It was during the 2400-mile trip out west that we registered the first of many complaints about the 16-gallon fuel tank's limited range. With direct-fitment winter tires unavailable, we sent the GT350 to California to pass the colder months. Lesson learned.īehold the glory of an uncovered V-8. The failed rally stage required another trip to the body shop, in which the resurfaced passenger door and some more Grabber Blue paint cost us $832. An eight-second, tank-slapping ride on loose gravel left the Mustang high-sided on a local road's shoulder. As it turns out, this car is not suited for off-road duty. In total, the raccoon set us back $3684, $1508 of which was for the vinyl stripes-more than three times the original cost to have the entire car thus equipped.īut that wouldn't be the only damage we inflicted on the GT350. Restoring the stripes and clear protective wrap took another four trips to accomplish. The incident damaged the bumper cover, splitter, various trim pieces, and a fender-mounted oil cooler, requiring a trip to the shop for repairs and fresh paint. The farmlands of southeast Michigan breed not only large humans, but also raccoons the size of grizzly bears, one of which became acquainted with the Shelby at high speed late one night. Not long after our initial test, we indulged in a little animal sacrifice. On the skidpad, the Mustang's lateral adhesion measured 1.02 g's at the start and gained 0.01 g by 40,000 miles. When our car was new, the 70-to-zero-mph panic stop took 153 feet, but that stretched to 164 feet in the end, likely because the onset of winter made it difficult to get heat into the rubber for our final test session. At 40,000 miles, it posted identical numbers for both tests. But once we got past it, the GT350 clicked off a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.2 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 12.4 at 118 mph. Obeying the 1000-mile break-in period by not revving the engine sky-high took painful restraint. We also chose the no-cost Grabber Blue paint, a head-turning shade of awesomeness, and white over-the-roof racing stripes to pay homage to Shelbys of the past-only $475, but a decision we would later regret. ![]() We opted for the $3000 Electronics pack, which adds Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system, turn-signal mirrors, navigation, and dual-zone climate control. We ordered the $57,045 GT350, which includes a $1300 penalty from the Man for consuming too much fuel, and selected only a few extras. Although we were curious about the durability and performance of the extreme GT350R's carbon-fiber wheels, our acne-riddled roads and the wheels' replacement costs-$4175 apiece for the fronts and $3517 for each of the rears-shook us out of our reverie. We did keep our wits about us for one critical decision when ordering our long-termer. ![]() ![]() I feel like my right foot has been possessed by the spirit of Carroll Shelby." -Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief "Ford sure named this voodoo engine right.
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