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Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R named Road & Track Performance Car of the Year

With a 526-horsepower, 5.2-liter V8 that roars to 8,250 rpm, it's really hard to consider the 2016 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R an underdog in any fight. However, the Shelby held the lowest as-tested price and was only middle of the pack in terms of power in Road & Track's 2016 Performance Car of the Year challenge. The 'Stang's numbers clearly didn't tell the whole story about the potent coupe because Ford's muscle car grabbed the title in this year's test. A model needs to be new or significantly updated to be eligible for the honor, and R&T found an impressive slate of eight candidates this year. The challengers included the Bentley Continental GT3-R, Cadillac ATS-V Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper ACR, Mercedes-AMG GT S, and Porsche Cayman GT4. The Ferrari 488 GTB was the most expensive of the bunch with an as-tested price of $347,942, which is five times more than the Shelby. Once the group was together, R&T hustled them over curving roads and on the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park. There was a lot to love about the Shelby, even in this impressive crew. "With a flat-plane crank and Sport Cup 2 tires, the GT350R is a Mustang turned up to 11," editor-in-chief Larry Webster said in the announcement of the results. The GT350R joins some great company. Past winners include the Porsche 911 GT3 last year and the Corvette in 2013. For some fantastic photography and the complete appraisal of these performance machines check out R&T's website for the full story. Related Video: ROAD & TRACK NAMES THE FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT350R THE 2016 PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR New York, NY (November 9, 2015) – Road & Track today named the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R the 2016 Performance Car of the Year, beating out seven of the world's best new sports cars. The article appears in the December/January issue, on newsstands November 17, and on RoadandTrack.com. "With a flat-plane crank and Sport Cup 2 tires, the GT350R is a Mustang turned up to 11," said Larry Webster, editor-in-chief of Road & Track. "Not only does the car have soul and harness so much firepower with such ease, but the real achievement here is that it's so approachable. It's a car you can't help but love." The Mustang Shelby GT350R was the winner by a runaway vote.

Man crashes car through store window, says he needs a beer

Police body cameras captured a chaotic scene at a Cleveland-area convenience store after a man drove his car through the front of the store and barricaded himself in a walk-in cooler. According to WJW, the Convenience Mart in Rocky River, Ohio, had just closed in the early hours of May 7 when a black Dodge Challenger barreled through the security bollards at around 40 miles per hour and crashed through the front window. Police arrived to find the car parked in the store with its hazards on, the store clerk trapped beneath debris, and no driver. The clerk told officers the driver got out, told the clerk that he needed a beer, then wandered into the walk-in cooler. Officers found the driver barricaded inside the cooler. A tense standoff ensued with the agitated, confused man, who dared the cops to shoot him. Police learned he was suffering PTSD-related issues from his military service and job with the Federal Protective Service. "The conversation he was having with the police was deranged, consistent with somebody who was going through a mental crisis," RRPD Chief Kelly Stillman told WJW. Eventually, an officer was able to use a taser on the man, who put up a fight but was eventually subdued. He faces charges that include DUI and reckless driving. Thankfully, the store clerk escaped relatively unscathed. His life was saved by a deli case that absorbed the impact of the car and sheltered him from falling debris. "Had the car been over a couple more feet, he was hurt, it could have been serious bodily injury, even possibly death. I mean that's a four, five thousand pound automobile coming at 30, 40 miles an hour. He was lucky, very lucky," said Chief Stillman. Related Video News Source: WJW Auto News Dodge cleveland challenger

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody expected for 2021

As of writing, Dodge still won't confirm that a Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody exists, even though camouflaged and debadged versions have already been spotted. Furthermore, before the automaker was forced to cancel this year's LX Sprint Fest 15, a poster advertising the event pictured a Charger SRT with a Dodge Demon-like hood, thought perhaps to be a "concept" version of the sedan in question. Once expected as a product for the 2020 model year, the sedan according to Mopar Insiders is now on the way for 2021 with tweaked looks to go with the centerpiece 6.2-liter Hemi V8 with 797 horsepower and 717 pound-feet of torque. The biggest cosmetic change will be the hood, a larger, redrawn center scoop dominating the front and feeding a cold-intake system pulled from the Demon. The two heat extractors move further back on the hood and rotate 90 degrees to face the sides of the sedan instead of facing the windshield. It will be available only in widebody form, and Redeye badges will adorn the grille, fenders, and decklid. Under the skin, changes compared to the Charger SRT Hellcat include a 6,500-rpm redline, 500 rpm higher than the 707-hp Charger Hellcat, a second dual-stage fuel pump, fitment of the SRT Power Chiller and the SRT After-Run Chiller also from the Demon, as well as stronger prop shafts and half-shafts. MI also mentioned the availability of either a standard 2.62 final drive ratio or an optional 3.09 final gear, production intent for concept wheels that were slated to show at LX Spring Fest, and a new SRT Performance Spoiler. The changes could drop the dash to 60 miles per hour a couple of tenths to 3.4 seconds, and get the widebody's top speed back over the 200-mph mark.  The question now is when the sedan will make its debut. MI thinks the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody will first greet the public at FCA's What's New media roundup this summer. However, with this month still obscured by coronavirus clouds and even late summer events still being canceled, its impossible to know when we'll get a look at the new muscle sedan. Related Video: