Shelby GT350 R
Even though the Shelby was based on the Mustang GT, much of the car’s suspension, design, aero package, and engine were new. The most significant single difference was the fantastic Voodoo engine, which has a 5.2-liter displacement, 526 hp, and 429 lb.-ft of torque. The main feature of this high-revving powerplant is the flat plane crank technology, which allows the big V8 to scream to almost 9000 rpm (via Car and Driver).
It’s the same technology that exotic manufacturers like Ferrari use, and this is the first time a muscle car has featured such an advanced engine. Ford’s investment in Shelby GT 350 R paid off since the performance is mind-boggling, taking only 3.9 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. But the numbers alone don’t do justice to this car. The Shelby GT 350 R is a pure sports car that delivers excellent driving dynamics and experience to the driver. It’s much closer to the Porsche GT3 in terms of precision driving and cornering speeds than it is to the Mustangs of yesterday. But the best thing was its Wimbledon White color and Guardsman Blue racing stripes. It is an amazingly recognizable graphics package available straight from the factory.