There only muscle car better than a Ford Mustang is another Mustang. But how do you decide between two great cars? The question of which Shelby is superior between the GT350 and the GT500 has been the source of a lot of heated debates. Despite their similarities, there is indeed a superior one and that is the GT350. And we will take a closer look at why it is better than the GT500.
The GT350 was built two years before the its rival and without it, we wouldn't even have a GT500. The incredible success it had both on the track and commercially gave Ford the platform to go build its younger sibling. It was built to be a corner-carver, a car capable of taking on any track with ease. The GT500 on the other hand was built to be the ultimate drag racer.
Choosing between these two Mustangs can be a little tricky. Depending on your own preferences you could easily go with one or the other. If you want to collect pink slips then maybe you would choose the Shelby Mustang GT500 but if you want a car for its overall driving experience then you would most likely pick the original.
If we had to choose between these two siblings, the GT350 would always come out on top, and here's why...
It Handles Better Than The GT500
When Carroll Shelby built the GT350 he made it so that it could handle the straight line, the track, and any old backroad. Everything about it is designed to get the most out of it. The engine, the hood scoop, the functional side scoops, and the suspension modifications are all designed to maximize the Shelby's performance.
In 2019 Ford upgraded the GT350, the chassis, suspension, and aerodynamics were all updated so that the muscle car would be able to handle better. But the most significant upgrade was the tires. It was fitted with a brand new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber with a GT350 specific tread pattern. These new tires give the car better acceleration, handling, and improved braking.
But they didn't stop there. They added a new rear spoiler to further improve the car's aerodynamics. The sports car was also given a brand new grille which was designed to restrict the air going into the engine bay and therefore reducing it's drag coefficient.
The 2020 Shelby Mustang GT350 is a car built for the purists, people that truly love driving a good car. Behind the wheel, you need to always be focused while driving it but that just adds to the excitement of owning one of these incredible cars.
The GT350 Is More Affordable
If you're gonna buy a new Mustang buy the GT350. The GT500 may have the upper hand in terms of raw power and quicker quarter-mile times but the differences between the two do not justify their difference in price. The former starts at around $60,000 which is an incredible $10,000 less than the top of the line Shelby.
The GT500 is a car you show off to your friends and the GT350 is a car you drive. So why would you spend over $70,000 for a Mustang that you're never gonna enjoy driving? If you really want to own a Shelby Mustang just get the track oriented one!
Better Fuel Economy
Let's be honest, no one likes spending a fortune at the gas station regardless of what your bank account says. So any car that doesn't blow a hole through your pocket (or bank account) when its time to fill it up is a bonus.
The 2020 Shelby Mustang GT350 has a fuel economy of 12 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. In comparison, the GT500 has a fuel economy of 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. There might not be too much of a difference between the two but it is still significant.
A Shelby Mustang is not exactly what you would call a "green car", they are usually high performance, fast, raw American muscle cars. But since this is a comparison between one and the other, the GT350 has the advantage.
This is partly because it is lighter and produces less power than the bigger sibling. They are both powered by a 5.2-liter V8 engine. But the difference is that the former is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V8 which produces 526 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque. While the latter is powered by a Supercharged 5.2-liter cross-plane crank V-8 which produces 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque.