Ford Performance is on a roll. The Ford GT Concept that debuted at this year’s Detroit Auto Show was received with slack jaws and approving hand gestures. The 2017 F-150 Raptor that’s on its way has lost hundreds of pounds and promises to be more capable than its impressive predecessor. The Ford Focus RS comes with a drift mode and 345 horsepower sent to all four wheels. Indeed, it’s a good time to love Ford’s flavor of speed.
Then there’s the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, which redefines the image of a muscle car. The path toward track-honed performance was partially paved by Ford’s Boss 302 Laguna Seca in 2012, but that car’s solid rear axle limited a full transformation from straight-line speeder. The Shelby GT350 is a different animal entirely.