Final specs released for Shelby GT350 Mustang

Shelby has released the final specs on its reborn GT350 Mustang. The base package features 430hp, up just a little from the stock 5.0's 412. To this, you can add a Whipple supercharger that will boost the ponies up to 525. The "R" tuned version ups the ante all the way to 625 horsepower.

Every version of the GT350 features numerous upgrades to suspension, brakes, body styling, badges, and the requisite dash plaque to let you know you are driving something special.

Pricing for the conversion starts at $26,995 for the base model. Adding the Whipple will up the cost to $33,995. The R tune costs another $750 over the supercharged package. Check out all of the details in the press release below.

SHELBY AMERICAN RELEASES FINAL SPECS AND NEW 600+ HP OPTION FOR 2011 GT350
10/7/2010

• 2011 Shelby GT350 supercharge package has 525 HP; normally aspirated has 430 HP
• 624 horsepower optional
• All 2011 GT350s are built at the Las Vegas facility and documented in the official Shelby Registry


LAS VEGAS – October 7, 2010 – Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI:PK) has released the official performance specs of the supercharged and normally aspirated post title packages for the Shelby GT350, as well as a new higher horsepower option for the 5.0 liter powered car. With up to 624 horsepower on tap via an optional "R" tune, the 2011 Shelby GT350 is one of the most powerful limited production cars in the world.

"Our goal was to build the ultimate small block muscle car," said John Luft, president of Shelby American. "The results show that the Shelby GT350 takes American performance to an entirely new level. In recent tests, the standard supercharged car hit 60 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds and ran the quarter in 12 seconds flat at 121.4 mph, all while generating 1.05g of lateral acceleration and stopping from 60 mph in only 107 feet. We believe the 'R' tuned GT350 will be even faster."

The normally aspirated GT350 is available in standard Ford Mustang GT trim for SCCA racing or 430 in the optional tune. The standard supercharged version is rated at 525 horsepower while the "R" tune option delivers 624 horsepower. All versions include Shelby performance suspension, brake, tire/wheel, and interior and exterior styling enhancements that make the GT350 as fast on the curves as it is in the straightaways.

In addition to the optional "R" tune for the supercharger, Shelby American will offer a solid blue painted hood stripes as well as finished rear bumper stripes. A Watts link rear suspension, upgraded stereo, track-oriented brakes and other options are also available on the Shelby.

Standard GT350 package components include:
• Shelby/Ford Racing/Whipple black finish supercharger (supercharged version only)
• Shelby/Ford Racing suspension
• Shelby Caster camber plate kit
• Shelby/Baer 6 piston front brake kit with exclusive nickel anodized finish
• Shelby/Baer ERADISPEED rear rotor and brake pad upgrade
• Front and rear brake duct and cooling kit
• Shelby/Borla unique center exit exhaust
• Shelby/Cragar 19" alloy wheels shod with Goodyear performance tires
• Front fascia including traditional "running pony" badge
• Rear fascia including exclusive GT350 45th anniversary badge
• Unique tail light trim
• Rear deck lid filler panel
• Side Rockers with functional integrated brake cooling ducts
• Exclusive GT350 Guardsman Blue vinyl over-the-top and side stripes
• "Powered by Ford" fender mounted badges
• Serialized engine plate
• Shelby Engine cap set
• Serialized Dash plate with Shelby GT350 sequential serial number
• A-Pillar mounted gauge package
• Embroidered Carroll Shelby Signature front seat headrests
• Exclusive GT350 45th anniversary embroidered front floor mats
• Shelby GT350 45th Anniversary windbreaker jacket
• Carroll Shelby signed passenger airbag cover (subject to availability)

Optional equipment:
• Polished supercharger
• Shelby/Baer 6 piston rear brake upgrade
• Watts link rear suspension
• Goodyear street race tire package
• Painted over the top and side stripe kit
• Shelby/Kicker premium sound system
• Leather seating surfaces with contrasting stitching and red/white/blue insert on front seats
• Tone on tone embroidered GT350 on seat backs
• Console cover and shift boot

New Shelby Series II roadsters for sale

Back in the 90's Carroll Shelby sought out to do something much more ambitious than just hot rodding an existing platform - he built an entire car from scratch. The Series 1 featured a lightweight aluminum honeycomb chassis, carbon fiber body, sophisticated coilover suspension and a 4.0-liter V8 created for the Indy Racing League.

Unfortunately building a production car is not easy business, and the high production costs that doubled the car's $100,000 selling price and an engine switch to a 320 hp Aurora based V8 led to only 250 cars being sold.

In 2006 Shelby announced that they would be continuing production of the car, renaming it the Series II. The car featured a revised front end and a price tag of $225,000. Alas, the Series II never materialized due to the high costs associated with recertifying the car with Federal standards.

But there are indeed a few Series II bodies laying around, and Superperformance Distribution has a few for sale. Each is sold without an engine or transmission. Rumor has it that only four examples were ever built, making this potentially a very rare snake indeed.

2008 Mustang Shelby GT - is it worth it?

The original mid 60's Mustang Shelby GT started life as a car Ford built to certain specifications, which was in turn shipped to Shelby American for additional upgrades. Shelby's crew would add bolt-on, go-faster parts for the engine and suspension, a few splashy bits to make it look racier, a Shelby ID number, those iconic Shelby stripes from nose to tail, and the rest is musclecar history. Not much has changed circa 2008.



The new 'Stang takes performance parts with ease, so why not have a professional outfit do the work for you?



The '08 Shelby features 319 hp with a rumbling exhaust that's quite pleasant, especially if you opt for the convertible for some top down fun. $11,800 for some upgrades is some serious cash, however, and that's the premium you'll pay over the cost of a loaded GT convertible.



The best thing about the Shelby is it's exclusivity. It's not like you'll see one of these in every parking lot of America. It's an easy ticket to turn heads and get noticed.



But then again, for $11k you could do a lot more to your base GT, and achieve better results under the hood. But name recognition costs money, and that's what you get with the Shelby GT.



Check out AmericanMuscle.com's large selection of 2008 Mustang Parts