We know already know how these two beastly V8 engines do the track, but now it’s to take it to the streets.
The 2018 Ford Mustang GT is the quickest and the most powerful model to ever wear the GT moniker, thanks in part to the new 10-speed automatic transmission. The current Shelby GT350R is the highest performance model in the corral right now, but it is built for road course domination (as we’ve seen here already). This leads many to believe that the GT is the better car in a drag race.
To find out for sure, YouTuber Speed Phenom put the two head-to-head in a short drag race on the street to see which is quicker in a straight line.
Pony Car Glamour Shots
The video begins with a couple minutes of gorgeous footage of each car, including drone footage of the Mustangs cruising down the road. After that, the host of the video introduces us to the 2018 GT and the 2016 GT350R, providing some basic details and discussing the modes in which the two cars will be run.
The 2018 Mustang GT has the 460-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 mated to the new 10-speed automatic transmission while the Shelby GT350R has the 526-horsepower, 5.2-liter flat plane V8 mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The Shelby is also a bit lighter in stock form and it has stickier stock tires than the Mustang GT, so on paper, it appears that the GT350R should easily win the race.
The dispute, it seems, is that the Shelby’s engine makes its power at high RPMs, so it will be at a disadvantage in a short race. As we see, that is not the case.
Mustang Racing Action
The video includes three short drag races between the 2018 Mustang GT and the 2016 GT350R. The two don’t race much longer after the Shelby shifts into second gear, so this is really more of a race to 60 miles per hour or so than a real drag race, but these short runs on the narrow road answer the aforementioned question.
On the first run, both cars seem to leave right around idle and the newer Mustang takes an early lead over the Shelby. That early lead turns into an easy win.
On the second run, the Shelby driver brings up the engine speed a bit and gets out to a quick lead. The stronger Mustang continues to pull away for the win, and on the third run, the results are the same. With the GT350R driver launching like he wants to win, the more-powerful Mustang proves to be quicker in the short drag race.
So there you have it folks. The real winner in between these mechanical titans depends on the environment. GT for track, GT350R for the road.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
