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2016 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R First Ride

Ford Performance Chief Engineer Jamal Hameedi was in China when he received an interesting text. Half a world away his team was shaking down the newest Shelby Mustang at Grattan Raceway in rural Michigan. The news was encouraging. The GT350R was keeping pace with a Porsche 911 GT3, even nosing ahead of it during time trials, while the GT350 was running about even with a 911 Carrera S and a Chevy Corvette Stingray. "That was a good text to get," he recounted a week later as we chatted alongside the track at Grattan. On this scorching summer day, there were no Porsches or Stingrays to be found, but we've come to preview the track-focused GT350R. Ford drivers are at the wheel, and we're riding shotgun. After several hot laps, we're left with a predictable observation: The GT350R is wicked fast and quick as hell. Much of this is thanks to the 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V8 that pumps out 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. It's the most powerful naturally aspirated road-legal engine in Ford's 112-year history. To help the engineering process, Ford bought a Ferrari 458 Italia and ripped apart its V8. The GT350's engine ended up being 10 pounds lighter. For the coup d'grace, Ford's mill also revs to a Ferrari-like 8,250 rpm. As formidable as all of that looks on paper, it sounds even more imposing in real life (see the related video below). The engine in our GT350R crackles, growls, and opens up to a flat-out roar as we explode onto the track, gripping the door pulls to calm our nerves. Grattan is a challenging, twisty course. The corners are tight, and the elevation changes quickly. At one point, our test driver aggressively tackles a curve and we're briefly airborne. During the first stint, we reach about 140 miles per hour. But the GT350R isn't about straight-line speed or pure power. It's designed to get around a track as rapidly as possible. That means Ford took the 'base' GT350 – which should be more than at home on the track itself – and re-tuned the suspension and aerodynamics. There's a larger front splitter and rear carbon-fiber spoiler. The 19-inch carbon-fiber wheels are stiffer and lighter than comparable aluminum rollers, and they're wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 high performance rubber. Additionally, Ford ripped out the back seats, air conditioning, trunk floorboard, stereo, backup camera, and anything else that wasn't necessary.

Need a last minute gift? Win Mom her dream car this Mother's Day

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze.  The feeling of getting a new car is wonderful. Seeing your mom get that new car, or even better, her dream car, feels even better, or so we would imagine. And Omaze is here with a chance to experience that feeling. Plus, if you enter any giveaway through May 8 and use code DEARMOM100 you’ll get 100 bonus entries.  YouÂ’re probably asking yourself, what does it take to win? First of all, according to Omaze, "no donation or payment is necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes." $10 will get you 100 entries in this sweepstakes, while $50 will get you 1,000 entries and $100 will get you 2,000 entries. The best part? Each paid entry raises money for a worthy cause. See more about these causes at Omaze. Here are our favorite vehicle giveaways weÂ’ve found online this week. Unless youÂ’re an only child, thereÂ’s no doubt youÂ’ve experienced the competitiveness that MotherÂ’s Day brings. This year you can take it up a notch beating out the bath bombs and brunch that your siblings are bringing to the table with something no one has any chance of topping: the keys to a 2022 McLaren GT. Win a 2022 McLaren GT - Enter at Omaze Here are the specs for the McLaren GT, according to Omaze: Max Seating: 2 Powertrain: Twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive Exterior Color: Ember Orange Interior Color: Black Horsepower: 612 hp Torque: 465 lb-ft Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds Top Speed: 203 mph Fuel Consumption: 15/21/17 mpg city/highway/combined Fuel Capacity: 19 gallons Approximate Retail Value: $243,875.00 Cash-Alt: $182,906.25 Special features: Dihedral "butterfly" doors; 20" and 21" MSO wheels; 12.3" instrument screen; 7" portrait infotainment screen; 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system There are few cars that are more iconic than a Shelby Cobra. ThereÂ’s something about them that captures your attention when you see them out on the road. However, few of the cars you see out on the road are actual Shelbys: theyÂ’re replicas, similar to this Superformance MKIII-R. But not all replicas are created equal. This one is powered by a 7.3-liter Ford Godzilla V8 engine that makes 600 horsepower, more than the original car.

Ford taps Canada-based Multimatic to build carbon fiber Ford GT

Ford has given Canadian firm Multimatic the nod to build the carbon fiber body on the new GT – The Blue Oval says it has worked with this company for 30 years. The global supplier provides parts and engineering to various automakers, and while based in Markham, Ontario it has 12 plants in Canada, the US, Mexico, England, and China. When announcing the decision at the Canadian International Auto Show, Ford says it chose them "because they have specialized equipment for carbon fiber production and expertise in carbon fiber assembly," and we've heard that the 600-horsepower coupe will be produced in a purpose-built facility at Ford's factory in Markham. Even better than that – for GT purposes and for possible hints at a Le Mans run – the Multimatic Motorsports division can be contracted for engineering and race team management. They currently produce the Boss 302R racecar in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, worked on the FR500C, and their Multimatic Motorsports Lola B2K/40 won its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000. The first models will roll off the line at the end of next year. Production numbers are rumored to be in the low hundreds, with a six-figure price tag around $200,000. They'll go into production in time for some sort of 50th anniversary celebration of the GT40 taking the the top three spots at Le Mans in 1966. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Ford GT: Chicago 2015 View 30 Photos News Source: CBCImage Credit: Live images copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Plants/Manufacturing Ford Coupe Luxury Performance Multimatic