Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Production Officially Ends This Fall
Ford confirms that Shelby GT350 and GT350R production will end this fall as the 2020 model year comes to a close.
It’s been largely assumed for some time now that the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R would go away after the 2020 model year. This became especially true following the arrival of the 2021 Mach 1, which features a lot of GT350 parts and fills the role of the naturally-aspirated track monster in the Mustang lineup. Now, Ford has made the GT350’s departure official.
“With the 760 horsepower Shelby GT500 now in full stride, we will finish production of Shelby GT350 and GT350R this fall as planned. This makes the way for new additions to excite our passionate Mustang fans for 2021 model year – including the limited-edition Mach 1,” Ford said in a statement.
This news was fully expected, but it’s still rather somber. Mustang fans immediately fell in love with the latest iteration of the Shelby GT350 when it returned for the 2016 model year. The car’s naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter Voodoo flat-plane crank V8 produces a sound like nothing else, and the car’s track prowess is impossible to deny.
The GT350 went on to win a variety of awards, including Road & Track magazine’s 2016 “Performance Car of the Year” (PCOTY) and Car and Driver magazine’s “10 Best Cars” for 2016. The special Shelby also introduced a number of firsts over its years of production, including the first MagneRide suspension available on a Ford and the first carbon fiber wheels fitted to a mass-production road car on the GT350R.
Ford dropped a small hint regarding the GT350’s departure when it released the Heritage Edition for the 2020 model year. The car pays tribute to Carroll Shelby‘s legendary 1965 GT350 fastback that helped establish the nameplate a full 55 years earlier.
The Heritage Edition Shelby GT350 is finished in classic Wimbledon White with Guardsman Blue side and over-the-top race stripes, just like the original. In addition, the special edition features front and rear exterior badges finished in Guardsman Blue and a unique dash badge inside. GT350R models will feature all-black seats with red accent stitching.
“Looking back on it, what Ford and Carroll Shelby created back in the mid-’60s was so important to Mustang,” said Jim Owens, Ford Mustang marketing manager. “With their authentic exterior livery, unique appointments and performance Ken [Miles] could have only dreamed of, the Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R Heritage Edition Package vehicles are a meaningful tribute to the legacy of the Shelby brand.”
It’s sad to see the Shelby GT350 go away once again, but we know that it will come back again one day, better than ever. In the meantime, we’ll have to satisfy our need for a pure track-focused Mustang with the new Mach 1. Or, we could just scoop up a used GT350, which have proven to be fantastic values in recent months.
Photos: Ford
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