grabber Lime.

Equipped as standard with a 12-speaker B&O Play sound system, the GT350’s unique interior fixtures consists out of a D-shaped steering wheel with red pin-striping and 12 o’clock marking, GT350R badges and no rear seat to further cut back on weight.

Underneath its skin, the R not only gains a recalibrated electric power steering setup, revised front suspension geometry and the so-called high-trail steering knuckle from the GT500, but also the 5.2-litre V8 engine albeit without the supercharger and producing 392kW/582Nm instead of 567kW/847Nm. As with the GT350, only a six-speed Tremec manual gearbox is available.

While no pricing has yet been revealed, the GT350R, like the GT500, will remain North American specific models only, though local buyers wanting more from the facelift Mustang can opt for the Ford approved Roush RS3 package introduced last month.

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